Loud and proud in Place Lux

Can’t beat a classic meal at Fat Boys!  I haven’t run across another place in Brussels with as consistently great burgers.  Accompanied by fries, wings, and a beer, how can you go wrong at this rare and rough sports bar in the city?

The expat English-American atmosphere lends to the flavor.

Fat Boys
Place du Luxembourg 5, Brussels

Food: B+
Price: B+
Atmosphere: A-
Service: A
Languages: English, French, Dutch

Made-to-order mac-and-cheese

If you’re visiting Manhattan in New York, stop off at tiny S’mac for some unhealthy spectacular goodness.  It focuses just on macaroni and cheese, and I was an instant fan.  This cheddar, mozzarella, ground beef, and brocolli version tasted so rich and bold that I had to take a picture.  At least now my brain can remember it in addition to my arteries.

Bagel mania

We checked out this small bagel place in St. Gilles. The waitress was a bit rude but the food made up for it. If you love bagels, check it out:

This place is perfect for a small lunch.  Just don’t go here starving.  The combination of bagel sandwich, salad, and drink (together ~4-8 euros) can be quite satisfying, and much more so than the run-of-the-mill Belgian lunch sandwiches you can find everywhere.  For the record, the roasted red pepper cream cheese with smoked salmon and cress went down very nicely.

By all accounts the tuna salad tasted great, too.  The cinnamon cream cheese became too overpowering after eating about half of it, but its uniqueness still holds some charm.  Considering that bagels are not standard fare in Brussels, this place is worth checking out when you’re in the neighborhood, especially at off-peak hours.

Au Pays Des Merveilles
Avenue Jean Volders 42

Food: A-
Price: A
Atmosphere: B
Service: B-
Languages: French

A Place for Endless Ribs

Barbecue in Brussels?  Apparently, yes!  And an all-you-can-eat option for ribs, no less, (~20 euros) which really can hit the spot after a long week slaving away at work.  Sure, quantity may be the larger draw here than quality — Memphis barbecue this is not — but don’t get me wrong.  The meat was tasty and crisped on the outside enough to earn my acclaim, particularly in this city.  The pork flavor was pure, slightly smoky and slightly sweet, though not as bold as it could have been.  Don’t go here for spicy kick or richly marinated tender perfection.  Just come in with an appetite for lots of simply good meat, and then get your hands dirty.

The potato and salad were not as exciting, of course.  In fact an unusual wad of semisolid flavoring was pasted onto my baked potato that I didn’t care for.  It reminded me of warm bouillon cubes mashed up with butter and grits, and I made the awful mistake of tasting a chunk of it as the first bite of my meal, thinking it was potato.  Please do not do the same.  Other than that little mishap, I liked the meal, my two plates of ribs on cutting boards, the 1930s background music and decor, and the very friendly and earnest service.  Be warned that the place fills up.  Definitely reserve a table for large groups.  And don’t bring vegetarians.

Amadeo
Sint-Katelijnestraat 26-28

Food:  B if you like Memphis ribs, A in the context of Brussels and quantity
Service: A
Ambiance: A-
Languages: French, English