Mamma Roma Pizza

Mamma Roma Pizza

When I moved to Brussels, I happened to luck out on location. I knew that my apartment was going to be close to a few restaurants, cafes and tram stops, but that was about it. 

One of the best discoveries I made in my first few jaunts around the neighbourhood was a little pizza place, just off of Place du Chatelain. Mamma Roma Pizza. 

For those who have lived here for a while, it's almost a ritual to have a pizza meal once a week. It's not your usual pizza shop mind you. 

While most pizza places will serve you pre-cut slices or whole pizzas, Mamma Roma does it slightly different, by giving you the option of size of slice, cut with love using garden shears. The end result is a thing of beauty. Either a cutting board of a half-dozen pizza pieces or a box filled with savory delights. 

The variety of toppings is immense and will satisfy even picky people. My favourite is a potato truffle pizza which tastes like hope. I'm not kidding. Even with a lactose intolerance it's worth the trip for me. 

Yes, of course they have some vegetarian options, they also have dessert, but I'm always interested in the meat topping pizzas apart from the aforementioned truffle pizza. 

Over the years, the franchise has expanded downtown, to Flagey, by the Ixelles Cemetery and beyond. They know their market and it's proved very profitable. 

Take a look at their website and find the one closest to you. you won't be disappointed, I assure you. I'm sure I've got a few pizza boxes in my recycling bag. 

http://www.mammaroma.com/en

Live from BXL,

Darren 

Gare du Midi Sunday Market

On a Sunday morning, there is nothing better than getting up early and heading over to Gare du Midi for the open air market that takes place there each week.

I'll be honest, Midi is not the type of place that you look forward to going to the other 6 days of the week, but on Sunday, it's a great day. If you happen to get to the market before 10:00, it's easy to get everything you need and be back in the car, metro, bus or tram in 20 to 45 minutes.

At the market you can find everything from fruits and vegetables, meat and fish, to clothing, home supplies and mattresses, plus everything in between. Granted it's organized chaos, with vendors yelling and screaming, but it's all in good fun.

In the past I've had people warn me about this market (pickpockets and such), but I've never had a problem. You just have to be aware of your surroundings (like anywhere) and you'll be fine.

My favorite place is pictured above. there you'll find a huge array of olives, baked goods, sweets and so on, but the main attraction here is the flatbread with olives, fresh cheese and honey. I know, it doesn't sound that wonderful, but I can assure you, if you have it once, you'll be coming back each week to have it again. you'll bring people specifically for this item. The mint tea is very sweet, but compliments the warm, sweet and savory wrap very well.

After eating, make sure to walk around the different stalls selling fresh produce from all over. Everyone has their favorites and the people working there will recognize you if you go often. You can end up spending significantly less here than at the grocery store. It's not uncommon for me to spend 10 euros and go home with an entire grocery bag filled with fruits and vegetables.

If you're awake on a Sunday morning, I'll see you there.

Live from BXL,
Darren

Bar les Penates

If you happen to be in Place Flagey and you're thinking about going to Cafe Belga, go. Once. The bar is nice, restored, hip, happening, busy. They have good music some nights and for the expat crowd that tends to gather there, it's a nice, safe bet.

If you've been there a dozen or so times, it might be time to find someplace new.

I happened to find Bar les Penates or Cafe les Penates a while back and it's everything one looks for in a local bar. It's cozy, it's warm, they've got food and drinks and for the five days a year when it's nice outside, they have a patio.

I've been there a bunch of times and while it may be hidden, close to Frit Flagey, it's known by locals.

I can't exactly remember how I ended up there the first time, but I was glad that I found it.

While the service might not be the fastest, I've always been greeted with smiles and a cold beer eventually.

The ambiance of the place is interesting. The place tends to have it's walls covered with posters for art and music shows. Always nice to know what's going on in the city.

The clientele tends to be all walks of life. From students to couples, groups of friends to single people, drinking at the bar. Some are dressed up, getting ready for a night out, but for the most part it's pretty casual.

While they may not have the greatest or most modern website in the world, something about it is charming in its simplicity.

http://lespenates.blogspot.be/

Live from BXL,
Darren

An introduction of sorts...

The picture that almost everyone has of their time spent in Brussels

Most people think they know Brussels.

Home of beer, chocolate, waffles and Tin Tin. Fine, fair enough, those are all fine things, but there is more to Brussels than meets the eye. 

For those travelers who stop over in the Belgian city, they go and see the Grand Place, Manneken Pis, they have a beer, eat some frites and call it a day. 

It's not London, Paris or New York City, but it does have some great places to visit, eat, drink and dance the nights. There are neighbourhoods where you can meet up with friends on a patio, markets where you feel like you're in another country, bars where you can sample dozens of Trappist beers and enough food to keep your belly full for days. 

As an expat, living in Brussels, the city can be challenging, closed off, you can find yourself struggling to communicate, but it also adds to the charm. It's not an "in your face" kind of city. You have to dig a little deeper to find out about new places to try, but I can assure you, it's worth it. 

I've lived here for 6 years and I'm constantly discovering new places. I've had the great fortune of making friends outside of my work as a teacher, so I've benefited from the true Brussels experience from the people that know it well. 

You'll get to see some of my favourite places and meet some of my favourite people in the city, you might even be able to contribute to my ever-changing knowledge of this city. I'm all about the feedback. 

Live from BXL,

Darren