Belgium: L’Ecu d'Or Taverne Place De Brouckere Brussels

Our first evening in Brussels was a Sunday. We decided to try to find a restaurant close to our hotel, Sundays being a notoriously hard night to find a restaurant. This tavern was right across the street. Sometimes the easiest choices turn out to be the best. This was one of those cases.

We had a great time here. Our waiter was very friendly, and we enjoyed having an English menu. The atmosphere was warm and cozy, with padded booths along the walls and crisp white tablecloths. The lighting was low, and I would have called it romantic if I had been alone with Al.

I started my meal with soup. It was a creamy green vegetable, whether celery or broccoli, I couldn’t tell for sure. Either way, it was very satisfying. It was served with some warm and crispy bread and plenty of fresh butter. Next came my salad of endive, tomato, red cabbage, and lettuce. It was already dressed with a creamy and delicious dressing. My entrée was brochette (chunks of beef on a stick) served with a three-pepper sauce and the proverbial frites. The sauce was so good that I soaked up every drop.

 Al, Bob, and Joe all had steaks, each one cooked perfectly (as was my brochette). They were simply done, but when a steak is of good quality, little else is needed. Like the brochette, they were served with salad and frites. We added a round of Stella Artois beer and were perfectly satisfied.

 As good as the entrées were, it was the dessert that stole the show. We all had crepes. 

Mine was with chocolate sauce and ice cream, and it was decadent - a single large crepe cooked beautifully, folded and drizzled with wonderful hot chocolate and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. We finished with fresh coffee and, with a contented sigh, walked back across the street to our hotel.