Tipped

Grand Don't Come For Free

January 08, 2008

Huge, impressive selection of really tasty Belgian and Dutch beers in their proper glasses. The atmosphere is fairly reminiscent of the low countries over the channel which is great. Everything is done by table service, friendly and pretty efficient (perhaps a little slow, although I was hidden in a corner and not sure if they could see me!).

There's a lot of food on offer here, from good table sharing snacks to proper meals. I heard many compliments on the food from my vantage point, though didn't try anything but the olives (for the record, superb).

All of this comes with a hefty price tag - only to be expected with the location and quality bottled imports - so do make sure you have charged your wallet before attempting a foray in there. And watch out for the sting in the tail of some of them - many are upwards of 9% ABV - try to avoid a stumble when you get up after a couple.

Tags: Belgian beer, belgian, dutch

best beer in town

November 03, 2007

London can be a difficult place for anyone in love with Belgian beers - no need to despair. Lowlander offers a welcome alternative to warm, badly-poured flat pints of British ale from last week’s leftover barrels. Their selection of bottles rivals those of my favorite pubs in Brussels, and any place I can get a Palm on tap is good enough for me. The long narrow wooden tables and beer adverts on the walls give the feel of a Belgian pub with a somewhat more refined modern twist. The eclectic menu offers traditional Belgian/Dutch cuisine alongside English and Mediterranean dishes (I spotted a very tasty-looking mezze platter at the table next to mine). In line with Belgian pub tradition, cheese and meat platters and other snacks to share are plentiful, and I was very happy to find that the sandwich of the day featured Passendaele cheese. This will definitely become one of my go-to meeting places in central London.

Tags: Belgian beer, ambiance, authentic

Gezellig

November 03, 2007

Lovely grande cafe full of dutch and belgian beers. Make sure you have the bitterballen, traditional dutch bar snack which is a mysterious meat puree substance crumbed and deep fried. Tastes a lot better than it sounds. The beer choice is endless and the mussel pots far superior to Belgo (also more pricey)

Tags: Belgian beer

All the Belgian Beer you Need

November 02, 2007

What a great find! This reasonably sizable restaurant makes great effort at satisfying Belgian beer lovers. With twelve beers on tap (going far beyond the standard Stella and Leffe to all manner of dark, blonde, trappist and other brews), you won't be disappointed and the menu's not bad either with snacks, sandwiches and mains. You can also get chips with a range of dips, although there were no cones to be seen.
My party didn't tuck into any of the mains, but the sandwiches and lunch specials satisfied. I did see several hefty bowls of mussels being delivered to other tables that looked pretty tasty. Other than that, you should know that the seating is mostly on long common tables, which can often be either good or bad for large groups - I guess it all depends on the crowds there when you go.
The beers aren't cheap, but they tend to have a higher alcohol content and they are all far more flavourful and interesting than your average pint. Plus, they sell two-pint glasses, in case you are looking to get real knackered, and they also offer a 'flight' of beers if you want to taste a few different kinds.

Tags: Belgian Beer, Beer Tasting, Groups