Our selection of sushi goodness from eat SUSHI Brussels

There are two questions about food we are asked consistently here at CheeseWeb: ‘What restaurants offer affordable delivery in Brussels?’ and ‘Where can I get decent sushi?’ Finally we have an answer to both of those questions – eat SUSHI, near Port de Namur.

We have tried many sushi restaurants in Brussels – big, small, authentic, trendy, fancy, and hole-in-the-wall. What seems to be really lacking, is a good quality to value ratio. We’ve had excellent sushi but paid way too much for it and we’ve had affordable sushi that was mediocre at best. Our meal from eat SUSHI last night struck a great balance AND included free delivery to our home.

eat SUSHI is a French franchise and the Port de Namur shop is the first in Belgium (We hope to see more on the way!). As we opted for home delivery, that is the experience we’ll be reviewing but I look forward to visiting their restaurant in the future.

The website is clearly designed and easy to use (However it does seem to be only available in French at this time). Payment can be made by Visa, Mastercard or restaurant tickets. The best part? – FREE DELIVERY for 1050 Ixelles, 1060 Saint-Gilles, 1000 Bruxelles, 1040 Etterbeek. This is one of the few restaurants in Brussels we’ve encountered that doesn’t charge for delivery – Big bonus points from us!

Here’s the full disclosure part… eat SUSHI offered to send us a selection of their food in return for an honest review. So, on to the most important part – what did we think of the food?

Here's a selection of the sushi we tasted from eat SUSHI

eat SUSHI has a very big menu, from classic sushi to some very unique creations and we tried some of each. (Names come straight from the eat SUSHI menu)

On the traditional sushi side of things, we tried ‘sushi classic tuna’ and ‘sushi gunkan salmon eggs.’ Both of these were generous in size, the fish was very fresh and the rice was perfect, not overly sticky as some sushi can be.

We then tried a ‘Maki California’ with tuna, avocado and mango. The mango added a great tangy, sweet compliment to the California roll.

One of my favourites was the ‘Maki Green’ with salmon, avocado, mint and coriander. I really liked the freshness of the herbs. Andrew wasn’t sure at first, as he’s not a huge fan of mint, and although it wasn’t his favourite, the fresh taste won him over as well.

MAKI GREEN salmon, avocado, coriander, mint (photo via eat SUSHI)

We both enjoyed the ‘Maki Pink’ with salmon, avocado and fresh cheese. This was a sort of reverse sushi, where the salmon was rolled around the rice.

MAKI PINK salmon, avocado, cheese (photo via eat Sushi)

Then it was on to the ‘Big Roll,’ with shrimp tempura, avocado, cucumber and fish roe. This was very tasty but, because of its size, a bit tricky to eat. We also both agreed this would probably be better ordered in the restaurant, as the tempura would stay crispier.

Our final sushi was the more experimental ‘Crusty Honey Yellow Sushi.’ I’ll admit, the name doesn’t sound that appealing, but the taste really surprised me. The yellow sushi are rolled in an omelette (some containing truffle flakes). The Crusty Honey has breaded chicken that has been marinated in honey with tomato tapenade and sesame seeds. We really enjoyed it so if you’re up for something really different, it’s worth trying.

MAKI YELLOW TRUFFE Crusty Honey (photo via eat SUSHI)

In addition to the sushi, we enjoyed miso soup and tasted three different salads. The wakame salad and cabbage salad were fresh, generous portions and what you would expect from these dishes. We were both blown away by the ginger and chilli combination of the calamari salad however, and will definitely order it in the future.

The dessert was our only really big disagreement. Andrew loved the ‘Maki Sucré Coco White,’ containing banana and chocolate. As a banana hater it wasn’t to my taste at all but it certainly is unique. With other desert options like mousses, tiramisu and cheesecake, I’m sure I can find a sweet bite more to my liking next time.

eat SUSHI also offers a range of soft drinks, green teas, Japanese beer and sake, to wash down your sushi.

Our order came to around 60 euro but was way more food than we would normally eat in one sitting. We found the price to quality ratio excellent compared to other sushi we’ve had delivered to our home.

