Restaurant: Prego

Prego is an Italian-style restaurant in three different locations. The one tested here is the one at Place Jourdan. The atmosphere is modernist with a bar at the front and the restaurant at the back. Service is friendly, but nothing that will make you feel extraordinarily well treated. You even have to drag yourself to the cashier to pay instead of having the check coming to the table (at least if you pay by credit card). The menu is on the narrower side, however, the pastas offerred are at least a bit more inventive than you will find in your average Italian (tourist friendly) restaurant. The food is relatively good; nothing to complain about, but nothing that will rise an urge to go and give the chef a big hug. Let's put it this way: it is a safe choice, but not the most exciting one.

Grades given by Good Food in Belgium:
Food: 3
Atmosphere: 3+
Friendliness of staff: 3
Would I go there again: maybe, if someone else suggested it
Would I recommend the place: for having a night out with friends, yes. For business dinners, maybe no. Business lunch may be okay?
Value for money: yes

For more reviews, check the TripAdvisor. It seems they are more critical to the place than we are, but maybe we had better luck...

Take away: Yoko wok

Yoko Wok is a small thai take away restaurant in Waterloo, close to the international school. You may combine the fillings to your own liking, creating a wok that is just what you yourself want to have. And they are delicious!! And huge, so unless you are hungry like a tiger, you will have a meal for the next day as well. Or you can share your meal!

In general, service is fast, but the place is popular, so you may want to place your order by calling them first, and then just pick it up.

Good Food in Belgium recommends this place for anyone who wants good thai take away and live within a 15min drive from Waterloo!

Restaurant: Basta Cosi

Basta Cosi is an Italian restaurant at Place Chatelain in Ixelles. When weather permits, it provides a terrace where you can sit and enjoy the square, especially on Wednesdays when there is a market. The food is okay and portion sizes are generous. It is nothing to die for, but you will not die from it either. You might die while waiting for it, though, since service is not always the fastest on the planet. However, service was not unfriendly in any way.

Grades given by Good Food in Belgium:
Food: 3
Atmosphere: 3+
Friendliness of staff: 3- (minus for speed)
Would I go there again: yes, if in the area. Would not travel there just to go here.
Would I recommend the place: not really. I would not discourage anyone from going, but I would not jump up and down for anyone to go there. It is ok.
Value for money: a bit pricey for what it's worth.

For more reviews, check TripAdvisor.

Restaurant: Ellis Gourmet Burger

Ellis Gourmet Burger is a small hamburger chain. It is concept by some young enthusiasts: to serve good burgers!

The restaurant at the Dansaert quarters, next to Saint-Catherine, is a modern, lively, and enjoyable place full of life. The burgers are very good, but not heavenly, and your interpretation of raw/medium/well done may differ from theirs. Nice side meals are offered and they are generous enough. Service is a bit "distant"; they are friendly when attending you, but let's say they don't mind leaving you alone either.

Of course, it is a chain, so things may be different in another restaurant of theirs. For better or worse.

Grades given by Good Food in Belgium:
Food: 3+
Atmosphere: 4
Friendliness of staff: 3
Would I go there again: yes
Would I recommend the place: yes, for going out with friends and colleagues. Not for business dinners.
Value for money: yes

Check out the review by TripAdvisor

Restaurant: Eccetera

Eccetera is a nice Italian restaurant hidden away in a backstreet from Place Jourdan. If you don't know about its existence, you will probably not find it by accident (which we, strangely enough, did). But it is a good find! Food is really good, among the best ones in its price category. Service is fast, but not hectic, and very friendly. The atmosphere is nice if you like to have some noise and chatter around you.

Grades given by Good Food in Belgium:
Food: 4+
Atmosphere: 4+
Friendliness of staff: 4+
Would I go there again: yes
Would I recommend the place: yes, for going out with friends and colleagues. Business dinner may be okay if it is not suoposed to be formal or you need to continue business talks.
Value for money: yes

For more reviews, check out TripAdvisor

Restaurant: Cool Bun

Cool Bun has two restaurants, one at Place Stephanie, the other at Schuman. This place is for some serious burgers! Everything is handmade and the beef is flamed grilled, so what you get on your plate is real food done with a good heart for an empty stomach! And make sure your stomach is empty when you get here, because portion sizes are huge. The atmosphere is nice and service is really friendly. It is especially interesting to go to the one at Schumann while serious EU meetings are going on, because you may spot people having a bite while waiting for their cell phones to call them back into the meeting. You are right where things happen! Or at least close...

Grades given by Good Food in Belgium:
Food: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Friendliness of staff: 4
Would I go there again: yes
Would I recommend the place: yes, for going out with friends and colleagues. Maybe not for business dinners, though.
Value for money: yes. It is a bit pricey, but considering that everything is handmade, it is value for money.

For more reviews, check out TripAdvisor

Food Truck: Ty Penty

Ty Penty is a creperie on wheels serving wonderful and authentic crepes at various markets in Brussels. The crepes are as thin as they should be, coming with various fillings. You have both savoury and sweet alternatives. The owners of the food truck are extremely friendly and warm. The atmosphere surrounding the van is comforting, like you would be in a small village market somewhere in France.

Grades given (in the #foodtruck category) by Good Food in Belgium:
Food: 4
Atmosphere: 4
Friendliness of staff: 5
Would I go there again: yes
Would I recommend the place: yes
Value for money: yes