BGM: Brasserie de la Ville

Any difference between Belgian and French onion soup?

Situated near the bustling Grand Place is Brasserie de la Ville, a rather quiet, unassuming restaurant serving local cuisine that may not stand out compared to some others in the area. My BFF and I decided to head to the restaurant after reading many good reviews online.

Since someone was smoking while having his beer at one of the tables outside, we decided to sit indoor.

Bread

My not-so-positive preconception of the texture of the bread, judging from the appearance alone, was shattered the moment I tried to cut it open. It was nicely fluffy with a crispy exterior without being tough.

Belgian Onion Soup €6.50 (~S$10.35)

Taste: 8/10

While slowly enjoying our bread, a piping hot bowl of onion soup was delivered to our table. Served piping hot, it came with an adequate amount of onions that were pretty sweet. It was topped with a piece of bread toasted with cheese. Anyway, I couldn't really tell the difference between Belgian and French onion soup, if any.

Flemish Beef Stew €17.50 (~S$27.85)

Taste: 8/10

Flanders, or the Flemish region, is the Dutch-speaking northern area of Belgium. The specialty of the region prepared by the restaurant was pretty delectable, for the beef chunks were tender. The gravy infused with dark beer was thick enough, but it could be slightly sweeter. The accompanying fries were crispy and not oily.

Mussels and Fries (Cream and Garlic) €20.00 (~S$31.80)

Taste: 8/10

Both of us had never had mussels cooked in cream, thus we went for a pot of them that was also prepared with chopped garlic and celery stalks. As a garlic lover, I definitely could have more of the former. We found the mussels to be fresh enough. As for the cream, I found it to be quite light, but I was hoping for it to be slightly richer. Pika's advice: If you're a fan of blue cheese, you may want to go for a pot of mussels cooked with roquefort.

Apple Cherry Juice €3.80 (~S$6.05)

We decided to skip dessert as we wanted to have some snacks outside. In place of that, my BFF had a bottle of apple and cherry juice. After taking a sip, I agreed with him that it was enjoyably sweet and tart at the same time.

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8/10

Ambience: 7.5/10

Service: 7.5/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Don't be surprised when you're handed a Tintin comic book as soon as you're seated. You'll see the menu when you open it.

Brasserie de la Ville

Rue des Chapeliers 14

Brussels

Belgium

(Tue-Sat: 12 noon - 2.30pm, 6.30pm - 11.00pm)

https://www.brasseriedelaville.be/

*Prices quoted are nett prices.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)