Dining in Antwerp
Belgium is of course well-known for its good cuisine, fine chocolates
and sweets and its variety of beers. The metropolis, as Antwerp is often
called, is the ideal place to discover the joys of good eating and
drinking and there are literally hundreds of restaurants, eateries and
cafés.
Wining and dining
Many visitors have said that you can probably eat the most delicious
variety of French cuisine in Belgium and Antwerp is no exception. You'll
find a wide variety of restaurants in the old city and mainly around the
Cathedral and the Grote Markt but also in the streets which lead to the
river Scheldt. Another popular area for wining and dining is 't Zuid,
the South area of Antwerp where many new chefs are making their mark.
The De Keyserlei/Meir and small side-streets also have a lot to offer
but this area is not so pleasant later in the evening.
A gourmets paradise
Gourmets agree that the traditional French dishes you eat here are often
more refined even though the portions are more generous. You also have
at least two vegetables with meat dishes. Restaurants usually serve
soup, salads or other small dishes for starters and a selection of
sweets or ice cream as dessert. Cheese after a meal is not the rule but
many restaurants do serve them. Theres no obligation to order a complete
menu and unless you're extremely hungry you often have sufficient with
two courses. If you do take a full menu then be prepared to be at the
table for two to three hours. This is also the case for lunch so be
warned that those business lunches may take up most of the afternoon if
you go to a really good restaurant. Quick lunches are served in the
brasseries, bistros, cafés and snack bars and fast-food eateries.
The French-Belgian cuisine
Most restaurants in the various neighbourhoods of Antwerp serve the
obligatory steaks called Ossehaas or Rumpsteak in Flemish. These are
generally very thick fillets and served medium to rare so tell the
waiter how you want the steak otherwise it'll be red or even 'bleu'.
Entrecôte tends to be cut thinner. 'Varkenshaas' is pork fillet. These
meat dishes are served with a rich cream, pepper or other sauce and
chips or potato-croquettes. You may want to try a nice juicy horse steak
in one of the specialised restaurants.
Fish dishes are also very popular including cod, salmon, sole fillets
(tongfilets). Some restaurants, for example in the Suikerrui near the
river Scheldt, specialise in fish and serve the authentic eel in green
parsley sauce (paling in 't groen) and various sea food dishes. From
July to well into the autumn you can eat mussels which are generally
imported from Holland. In Belgium, mussels are served in the shell and
in big pots of 1.3 kg per portion. In Antwerp you should eat the
'Mosselen Nature' which are served with a delicious white mustard dip
sauce. Most 'Sinjoren', as the local inhabitants are called, drink beer
with their mussels -- a great digestive.
Traditional Flemish dishes include fresh asparagus with crushed
boiled-eggs and lemon sauce, cherries with meatballs, tomato filled with
shrimps (tomate crevettes) and don't forget to try a good old packet of
French fries from one of the street stalls. Belgian 'frites' are
probably the best in the world and prepared with utmost care -- usually
fried in at least two or even three stages to obtain their typical
crispness and flavour.
New cuisine
Recently, many chefs are making a name for themselves in what are called
the 'new' restaurants which serve creative and surprising dishes. These
brasseries and bistros are often located in quieter neighbourhoods and
the chefs will spoil you with delicious salads and unusual combinations
of meat and fish.
Oriental and international
Antwerp is a major port and this is reflected in the very exotic range
of tastes from all over the world: Chinese, Indian, Thai, Japanese,
Cambodian, Vietnamese, Russian, Turkish, Greek and nearer home, Spanish,
Italian, etc.
Chocolates and waffles
Who hasn't heard of Belgian chocolates? All the main brands such as
Leonidas and the super-deluxe Neuhaus and Godiva all have shops here.
Besides typical 'pralines' with or without fresh cream you can also buy
the local 'Antwerpse handjes'' (small hands in chocolate) which make a
great gift. You should also try one of the various types of waffles
which are baked on the spot at small street stalls.
Traditional beers
Belgium and Flanders have built up quite a reputation as far as beer
export is concerned but the beer story is a lot more interesting than
the international export brands such as Stella Artois and Hoegaarden
suggest. Antwerp has many cafés and pavement terraces where you can
enjoy a wide variety of traditional and contemporary beers.
