A Belgian Style Birthday

Today is my birthday (Oct 27) and Stijn has asked where I would like to have dinner to celebrate. Well that's an easy answer. I want some traditional Belgian food! So in true Stijn fashion, he carefully decides on a restaurant that not only meets this requirement but also has a great atmosphere.

We arrive at "Au Fin de Siecle" , which means "The End of the Century",

Once we enter I can see the name is very fitting. It seems as if I have stepped back in time with the high ceilings and the all wood bar set to one side of the room.

We pick our spot in the long and narrow room filled with wooden tables and chairs all positioned very close together in true European style.

One of the many things I loved about this restaurant was that there were no menus. We had to walk up to the bar and make our choices from a huge chalk board where tonight's menu is hand written.

We then head back to our table and our waiter comes to take our order. So what does one have as a traditional Belgian dish for her birthday? "Lapin a la Kriek". That would be rabbit served with a sauce made with the Cherry Belgian beer, Kriek.

Stijn has the "Jambonneau Moutarde a' L Ancienne". Which translates to Ham on bone in mustard sauce in the traditional way.

Special note here; This is the fastest I have ever been served a meal!

It's a beautiful night, so after dinner as we take a walk through the narrow cobbled streets of Brussels we come upon this great place called "Le Crachin" where they serve nothing but crepes! It's time for dessert, right? This tiny little place was also very narrow with a view of the kitchen at the back. They also had two huge chalk boards with the menu of drinks and crepes, one in French and one in Dutch.

I decide on the "Pommes caramelisees, flambee au Grand Marnier".

Mmmmm! Apples caramelized and flambayed with Grand Marnier is much better than a birthday cake!

And then Stijn says I have a couple of more birthday surprises to come this week. Hmmm, wonder what they could be?

To see more pictures of our night click here on "Where's Debbie" and then click on the album "Belgian Style Birthday"