8 April 2008

Brussels green food





Pesticide-free or entirely vegetarian, your meal will have no problem meeting the current environmental challenges. Enjoy following the guide to good green restaurants that won’t try to serve you bird food.

Dolma
329 chaussée d'Ixelles – 1050 Brussels
E-mail : info@dolma.be
Tel : (0(2 649 89 81
http://www.dolma.be/

A little piece of paradise for committed vegetarians and inquisitive gourmets. A temple to 100% vegetarianism for years. Dolma and its Tibetan ambience is a place for dreaming. Innovative flavours and themes are there to be savoured in their famous buffet, where the seitan pepper steaks, giant stuffed mushrooms and vegetable flans are the stars of the show. Organic produce.

Tsampa
rue de Livourne 109 - 1050 Brussels
Tel. : (0)2 647.03.67
http://www.tsampa.be/

A veteran among Brussels’ vegetarian restaurants, the Tsampa, which you reach by going through an organic food shop first, is an authentic Buddhist landmark. This very popular establishment has an open kitchen from which appetising aromas waft through the dining area. The strictly vegetarian menu features: portions of seaweed or cereals, salads, curried vegetables, the unmissable seitan steak with oyster mushrooms and, above all, at lunch time, the Tsampa special.

Elément Terre
Chée.de Waterloo 465 - 1050 Brussels
Tel: (0)2.649.37.27
www.resto.com/lelementterre/

If you’re one of those people who believe that a vegetarian meal means no more than a salad or a few rather limp steamed carrots, …. come along to L’Elément Terre and forget your prejudices. Here, you’ll discover balanced, healthy and nourishing dishes. And for diehard carnivores, let yourself be tempted by our scampi and exotic fish.

Shanti
avenue Buyl 88 - 1050 Brussels
Tel: (0)2.649.40 96
www.resto.com/lelementterre/

This place, with the look of a hanging garden, on avenue Adolphe Buyl, has a stunning charm. For those who love vegetarian cuisine, it’s also one of the best in the city. With its strong Asian influences, the food there is very tasty and very consistent. But the appeal of this restaurant also has a lot to do with the personality of its affable and symbolic owner, the likeable Louis Godinho.

Imagin'Air
Art Caféplace Fernand Cocq 6 - 1050 Brussels
Tel.: (0)2 511 33 31
http://www.imaginairartcafe.com/

A very warm-hearted little country-style tavern where you can eat organic and make the most of a very leafy-green patio. It’s not very busy there during the day and they know how to leave you in peace, which is perfect. In the evenings, on the other hand, the small Ixelles arty crowd emerge from their garrets and studios and the ambience then becomes distinctly noisier but without really turning electric. Gather your strength as you stab the dish of the day with your fork, drink the wine or beer, discuss creativity and clap loudly if some individual or other appears on stage.

Soul Resto
Rue de la Samaritaine 20 - 1000 Bruxelles
Tel. : 02.513.52.13
http://www.soulresto.com/

Le concept de Soul resto est d'offrir des repas gestronomiques tout en respectant le corps. La plupart des produits sont biologiques et sans substances toxiques, tel que le sucre blanc ou les agents conservateurs. La cuisine est sans beurre ni crème. Afin de faire découvrir aux clients de nouvelles expériences culinaires, les deux jolies propriétaires des lieux vont chercher sur le marché des produits de différents pays et cultures qui ne sont pas disponibles à grande échelle ou peu connus dans nos régions.

Picnik
rue de Flandre 109 – 1000 Brussels
Tel : (0)2 217 34 84
http://www.picnik.be/

Picnik is a self-service vegetarian lunch-bar where you can enjoy fresh dishes made on the premises. The menu changes every day and we use as many organic ingredients and fair trade products as possible. Children are also welcome at Picnik. For them, we’ll always find something they’ll enjoy.

Tan
Rue de l'Aqueduc, 95 - 1050 Brussels
Tel. (0)2 537 87 87
http://www.tanclub.org/

TAN is a place with a calling to introduce people to a cuisine that’s not only original and delicious but also respects the laws of nature and of the human physiology. This leads to a thoughtful approach to food in all its dimensions (pleasure, necessity, health, ecology, ethics, science, spirituality). This discovery begins with trying the recipes in the restaurant area, which we have deliberately designed to be simple, natural and to follow the immutable rules of Feng Shui.

Exki
For all the Exki restaurants in Brussels >>> http://www.exki.be/

Exki is a fast-service, high-quality restaurant offering fresh, natural products at any time of day, in a friendly and relaxing setting. Its motto is "natural", "fresh" and "ready". Exki refuses to use any additives in its dishes and some of its products are certified ORGANIC. For example, the bread, milk, yoghurt, baby vegetables, tarts, biscuits, jams, etc.

Discover other green features in Brussels

29 October 2007

Brussels great museums

The Museum of Natural Sciences with the new 'Dinosaur Gallery'.
The Museum reopened this 27 October with Europe’s largest dinosaur gallery, which will emphasis science and authenticity. With the famous iguanodons of Bernissart and lots of new dinosaur skeletons and casts as well as interactive exhibits and an on-site paleontology and geology laboratory for children. For the meetings industry professionals, there are new rooms available from November 2007: the Convent Hall with a view on the Gallery (room for 300 persons standing), the Mezzanine in the Dinosaur Gallery (room for 200 persons standing), and a VIP-room verging on the Gallery (room for 130 persons standing) + auditoria and other existing rooms in the museum.



The Royal Museums of Art and History can offer much more than their important art-historical collections. The Cinquantenaire Museum in the magnificent setting of the Parc du Cinquantenaire, the Chinese Pavillon and the Japanese Tower situated in the garden of the Royal Palace at Laeken, the Halle Gate (Porte de Hal) in the ancient heart of Brussels and the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) in Art Nouveau Style are unique venues to organize private evenings, receptions, gala dinners, press conferences and other special events. All these venues give you the possibility to combine the event with a visit of the museum.