We look forward to visiting eat SUSHI’s restaurant and we’re sure we’ll be ordering from them in the future.

eat SUSHI Bruxelles Restaurant
Tour Bastion
Place du Champs de Mars 5
1050 Bruxelles

Metro : Porte de Namur
Phone: 02 207 15 70

We’d like to offer our thanks to eat SUSHI for providing us with a lovely meal and fast, efficient delivery. 

eat SUSHI – Fresh Sushi with Free Delivery in Brussels is a post from: Expat Life in Belgium, Travel and Photography | CheeseWeb All content copyright Alison Cornford-Matheson and CheeseWeb

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Belém Tower, Lisbon, Portugal

In the bustling quarter of Belém, in Lisbon, Portugal, two towers; one a modern monument and one an ancient fortress, offer a view of the city and its maritime history that should not be missed.

There is an unwritten rule when Andrew and I travel to a new place, we end up climbing things: church bell-towers, clock-towers, monuments, and basically any other structure that will give us a good view of our surroundings.

Unfortunately for my parents, who joined us on our recent tour of Portugal and Andalusia, our two week adventure began with climbing two towers on our very first day in Lisbon. Luckily, one of the towers at least had an elevator.

Belém Tower

Belém Tower now sits close to the shore of the Tagus River.

Our first tower was the stunning landmark Belém Tower, also called the Tower of St Vincent. This 16^th century tower is what remains of the Tagus River defence system, commissioned by King John II. It was a ceremonial gateway to Lisbon and now is a popular tourist destination.

Belém Tower looks like something out of a Grimm's fairytale.

In 1983, Belém Tower was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list, along with Jerónimos Monastery (which we’ll feature in an upcoming post). With my goal of collecting all of the UNESCO sites, Belém Tower needed to be climbed.

Exploring the Gothic Belém Tower

At one time, Belém Tower was surrounded by water, but over the years, the land around it was developed and reclaimed so much that now the tower almost sits on the beach. The building has two main parts: the tower itself and the bastion. It is built in a beautifully ornate late gothic style, with turrets, carvings and decoration covering the exterior.

Visitors can climb to the top of the four story tower. From here, there is a sweeping view of the harbour, the Belém area, and our second tower of the day – the striking Monument to the Discoveries.

From each tower you have a great view of the other...

The Monument to the Discoveries

The Monument to the Discoveries, or Padrão dos Descobrimentos, was originally built in the 1940s for the Portuguese Worlds Fair and was meant to be a temporary installation. In 1958, construction began on the permanent monument, made of marble and concrete, that we see today.

The Monument to the Discoveries dominates the boardwalk

The monument commemorates Henry the Navigator, whose statue heads the line of 33 figures of people who were pivotal to Portugal’s Age of Discovery. These figures include royalty, explorers, cartographers, scientists, missionaries and artists.

Henry the Navigator heads the 2 lines of 16 figures.

The square in front of the Monument to the Discoveries is inlaid with a compass rose, 50m in diameter, made of various colours of marble. This was gifted by the South African Government and is best viewed from above.

Luckily, inside the monument is a modern elevator, to whisk visitors to the top. Only a few stairs stand between the visitor and a magnificent view of the compass rose and Jerónimos Monastery.

View from the top of the Monument to the discoveries

On a clear day, Lisbon is spread out before you, making the towers a great first stop on a visit to this exciting city.

Stay tuned for our upcoming post on Jerónimos Monastery and more from our exploration of Portugal and Andalusia.

A Tale of Two Towers in Belém, Lisbon, Portugal is a post from: Expat Life in Belgium, Travel and Photography | CheeseWeb All content copyright Alison Cornford-Matheson and CheeseWeb

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Rochefort Trappist Brewery in Abbey of Our Lady of Saint-Remy, Wallonia, Belgium (photo via Luca Galuzzi - www.galuzzi.it)

Today we’re excited to bring you a special guest post about Rochefort, Belgium, not to be confused with Roquefort, France. You know how we feel about beer and cheese here!

