I’ve
recently come back from four days in Bruges – keep an eye out for my City
Hopping post. Here are my restaurant picks.
For man-friendly food
We found
this place by chance on the first evening, as the place we intended on eating
at had closed. I found that all the restaurants in Bruges are really small but
cosy and intimate – serving up to 30 diners. At Heer Halewijn, all the food is
cooked in front of you on an open fire. Not only do you see it cooked, but
prepared too and the owners – a husband and wife team – are the only staff
working, but the service is very good. We sat next to the fire so were kept
warm without being uncomfortable, as well as having a great view of various
dishes being cooked. Jake and I shared the rib eye for two and but for the
steak at Hawksmoor, this was incredible and the best I’d had. The menu is
mainly meat (I don’t recall seeing chicken), with fish and grilled garlic
prawns also featuring. Each main course is served with a giant baked potato –
there’s a never-ending supply of those – and side salad. We also shared a
carafe of house wine, which was reasonably priced (around £7). The decor was
traditional and the atmosphere relaxed, it almost felt as though I was dining
at a friend’s. I think we paid just over
50€, which is good considering the quality and quantity of steak! Booking is
recommended although this hidden gem is away from the tourist trap.
For tradition fare
We found
this restaurant online and after reading the Trip Advisor reviews, we ended up
at Gruuthuse Hof. If you’re looking for typically Belgian cuisine, this is your
answer; although beware, you have to book – so many people without a
reservation were being turned away! The restaurant seats 28 and again, there
are two members of waiting staff. When we arrived, we were given the table nearest
the draughty door – but were soon offered a much better table in the window,
with a beautiful view of the Christmas lights and cobbled streets. Jake chose a
hearty Flemish stew, while I opted for mussels in white wine. The pot was huge and
it’s fair to say I struggled. Both options were served with fries, although I
could have done with some crusty bread instead. I managed a dessert though – a wine
glass of passion fruit sorbet, which was lovely and refreshing. The service
started well but ended up quite slow; I can only imagine that it was because of
a large party of 10.
For afternoon tea (or brunch!)
A place we
hadn’t researched, but I really wanted a crepe or dainty pastry – I’m glad we
came across Carpe Diem as it proved popular with locals, as well as tourists...
always a good sign! There was plenty of seating in the tearoom, with little
cubby holes and a conservatory to sit out the way. Should you wish to take away
products, there’s a patisserie counter too, with some heavenly looking cakes,
show-stopping tarts and macarons. After finding out a mocha doesn’t contain
chocolate and is similar to an espresso, I opted for a cappuccino and the
Norman crepe (thinly sliced apple flambéed with calvados). Both were well
presented and the coffee came with a slice of Madeira-esque cake and a
chocolate! It was quite pricy – you’re looking £20 for two crepes and two
drinks – but it was worth it, especially for a treat.
For something less traditional
Bistro
Maurice serves up a mixture of cuisines and with its small menu, you can expect
quality. From the inside, it’s your typical bistro: minimal, monochrome, light
and airy. We booked our final dinner at Bistro Maurice but it will be
remembered for the wrong reasons. It was far too hot and from the moment I sat
down, I felt uncomfortable and wanted to leave – to the point I was having
coughing fits because of the heat. The food was incredible though and I was
really pleased with what I chose – even if it was a salad. It was presented
beautifully, with an array of inviting colours. There were so many tastes and
textures – from the creamy old Bruges cheese to the salty Serrano ham, peppery
rocket leaves and sweet balsamic dressing. Every mouthful was delicious. It’s amazing
how something so simple was turned into a real delight. I loved the croutons
and toasted seeds too. The service was good – but were only in the restaurant
50 minutes!
Looks so good..
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