Lets start with the Antwerp 'bolleke' named after the typical rounded
glass that this light brown ale is served in. This beer has been brewed
in Antwerp by De Koninck for the last 200 years and has become an icon
for beer drinking in Antwerp and ideal for quenching your thirst on a
hot summer day. But typically many Sinjoren drink draught lager beer,
the so-called pils or 'pintje', and you'll find Maes Pils, which was
originally brewed just outside Antwerp, or other competitors of Stella
in many cafés. These beers are light and have generally about 5%
alcohol. If you feel like a stronger beer then you should try the famous
Westmalle Trappist brewed by the monks of Westmalle, a small village
north of the city. The dark or double version (7%) is draught or bottled
and the triple version (9%) only bottled. The bar tender may ask if you
want draught beer (van 't vat) or non-chilled (van 't schap). Other
traditional Flemish beers which you can drink at most cafés include
Hoegaarden, Palm, Leffe, Grimbergen and Duvel. Each beer has its own
typical glass.
Jenever and liqueurs
Antwerp also his its own yellow liqueur called Elixir d'Anvers which is
stilled produced in the city according to a secret recipe. You'll also
find many 'jeneva' bars (de Vagant is one of them)where you can taste
the many varieties of Flemish gins.
Take a tram or taxi if you plan a night out on the town because the
fines can be very high for drinking and driving.
R. Lloyd
Entertainment in Antwerp
Antwerp is one of the major European art cities but besides visiting
museums and theatre you'll have a great time shopping in this civilized
and cosmopolitan city.
Fashion
Antwerp has recently become a fashion centre in the same league as Milan
and Paris thanks to some young designers who have brought refreshing
ideas to the fashion scene. Besides these avant-garde boutiques around
Nationalestraat, the totally renovated Meir is one of the most
prestigious shopping streets in Europe offering a wide range of
department stores and shops. The Groenplaats and Huidevetterstraat are
also worthwhile for the really demanding bargain-hunters but if you have
a more specialised shopping list you can head straight for the various
streets and districts with their own specific profile.
Diamonds are forever
If you want to buy diamonds it makes sense to visit the certified shops
in the vicinity of Antwerps renowned diamond centre near the Central
Station. You can also visit the Diamond Museum for an exciting day out.
Wining and dining
The streets around the Cathedral swarm with people -- young and old
alike. There are many streets where you can do a short pub crawl: Pieter
Potstraat and Reyndersstraat are just two. You'll find plenty of
thriving restaurants and cafes here as well.
The Arts
Antwerp has acquired a reputation for innovative and exciting ballet,
and its school is internationally renowned. The principal ballet company
is the Royal Flanders Ballet (Koninklijk Ballet van Vlaanderen).
The Royal Flanders Philharmonic (Koninklijk Filharmonisch Orkest) is
also well-known and can be heard at the Singel concert hall where mostly
modern and contemporary music are performed.
The flagship for over two dozen theatres in Antwerp is the
Stadsschouwburg but there are many others including Arenberg and a
multitude of smaller theatres where independent companies fill the stage
a few nights per week, all year long.
For art lovers, Antwerp offers an array of galleries and museums to
fit everyones taste. The most popular art museum is the Royal Museum of
Fine Arts in the south district called 't Zuid. Contemporary artists are
exhibited at the Muhka or the Museum for Contemporary Arts. You should
also check out the smaller galleries, some are private, and the auction
houses.
A night on the town
Going out in Antwerp can be fun and lively. In addition to the loads of
cafés, taverns, and restaurants that the city has, there is a decent
amount of nightlife. The mood in the streets around the Cathedral is
very special and its always very busy in the weekends. You might even
find a concert going on in the streets there. This area is a great place
to meet friends. Other areas of the city like near the Central Station
and the Schipperskwartier red light district are also very lively but
not so pleasant once it gets late.
One of the most famous taverns in Antwerp is Bierhuis Kulminator,
which stocks, cools and pours about 550 different kinds of beer but
there are many more like Den Engel, De Vagant, etc. Theres a wide choice
of discos including the trendy house and techno Café d'Anvers. The
Swingcafé have live rock and pop and the Muze some very good jazz
bands.
If you want to see a film you can go to the Gaumont multiplex near
the Central Station or for even larger screens the Metropolis which is
just outside the city centre and until recently was among the largest
cinema multiplexes in the world. Cinema buffs can see the latest art
house movies at Cartoons.
Throughout the summer months you should check with the tourist office
to find out where various concerts and events are organised -- there are
plenty in Antwerp and some are free.
Text by Wendy B. Schatzman
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