Roquefort and Rochefort is a culinary dance of words. The first is a French cheese while the later is a Belgian beer. Both depend on yeast,  are connected to amazing natural grottoes and pair amazingly well with bread. However, Roquefort and Rochefort are two distinctly different goodies and the home of the later is a short drive from Brussels.

Roquefort Cheese

The term Roquefort refers to a French “blue” cheese made from sheep’s milk. Sometimes in English “Roquefort” cheese is spelled “Rochefort.” Roquefort is a tangy white cheese known for it’s distinctive flavour and mottled green blue veining. As with many French cheeses, Roquefort has a long and illustrious past. According to European law, only cheeses aged in the Combalou grottoes of Roquefort-sur-Souizon can be sold bearing the Roquefort name.

Roquefort Cheese (via Wiki)

The fungus (Penicillium Roqueforti) gives the cheese its distinctive character and it is found naturally in the caves of Combalou. According to legend, a herder was eating his lunch of sheep’s cheese and bread, in the cool shade of the cave, one day, when he saw a beautiful maiden. He abandoned his lunch and flock to chase after the girl and when he returned to the cave weeks later he discovered Roquefort cheese.

According to historical records, in 1411 Charles VI granted the cheese-makers of Roquefort-sur-Souizon a monopoly on the making of Roquefort cheese. In 1925 the name was further reserved only for makers who aged the cheeses in the Combalou grottoes. Today the largest producer of Roquefort is the Société des Caves de Roquefort. The Société offers tours of the caves to tourists.

The fungus is similar to that used as the basis for the antibiotic Penicillin. Before modern medicine in the areas around Aveyron the cheese was often used as a salve to help with the healing of flesh wounds.

Traditionally the fungus for making the cheese was cultivated on bread placed into the caves. The resulting powder was then added to the cheese during the curd stage. Today the fungus is usually cultivated in a laboratory to carefully control the flavour. The ageing process takes place in the caves but production occurs in nearby dairies.

Rochefort Beer

Rochefort beer, a Trappist beer, has an equally long and illustrious history. Rochefort beer is brewed in the Belgian town of Rochefort, by monks, in the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Saint Rémy. Within the Abbey there is the brewery called the Brasserie de Rochefort. The monks at the Abbey have brewed beer according to secret recipes, since 1595.

Trappist monks are an order of Benedictine monks that has been in existence in Rochefort since the 13^th century. The Trappist order dates back to 1098. They follow a strict set of rules that include vows of obedience, poverty, humility and hard work. The Rochefort Abbey was initially established as an order of Cistercian nuns. Sometime in the 15^th century the Trappist monks replaced the nuns. 15-30 monks still live today at the Abbey.

Interior of the Abbey of Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy (Photo via Luca Galuzzi - www.galuzzi.it)

Rochefort beer has been brewed non-stop at the Abbey since 1899. Beer making continued despite WWI and WWII. Production began in earnest during the 1950’s and 1960’s. Today Rochefort is one of the most famous Trappist beers in Belgium.

A Weekend Holiday to Rochefort, Belgium

Rochefort is a quaint little town located in the Walloon region of Belgium. A short drive from Brussels (1.5- 2 hours by car) Rochefort makes an ideal weekend holiday. Either driving a personal car or securing a car hire in Brussels for the weekend is the best way to travel to Rochefort. Cheap car rentals are scarce once in the Lesse Valley.

The Lesse Valley has a wide variety of outdoor activities to enjoy including hiking and water sports. The National Park of Lesse et Lomme is nearby.

In addition to the Abbey, Rochefort is home to some of the best stalagmite grottos in Belgium. These caves are not as famous as the nearby caves at Han-sur-lesse so they tend to be a little bit less crowded. The caves can be seen via a tour that takes about one hour. The temperature in the caves is about 8-10 C so warm clothing is advisable.

Chateau Lavaux-Sainte-Anne (via Wiki)

Directly above the caves stands the Loreto Chapel, built in 1620. The Château de Lavaux-Sainte-Anne, a 15^th century fortress built by Jean II de Berlo is located nearby. The château was used for the wedding of Justine Henin and Pierre-Yves Hardenne in 2002.

