Food and Delicacies

B elgium is the melting pot for food; there are many different restaurants that have a large variety of food to eat.  There is traditional Belgian food, in addition to Chinese, Italian, and French are other food types served in restaurants.  Indian, Spanish, Mexican and Greek restaurants are also available to eat at.   Since Belgium is a centralized country in Europe it is very easy to actually travel to a different country and try the food in it ’ s own environment.  Belgium is well known for the Belgian waffles, Belgian frites, (French fries) Belgian pitas, and the famous mussels from Brussels, and we are not talking about Jean Claude Van Dam.  These Belgian cuisines are sold everywhere, almost on every street corner from a vendor, or an actual Friterie.  What is a Friterie you might ask?  Well it is what is sounds like, a small restaurant or take out place that sells everything greasy and fried, like French fries and pitas.  If you are moving to SHAPE or near shape there is a genuine Friterie located right off the base called “ Robinson ’ s. ”  

Restaurants in Belgium are a large part of the culture, eating is an almost sacred event.  In America, there are tons of take-out places, and restaurants that you don ’ t really spend your time in.  In Belgian restaurants you must sit and enjoy your food, it is traditional to order an entrée (appetizer) then drink a glass or two of wine, then order your main plate, and go on and drink a glass or two of wine, then you have desert, order coffee and finally ask for l ’ addition (French for check).  This is the European way, sit back and relax. Belgians can spend the whole morning, afternoon and well into the night over a table eating in a Belgian restaurant. 

For the more adventurous eater there are escargots, which are snails, which are served in almost every restaurant along with frog legs, and duck, all of which are very popular. 

Eating in Belgium is a very big part of everyday life, venture off and find your own little restaurant, enjoy the food and sit back and relax because, after all, this is the European way!