Chocolate, beer, and waffles, the Belgium trifecta. We had these quintessential Brussels favorites along with traditional tapas as we walked the city as part of the Brussels night walking gourmet Belgian food tour. We came to Brussels to taste the food and drink the unique beers, and the tour checked all of the boxes.
Our tour started in the beautiful old city square. Of all the ornate buildings in the square we were headed to one in particular, the chocolatier. Often associated with the best chocolate in the world, the shop we visited did not disappoint. We sampled several varieties of beautifully prepared and decadent confections. My favorite was the house made truffles which were soft, fudge like chocolate rolled in coca power. They simply melted in my mouth. After thoroughly fulfilling our sweet tooth it was time for the next stop. Before leaving our guide took a small bag of chocolates which he told us were for later.
Delicious truffles
After a short walk we found our next tasting for some traditional tapas and beer. A plate filled with specialty meats and cheeses arrived alongside three Belgian beers. Our first beer was a Belgian ale with a fair amount of bitterness that paired nicely with the rich andouille sausage. Second we had a Belgian Triple ale which went well with the soft Gouda cheese. The third beer of the tasting was saved until the end. This beer was to be enjoyed with our take away treats from the chocolate shop.
We got to try what is regarded by many as the best beer in the world, the Rochefort 10. Brewed by monks in small amounts the “10” is a dark beer with very complex flavors. The beer gets its highly sought after flavor from the brewing process and being stored in oak barrels. Alongside the beer we had soft chocolate that was filled in the center with whiskey cream. The two worked very well together with similar flavors. Bites of chocolate helped our tongue to continue to taste all of the different notes of the beer.
Brussels style tapas and Belgian beer
With our first traveling course under our belts it was time for the main tasting of the night. We settled into a table for small plates of tapas Brussels style. First to the table was a plate of croquettes filled with melted soft cheese, battered and fried. Mussels in a savory cream sauce followed, and paired nicely with white wine. To round off our main tasting we had pork, slow cooked in a sweet and smoky sauce, meat balls topped with spiced creamy sauce, and freshly fried potatoes with homemade mayonnaise.
The main tasting
Between tastings we made time to visit one of the city’s most famous statues, the Manneken Pis. The small statue of the young boy is to Brussels as waffles are to the food scene of Belgium. Made of bronze, the statue represents the young boy who save the city by extinguishing a fire in the manner shown by the fountain.
Manneken Pis and walking around Brussels
With our visit to the statue complete, it was time to check off the final to-do in Brussels, a true Belgian waffle. A light and crispy waffle came to the table covered in whipped creamed and strawberries. Powdered sugar lightly sprinkled over the plate completed the dish. The texture and lightness of the waffle are what really set it apart from any waffle I’d ever had. I wouldn’t hesitate saying the waffle was the best I’d ever tasted. We enjoyed our waffle as the locals do, as desert, and it was a perfect way to end a tour of Brussels.
A Belgian classic: the waffle
-Contributed by Hannah Lukaszewicz
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