Also nearby is the Château de Jannée that dates back to the 12^th century. Further additions to Jannee were added in the 17^th and 19^th centuries. Belgium isn’t known as a country of castles but it has some of the best-preserved castles and castle ruins in Europe.

The red marble quarries of St. Rémy are also near Rochefort. Known for hundreds of years as some of the finest marble in Europe, the marble from this quarry has been used to decorate the most prestigious buildings in Europe including St. Peter’s in Rome and Versailles. The red marble is known variously as Rouge de Flander, Rouge Fleure, Rouge Imperial and Royal St. Rémy.

No visit to Rochefort is complete without a few glasses of Rochefort beer. There are three Rochefort beers: The Rochefort 6, 8 and 10.

Rochefort Beer (photo via Wiki)

Rochefort 10 (11.3% ABV) is the darkest of the three beers and by all rights it should be called one of the best-balanced ales in the world. Introduced in 1950, the Rochefort 10 sports rich tones of fig and caramel.

The Rochefort 8 (9.2% ABV) is the most popular Rochefort beer. It was introduced during the overhaul of the brewery at the abbey during 1955-1960. It is a lighter brown beer that is every bit as good as the 10. Fruit and spicy undertones are still very pronounced.

Rochefort 6 (7.5% ABV) composes less than 1% of the Abbey’s beer production. This is an aromatic reddish beer, with undertones of figs, spices and caramel. It is probably the closest to the ancient beers that were produced at the Abbey before the 20^th century. All three of the Rochefort beers will cellar well.

It is possible to visit the Abbey but the Brewery is not open for tours. The Abbey too is sometimes closed for religious holidays so call in advance to inquire about visiting hours.

The best times to visit Rochefort are June & September. Avoid the holiday season because the Lesse is very popular among local tourists. A knowledge of French is very helpful.

This has been a sponsored post written by Jen Thames for Budget Car Rentals.

A Weekend Drive in Search of Rochefort Beer and Grottos is a post from: Expat Life in Belgium, Travel and Photography | CheeseWeb All content copyright Alison Cornford-Matheson and CheeseWeb

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Better late than never! Here comes our Tram Experience.

It’s not every night you eat a four-course meal while riding around Brussels on a tram, but maybe it should be.

You may remember, back in February, I was invited to a sneak peek at the Brusselicious Tram Experience.  At the time, I thought it was a great concept and I couldn’t wait to try it out for myself.

After months of waiting and hearing about how much our friends had enjoyed it, we were finally able to give it a try. Andrew and I had the Tram Experience last Saturday night, along with my parents, on the final night of their five week visit to Europe.

Here’s a little look at our evening:

The Tram Experience looks shiny and inviting.

The tram looked great when it finally arrived – however it was about 20 minutes late. We were lucky it wasn’t raining too hard (as it so happens from time to time in Brussels). We all felt that if the Tram Experience is going to become a permanent feature in Brussels, they need to build their own starting point with a good shelter from the weather. Standing around Place Poelaert in a downpour isn’t a great way to start a fine-dining evening.

Sitting down at the Tram Experience table - looks inviting!

The first look at our table for four was a real treat. The tables are specially designed with cut-outs for glasses, plates and cutlery, to keep things from sliding around. The funky blue and purple lighting and glasses of champagne set the tone for a fun night.

Bubbles and Amuse Bouche while we study our menus

Our amuse-bouches were waiting for us as we sat and looked over our menus. They consisted of an aubergine and green curry mousse and a salmon-y nibble. Both were quite tasty.

Bread on a stick

There were also herbed breads with olive oil and whipped butter to enjoy as we began our journey.

First Course - Foie Gras and Baby Leeks

Our first course was a marbled terrine of baby leeks and goose foie gras with a mixed salad and a sweet vinaigrette.

Codfish with speculoos and thyme butter

Our main course was codfish with speculoos and thyme butter (a surprisingly tasty combination) with cauliflower mousseline and hazelnut sauce.

Blood orange and Sangria dessert

Dessert was a Blood Orange and Sangria jelly with a crispy biscuit.