26 October 2007

New hotels in Brussels

Hotel BLOOM!
(former Royal Crown Hotel Brussels) next to the Botanical Gardens has undergone a complete renovation... What makes it so special? A new project making over 4,100m² of bedroom wall space available to the best last-year students and recent graduates from 31 different European countries for ideas. The results are on the walls of these trendy Brussels hotel rooms!The theme of the hotel is ‘blooming’(flowering, growth, etc.). The first 174 rooms, the lobby and the reception area have already been transformed. The hotel also has 12 new meeting rooms.



The Dominican Brussels is situated behind the Monnaie Opera and just off the Grand’Place. All 150 rooms have been individually designed to produce a unique atmosphere. It is very trendy. There are 3 meeting rooms for up to 300 for reception.





Be Manos, a great hotel with an amazing decoration. It is a boutique hotel situated next to the Eurostar & Thalys terminals at Brussels South station. With 60 bedrooms and 2 meeting rooms for 12 to 60 people, you will be fond of this fashion & trendy hotel!

6 September 2007

Mhum...Brussels

It's not a secret, Brussels is "the" place for "les plaisirs de la table"...
Start by walking to the rue au Beurre ( butterstreet), a perfect name for a street with one the oldest biscuit shops of the city. Dandoy has his shops there since 1858, it's also there that were made until 1960 the biscuits in the back shop.

When you walk in you will directly smell the different spices used for the making of those cookies....You will find there famous Belgian biscuits such as the speculoos, the pain à la grecque, almond bread, marzipan...

An other nice experience for your senses is the Cantillon brewery it's a family owned brewery, the last handcrafted one still active in the middle of the city.


And as it's a museum you can also see the whole process of brewing. The brew Lambic, Geuze, Faro and kriek.

Personally my favourite one is the Geuze, it as a special taste as no other beer, different from what we taste usually. And the trend is now for Bio, the Geuze is also certified 100% organic...no excuses anymore you have to try it!
You could go directly to the brewery or buy it in a specialised shop of the city

23 July 2007

Kids' Corner

I'm fond of bookshops featuring children books, doll's houses & plushes, soft toys & wooden toys, puzzles, educational & parlour games...


Brussels holds many surprises in store for its visitors and their children...

Here are my favourite ones:

The Grasshopper

Rue Marché aux Herbes 39-43 - 1000 Brussels
Situated just off the Grand'Place in the centre of Brussels, "the Grasshopper" was founded in 1993 by a young and idealistic mother and has been flourishing ever since. It is not a bookshop but you can found plenty of funny, attractive & quality toys. There are even some books for small children. It's a great shop where you can spend hours to discover all sorts of objects, toys and decoration from all over the world. All items are carefully chosen for their play value, originality and quality. A must see in Brussels!


Multi Jeunesse
(next to "Multi BD"/"La Boule d'Or")
Boulevard Anspach 122 - 1000 Brussels
A wide range of children books, educational & parlour games, plushes, soft toys some crazy others charming... Open the door; you will discover a magic world. It took my fancy!


Tropismes Jeunesse & BD
Galerie du Roi 4 - 1000 Brussels
In the magnificent setting of the Royal Galleries, children will be delighted to discover a beautiful shop full of soft toys, children books and latest fairy tales...I recommend the parents to make a detour to the Gallerie des Princes 11, where the magnificient & well-known "Librairie Tropismes" is located. (But you don't need to go out if you don't want to... there is an easy access from the - 1st floor too).



Am Stram Gram
Rue General Mac Arthur 1 - 1180 Brussels
Another bookshop that is worth a visit, "Am Stram Gram" is a fairy place where children books & youth novels should not be missed. Harry Potter lovers will be fond of...




Le Rat Conteur
(next to "A Livre Ouvert" bookshop)
Rue Saint-Lambert 116 - 1200 Brussels
Do you like beautiful reading books with beautiful stories and beautiful pictures? If the answer is YES: Well, it is the place to discover! Within a few steps from the Woluwe Shopping Center, this children bookshop also sell soft toys & educational games for all ages...Every first Saturday of the month, storytellers are reading for 4-7 year olds kids!

18 July 2007

You think you know all our special venues...I don't think so...

Brussels has this particularity the offer quiet unusual places to hold an event.
Did you know you could rent on of the balls of our famous Atomium? Not only the one on top in the Restaurant, they go by the name Prigogine...
K-nal : In a former warehouse facing the Canal of Brussels.
The building is a mixture of industrial material and canadian beachwood.
When the weather is nice you can also extend your event to the terrace in front or roll-up the windows of the first floor, to have a open air dinner.

Hotels with a special déco


The Royal Windsor Hotel, 5 Rue Duquesnoy, 1000 Brussels, offer a nice surprise for the visitors that would stay in on of his "designer rooms".
This hotel took the challenge, being in a Fashion Designers Capital to ask Belgian
Designers to redecorate in their style some of his hotel rooms.
Regularly new rooms are added to the ones already present. They already count 12 of them.
Some names
that may sound familiar to the fashion victims among you Jean-Paul Knott Gerald Watelet Marina Yee Mademoiselle LucienNicolas Woit Kaat Tilley Pascale Kervan Romy Smits Nina Meert Haider Ackermann


A new comer in Brussels with a resolute "vintage style" is the BE Manos, 23 square de l’aviation. Brussels.
Dominant colours are apple green, black and white, surprising deco for a hotel, but it really offers a change.
You can pick apples in the corridors from the walls…on the way to your meeting room.