Belgium is known for amazing food and drink. The stereotypes hold true and Belgians know a little something about waffles. They are absolutely everywhere. Downtown, there are copious amounts of shops and bakeries that specialize in the Belgian tradition. We have waffle food trucks on campus and at the exit of most metro stops. As if this weren't enough waffles are Belgian's version of a Twinkie. They are wrapped in cellophane in every vending machine and packaged in grocery stores. They are enjoyed plain of course but one can't help but try a delectable waffle covered in whip cream, chocolate, ice cream, and a delicate fruit topping. I've seen peanut butter, Nutella and a spread called Speculoos spread on top. I feel like it is Belgium’s version of a crepe?
As if the temptation of waffles wasn't enough, French fries are an even more common staple in the Belgian diet. There are two main ways the Belgians serve them, in a cone or with mussels. When you get the Frits on the street, they are served in a paper cone, usually with a baby fork, and covered in a sauce of your choice. They have ketchup, mayo, and a hot curryish sauce. Most Belgians mix them all together and call it andalouse sauce. Another way to indulge in fabulous Frits, is accompanying them with mussels. The classic Belgian dish is fries, mussels and a beer. The mussels are incredibly cheap compared to the US and you get a very filling amount.
A strange part of Belgian cuisine is their obsession with Asian food. Maybe it's because I wasn't expecting the integration of the Asian culture or I just don't notice the abundance of Asian restaurants at home, but I think there is a large number here in Belgium. Sushi is currently a fad and we have stir fry a lot in my homestay. We had Chinese take out one last week night. There were subtle differences in the food but overall it was similar to back home. I have not tried sushi yet but I'll keep you posted.
Typical Belgian meal:
Breakfast- Bread made fresh, never more than two days old, an array of spreads that includes Nutella, different jams, and a spread that I mentioned earlier called Speculoos. it tastes like a graham cracker is being spread on your multigrain bread. Cereal with whole milk, apples, bananas, clementine’s and coffee.
Lunch- Sandwiches are by far the most common lunch choice. Literally everywhere sells a nice sandwich for 3 euro. They range from Italian to mozzarella and pesto to chicken curry. Gyros filled with meat, lettuce, tomato, and fries (in the sandwich) is big as well.
Dinner- Wide range of choices. It is very similar to the United States and different from Germany’s tradition of big lunch small dinner.
Eating out:
I have found the restaurants to be about 20% more expensive than Washington, DC which surprises me because Washington is already pretty inflated. A typical meal out is around 15 euro not including you drink. Water is also something to factor into the bill. It is about 2.50 euro to get water at a meal, and it is usually served via a bottle. Their portions are smaller than the United States, the Belgian people usually don’t take their left overs home. Dinners usually last 2 -3 hours and are accompanied by courses of bread, soup, and desert.