The menu was conceived by Pascal Devalkeneer of Le Chalet de la Foret. Chefs and menus change regularly on the Tram Experience so there is always something new to try.

So what was our verdict? Was it the best food ever? No, but the menus are always changing and the experience was truly unique. The service was good and the wine was flowing freely. The atmosphere was lively and all around us diners seemed to be having a great night. We particularly enjoyed watching the looks on people’s faces as we passed by them waiting at tram stops. Overall, it was a fun and tasty evening we would certainly consider repeating.

Bookings have been extremely popular so the Brusselicious folks are releasing seats for the Tram Experience a few at a time. You have to check back to the booking site regularly in order to snap up a table.

Have you been on the Tram Experience? What were your thoughts? Should it become a permanent part of the Brussels food scene? Give your feedback in the comments below.

The Brussels Tram Experience – Our Review is a post from: Expat Life in Belgium, Travel and Photography | CheeseWeb All content copyright Alison Cornford-Matheson and CheeseWeb

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The Mezquita-Catedral (Mosque–Cathedral) of Cordoba

The past five weeks have been big ones here at CheeseWeb. While things have been ticking away, mainly on autopilot, here at CheeseWeb HQ, Andrew and I have been exploring some new corners of Europe.

In early April, my parents came to visit and, as we do, we decided to take them on a European adventure. For me, this included 2 brand new countries, 2 new regions of countries I’ve visited before, 7 new UNESCO World Heritage sites and 8 of my personal bucket list items accomplished. I’d say that was a pretty great 5 weeks!

You can expect to read about many of the places we visited on CheeseWeb in the coming weeks, but as I’m busily sifting through thousands of photos, I thought I’d share a sneak peek at a few of the highlights.

The Monastery of the Hieronymites, from the Padrão dos Descobrimentos.

Portugal has been on my list of countries to visit since we moved to Europe. We explored Lisbon, Sintra and the Algarve. One of the highlights of Lisbon was visiting the Monastery of the Hieronymites, as seen here from the Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries).

Admiring the detail of the Alhambra of Granada, Spain

From Portugal we headed into the Andalusia region of Spain. We visited castles, towers, cathedrals and palaces. We climbed at least a million stairs and wandered the cobbles streets of 5 different Spanish cities. Of our favourite sites, the incredible Alhambra of Granada really stood out.

The dizzying rows of arches at Cordoba's Mezquita-Catedral.

As did the endless rows of arches of the Mezquita-Catedral (Mosque–Cathedral) of Cordoba.

Watching a flamenco performance in Seville, Spain was one of my bucket list accomplishments.

One of my bucket list items included watching a flamenco performance in Spain, which we enjoyed in Seville.

Gibraltar's Barbary Macaques at the top of the Rock

Andrew was keen to explore Gibraltar, where we took a tour to the top of the rock and spent some time with the local wildlife, Gibraltar’s Barbary Macaques. (We even got to hold one!)

The historic centre of Prague, Czech Republic, at sundown.

After a quick rest in Belgium, I traveled with my parents to the second new country of our travels, the Czech Republic. There we explored the historic centre of Prague.

The distinctive domes of the Eden Project, Cornwall, UK

Our final trip took us to England, where we spent some time in Devon and Cornwall, where one of our highlights was visiting the Eden Project. While the cold, rain kept us inside, we enjoyed the balmy temperatures of the tropical rainforest under Eden’s domes.

You’ll be hearing more about these places and many others, including some new Belgian locations, over the spring and summer. We can’t wait to share our stories and photos with you and as always, we welcome your comments and feedback.

Photos of our European Travel Highlights is a post from: Expat Life in Belgium, Travel and Photography | CheeseWeb All content copyright Alison Cornford-Matheson and CheeseWeb

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German expat Ina Wermelskirchen has lived in Belgium for 11 years

Today we’re excited to bring you a brand new video in our Living Abroad series.

Ina Wermelskirchen from Dusseldorf, Germany has been living in Belgium for 11 years.

She talks to our video producer, Jon Vannoy about why she finally caved in and learned Dutch, her challenges with changing apartments, and living with the Belgian weather.

