Bruges on a plate or Bruges off the (B)eaten Path

Although many of us, like me, are convinced we shall visit our destination by the rough guide, we do not always succeed in experiencing the local culture, and in Belgium, local culture means eating.

Many visitors want to have a taste of our gourmet. From conversations with tourists, I have learned that this was either a disappointing experience, or they think they incorrectly that had a good experience.

Most of the restaurants mentioned in the other journals are rarely visited by locals.

Trust me and follow these journal recommendations for a fantastic food experience at moderate and, yes, even budget prices.

Quick Tips:

In summer, and especially if you travel with (small) children, go to Marie Siska in Knokke near the beach, and go and eat their famous authentic heartshaped Belgian Waffles. The kids will have a great time in the MickeyMouse-playground.

Best Way To Get Around:

190 to 220 euros/suite/night
www.brugschesuites.be

www.ronniejonkman.be

Again, good cuisine goes together with a hard-to-find address.

For a step above this level, try the sister restaurant, Fre's Diner, on the outskirts of the city.

It's another good restaurant just outside the historical center that you would never find.

The Kok au Vin, with its central position, is easy to reach by foot from any hotel in town. The food is very good, and the hosts are very casual and warm-hearted. Well done.

www.kok-au-vin.be

Note: Belgians go and eat the short menu for lunch, rarely for dinner, at such a restaurant, because we want to stay at least three to four hours at the table. So we take the five-course menu at night.

The next day, go and have a packet of Belgian fries with mayonnaise -- very good too, and it balances out your wallet.

I myself had a bad fish experience there, although the rest was okay. Nevertheless, their guestbook is filled with congratulatory remarks about the cuisine, and I shall certainly visit them again. This is another good restaurant off the tourist path.

www.pastis.be

Take the three-course Dante menu for €29.50, and you shall have a very good introduction to Belgian cuisine. It is not served on Fridays and Saturdays, but otherwise, you will see that when you think of going to more economically interesting places, you will pay more.

www.deflorentijnen.be

Now, the chocolate we Belgians die for is Galler, Wittamer (which you cannot get in Bruges), and Neuhaus, who all just happen to have the right to carry the royal warrant as furnishers to the royal court. Always a guarantee for exquisite quality, even for the most republican among us. They are above all competitors, especially when it comes to freshness of the pralines. Just because Neuhaus, like Cartier or Rolex, has stores around the globe, it doesn’t mean that they are of less quality--no, no, no. They are, of course, well known. Godiva, I think, differs from city to city--you can have very fresh ones and then they are one of the best, but they are also sold as shop in shop or franchise, and if you buy them in a more provincial town, then you can buy some that have been there for a long long time. Godiva has been commercialized too much, in my opinion.

This said, there are many artisanal chocolatiers in Bruges, and many are good, but some cater especially for foreign tastes, and we Belgians do not buy from them.

Many tourists buy Leonidas. This is a tough one. You have to know their range very well to make a tasteful selection. Than it is really OK.

What I really recommend is to buy artisanal Belgian chocolate truffles, light, dark or white. They are always a hit with everyone and are very likely to be fresh because of the limited range.

Wittamer pralines and patisserie is probably something you cannot imagine; even many Belgians can only dream of it. It is the Haute Couture among chocolates. Ever tasted chocolate perfumed by rose leaves?

Unfortunately, they have only one store in Brussels. Well, luckily for my weight ...

If in doubt, take Neuhaus, or Galler if you have never tried it before. At Galler, if you are impatient to open the box, buy a chocolate bar as an extra in the shop. Eat it while looking at the beautiful facades in the city and embracing your partner.

Just heaven!

If you have to make a choice between one of her children, go to Marie Siska-getting there is the perfect and original trip for young children and a unique opportunity to visit our coast. It’s preferable to go in summer, so the children can play in the kid’s garden or in the sand, whilst you can see and be seen in the English-style garden. Go to the beach, too.

www.b-in.be

As a reminder about artisanal chocolates: avoid pralines (like Guylian) that are not sold in a Ballotin, like in supermarkets--only buy at chocolatiers. It is not that the prepacked flat plastic-box ones are a hazard for public health, of course. You can probably get them in your home country as well. But have you never wondered how an Italian thinks of our dried carton-boxed pasta, even if they are of Italian origin?

When my friends and I go out to eat, we always pass the tourists hopping from one restaurant door to another, analyzing the English menus. And then, when we sit at our restaurant window, we see them pass by hours later, still looking for where they can eat. Finally, they enter the Chinese restaurant on the other side of the road.

The tip is to go to restaurants on the small streets that are more out of the touristy center. A good meal will put the cherry on your trip, but remember, we have food CULTURE. For example, we expect to stay for a long time in a restaurant and that the different courses are not served too quickly, even when we go out for a spaghetti at the local Italian place.

There is now a small, FREE restaurant-and-bar guide. You can get into the good restaurants, and for a first-timer, you cannot go wrong with any listed in it (and there are many). Just keep the remarks above in mind when making your choice. Now it is just a matter of finding that first good restaurant.

Santé en smakelijk (Cheers and have a nice meal).