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Robin Lynam

THERE IS A saying that in Belgium you eat as much as you would in Germany, and as well as you would in France.

It is true the country believes in hearty portions, and that it has a discerning gourmet culture. Belgium has more Michelin-star restaurants per person  than France.

One such venue is Pierre Wynants'  legendary Comme Chez Soi,  in Brussels.

The capital boasts many high-end restaurants, as well as more modest eateries known for their classic simplicity, a characteristic of much of the best Belgian cuisine.

The country's most popular dish is possibly moules frites (mussels and French fries). The fries are served with mayonnaise and sold everywhere,  in restaurants and at stalls in public squares.

Enjoy, but  do not call them 'French' fries.

The origins of French fries are unclear, but patriotic Belgians make a passionate case for the country's Meuse Valley as being the birthplace of the popular dish. Food historians claim the dish was around in Belgium as long ago as the 17th century.

Belgium is also famous for its beer, with more than 1,000 types of brew available. Beer is taken very seriously, and brews are used in cooking much as wine is used in French cuisine. Belgian beer-brewing goes back to the Middle Ages, when monasteries began producing beers.

Carbonade, a beef and onion stew, is cooked in beer, as is lapin a la gueuze, a Brussels speciality of  rabbit cooked in  lambic beer.

Stewing is popular in Belgian cooking. Waterzooi  is halfway between a stew and a soup. It is primarily a seafood dish, but the name also applies to a chicken stew.

The name translates unromantically as 'watery mess'. The seafood waterzooi may be regarded as a northern version of the French bouillabaisse.

Belgian cuisine is also famed for its meats and charcuterie. Pork is the most popular meat. Charcuterie products include Ardennes ham, produced in the Belgian Ardennes region, and cooked and dry-salted hams. Sausages, saucissons, terrines and pates are part of the range.

The country is also closely associated with two famous vegetables, Brussels sprouts and Belgian endive.

Brussels sprouts were first cultivated  in medieval times, and commercial cultivation began in the 17th century.

Sprouts are especially popular in winter, when  they are said to be at their best after a touch of the frost.

Unlike the British,  the Belgians are usually careful not to overcook this vegetable.

Belgian endive or chicon  is a type of chicory grown  underground.

Deprived of natural light, the buds neither turn green nor open up, and they  lack the usual chicory bitterness.

Belgian endive can be eaten cooked or raw in salads.

This technique of cultivation goes back to the early 19th century and was discovered in Belgium,  although the largest producer of Belgian endive today is neighbouring France.

The country also makes some of the best chocolate in the world. Brands such as Neuhaus  and Cote d'Or  are world renowned, and even a low-cost,  popular brand like Leonidas  has a reputation for quality.

Belgium produces some 172,000 tonnes of chocolate every year.

Waffles are a street food second only to frites in popularity and available in two distinct regional styles.

The sugar-coated Liege  waffle  is eaten plain as a snack, or as the base of a dessert dish topped with fruit, cream, chocolate, or all three. These waffles are best eaten warm, straight off the iron.

The Brussels, or Belgian, waffle  is a lighter, crisper snack,  and is  popular as a breakfast dish.

A Belgian food promotion now on at CitySuper,  in IFC Mall and Sha Tin New Town Plaza, offers, among many other treats, freshly made Augustin Peiffer  waffles,  Belgian endive, Ganda  boneless ham, cured wild boar ham, as well as Belgian chocolates, preserves, beers and ciders.

The Belgian food promotion ends on Friday.

Those who do not want to go to the trouble of putting on an authentic  Belgian spread at home may  visit Belgos East,  a stalwart outpost of Benelux gastronomy, in Oxford House, Taikoo Place.

Belgos serves  moules frites,  Belgian endive salad with chestnuts marinated in red wine and apple cider dressing, chicken waterzooi served with country bread, and homemade wild boar sausage.

Traditional Belgian side orders include Brussels sprouts au gratin and Belgian spinach au gratin.

The   mussels at Belgos come  as an appetiser or a main course, served with white wine cream sauce or pesto cream sauce.

Belgian waffles and Belgian cookies are among the stars in the restaurant's  dessert range.



Cuisine built on classic simplicity