If you can’t see the video, here’s a direct link –  Living Abroad – Ina.

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to check out the rest of the videos in our Living Abroad series. If you have a story you’d like to share, don’t hesitate to contact us.

Living Abroad Series – Expat Interview with Ina Wermelskirchen is a post from: Expat Life in Belgium, Travel and Photography | CheeseWeb All content copyright Alison Cornford-Matheson and CheeseWeb

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Food Porn for the Soul

Leave to us… We really tried to put together a list of our 10 favourite food photos. We just love food too much to narrow it down that far. Instead, we bring you our 15 favourite photos of food.

We hope you’ve already eaten because we’re bringing you some serious food porn!

What do you mean dried seaweed isn't your idea of good food?

Most people probably wouldn’t classify dulse as food, let alone food porn. But for me, it goes deeper. The smell takes me right back to my home in Canada, and the bustling Saint John City Market. And believe me, that place is a serious foodie heaven.

Foie gras with crispy bacon and crème brûlée

Oh, Southwest France… We have so many wonderful food memories from this area and many of them involve Foie Gras, wine and wonderful friends. This particular starter of Foie gras with crispy bacon and crème brûlée was eaten overlooking the beautiful Basque countryside.

Cheese Tasting Menu

It probably doesn’t come as a shock, cheese is a big favourite of ours, particularly with me. This incredible cheese course was my meal at La Cloche a Fromage Cheese Restaurant in Strasbourg, France. Andrew enjoyed an incredible Raclette. This place definitely has the CheeseWeb stamp of approval!

Chickpea and Chorizo Salad

To choose one favourite meal cooked by our dear friend Cedric is impossible because everything he cooks is heavenly. We urge you to visit Holling Grange and see for yourself. Instead I chose my favourite based on the photo alone. I love the beautiful colours and textures of this dish, which features chickpeas, chorizo and scallops. Divine!

Possibly the world's perfect lobster roll

Atlantic Canadian lobster is simply my favourite food in the world (and believe me, that’s a really tough call). I’ve been on a quest, for as long as I can remember, to find the world’s perfect lobster roll. This one I ate on Grand Manan Island, may just have been it. But it’s not going to stop me from continuing my quest!

Russian Pierogi in Poland

I’m not ashamed to say, Andrew and I ate Pierogi every day we were in Krakow, Poland. We’re not sure why this particular variety was called Russian Pierogi, but the potato and cheese filling was definitely our favourite.

Masla Dosa

I’m sure I’ve mentioned Masla Dosa at least a dozen times since our visit to Bangalore. We are still dreaming about these crispy delicious Indian crepes and their spicy filling.  Although Andrew learned how to make them, nothing could top our dosa introduction at the India Coffee House.

Duck and Foie Gras at La Broche

Belgian cuisine – you just can beat it. Although we love eating our way across Europe and the rest of the world, we have a soft spot for the food made right here.  This dish combines two things I’ve learned to love since moving here, duck and foie gras. This delicious tower of goodness was served at La Broche in Dinant.

Irish Seafood Chowder

There’s nothing better to warm you up on a cold, blustery day than a hot bowl of soup. We enjoyed this hearty seafood chowder on Ireland’s southwest coast. The Illy coffee gave us the added energy to jump back in the car and continue our road-trip.

Seared Beef at Het Pomphuis

This beautiful seared beef dish was served at another beautiful Belgian restaurant, this time in Antwerp. Het Pomhuis, made our list of favourite restaurants in Belgium.

Delicious meat in tube form

We’re big fans of meat in tube form and the healthy hotdogs from Brussels-based Hopdog are some of our favourites. This delicious version is a chicken sausage with BBQ sauce and crispy fried onions. A perfect snack when you’re shopping down town.

Pork Belly at Culinaria

There are some fantastic foodie evens in Brussels and one of our favourites so far has been Culinaria. This beautiful pork dish was one of 4 courses served by Michelin starred chefs in an upscale canteen style setting.

