I’ve read so many different reviews on this place, some declaring it a tourist trap because it’s mentioned in a few travel guides, others proclaiming it has the best food in Brussels.
I had to try it myself due to a wonderful recommendation from a friend. I waited my whole trip to Europe to eat here on my last day in Belgium.
I planned ahead and had the restaurant email me a map so I wouldn’t have any problems. The map, unfortunately, was a little off, and we ended up walking around for an hour trying to find it. I finally asked a hotel concierge, and he pointed out that I was, indeed, a little off.
We were here in May, and that particular day it was VERY warm outside, so we opted to s
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I’ve read so many different reviews on this place, some declaring it a tourist trap because it’s mentioned in a few travel guides, others proclaiming it has the best food in Brussels.
I had to try it myself due to a wonderful recommendation from a friend. I waited my whole trip to Europe to eat here on my last day in Belgium.
I planned ahead and had the restaurant email me a map so I wouldn’t have any problems. The map, unfortunately, was a little off, and we ended up walking around for an hour trying to find it. I finally asked a hotel concierge, and he pointed out that I was, indeed, a little off.
We were here in May, and that particular day it was VERY warm outside, so we opted to sit on the open patio, across the courtyard from the restaurant. I was so excited to have my moules and frites.
The place didn’t disappoint. Spinnekopke is a typical Belgian cuisine à la bière restaurant, which means that most of their dishes are cooked in beer, anything from beef to seafood. We didn't have any beer dishes, but what we did have was a great meal.
We started off with mussels prepared as escargot, in butter and garlic. AWESOME! I love escargot, so the preparation was wonderful, with lots of garlic and butter. The best part was using my bread to soak up all the leftover juice!
One of the entrées was steak in béarnaise sauce, served with fries, of course. I like the fact that you order the meat and then choose what sauce you want. The béarnaise sauce was rich and creamy, and the meat was thick and juicy. It was good, but the piece de resistance was my dinner. I had the Moules Piquante, mussels in a spicy cheese sauce. The waiter asked me if I wanted it spicy, and I told him the spicier, the better!
This dish was what I’d been waiting for! It had big, meaty mussels in a cheese sauce that had a little kick to it, great for dipping fries or bread into it. Paired with the beautiful evening, I was in heaven. It was worth all the walking. I met a German gentleman who said that this is his fave restaurant in Brussels and he’s been going there on business for 5 years, so that says a lot.
Dessert was a big hit, too. I had the caramelized apple crepe with ice cream. YUM! It was the perfect dish to finish off a great meal.
If you’re ever in Brussels, go here. It’s a short walk from the metro stop St. Catherine, and if you have time to sightsee, the St Catherine church is beautiful.
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