Pretty Cupcakes

Cupcakes seem to be all the rage in Belgium these days. These pretty little ones were actually photographed (and enjoyed) at Holling Grange. They tasted as sweat as they look!

Molten moelleux au chocolate

I’ve always been a bigger fan of savoury foods, over sweet. (Andrew is the sweet-tooth of our family). But when we first moved to Belgium, I fell in love with the moelleux au chocolate. I really can’t think of a better way to end a meal than a cake of molten dark chocolate swimming in creme Anglais.

My favourite Belgian Waffle from Dandoy

You didn’t think I was going to do a food porn post without a nod to Belgium’s favourite treat, did you? I know it’s a hotly debated topic (almost as controversial as who serves the best frites), but this is my favourite waffle in Belgium. It’s a Liege waffle, topped with cherries and a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, made by the venerable Belgian institution, Dandoy.

What did you think of our 15 favourite food photos? We’d love to hear your food porn dreams in the comments below.

Our 15 Favourite Photos of Food is a post from: Expat Life in Belgium, Travel and Photography | CheeseWeb All content copyright Alison Cornford-Matheson and CheeseWeb

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Interior courtyard of the STAM museum

STAM is an exciting new museum that brings the history of Ghent to life, within the setting of beautifully restored historic buildings.

I can hear what you’re thinking… A city museum? These can often be stuffy, boring affairs, filled with dusty artefacts and faded signage. We’ve been to a couple of city museums in Belgium that never made it to the archives of CheeseWeb. (You know we only write about the places we recommend.)

But after several locals suggested we visit the Stadsmuseum Gent or STAM we set aside our preconceived ideas about city museums and gave it a go. We were happily proved wrong.

The STAM is located on the larger Bijloke site. Now a haven for culture, not far from Ghent’s historic centre, the Bijloke was once an abbey, convent and hospital. The traditional architecture flows seamlessly into the newly designed complex and the entire area is green, vibrant and beautifully maintained.

Old meets new on the Bijloke site - STAM Museum Ghent, Belgium

On the sunny spring Sunday afternoon, when we visited, it was hard to walk by the beautiful terrace café to head inside the museum. We vowed to treat ourselves to a canal-side coffee after our research was done. (We work hard for you, readers!)

When you first enter the STAM, you are asked to don cloth booties over your shoes. As you walk into the first exhibit, you can see why. You are standing on a huge areal map of Ghent. It’s a fascinating overview (literally) of the city.

A bird's-eye view of Ghent in the map room

Leaving the map room, you can toss your booties and continue into the main museum, where each room represents a period of Ghent’s fascinating history.

This city, once one of the biggest and wealthiest in northern Europe, has only, within recent history, been surpassed in size by Brussels and Amsterdam.

Just as the exterior architecture flows seamlessly from ancient to modern, so does the interior. Much of the museum is located in the former abbey. One of our favourite rooms, the medieval refectory, has been restored to reveal a stunning vaulted ceiling and wall murals.

The Medieval Refectory with its stunning ceiling

The you can admire the original leather wall covering in the climate controlled treasury room and visit the abbey church.

Alongside all of this restoration work, are high-tech displays chronicling Ghent’s history. You can even get interactive with exhibits like the LEGO table, with several of Ghent’s famous towers recreated in those famous plastic blocks.

LEGO in the chapel

STAM also features an exhibit on the ‘Just Judges,’ a panel stolen from the famous painting ‘The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.’ The mystery surrounding the whereabouts of this work of art is as fascinating as any crime paperback.

Modern displays of ancient Ghent artefacts

Of course, once you are finished exploring the STAM, there is always that lovely café waiting for you. We recommend the waffles with ice-cream (for research purposes of course). If you have time, stroll the beautiful grounds of the Bijloke site, before heading into Ghent for your evening meal.

Have a great museum experience in Belgium? Tell us about it in the comment below.

(As photos are not permitted in the museum, all photos in this post are courtesy of the STAM museum and copyright Phile Deprez)

Exploring the STAM Museum in Ghent, Belgium is a post from: Expat Life in Belgium, Travel and Photography | CheeseWeb All content copyright Alison Cornford-Matheson and CheeseWeb

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