Bistrot du Mail: Michelin meal under EUR 30

Everyone has heard about Comme Chez Soi with its exorbitant prices, and sometimes not that cozy ambiance…

But not many people know about the Bistrot du Mail, which has one Michelin star less (but still, great credentials – one star is not bad at all…) but offers weekday lunch menus for EUR 25 to EUR 29 for a 2 or 3-course meal. (The prices have gone up in the last few months, probably because the secret is out… so hurry!)

The food is really excellent and you will have trouble finding such a good meal at that price in Brussels. The portions are not huge, but just right if you have the 3-course menu, which will take you about 1.5 to 2 hours to complete, so don’t go to the Bistrot if you are looking for a quick lunch between meetings…

Great deal for a weekday lunch but not so for dinner, which becomes a bit too pricey (not to mention it is much more difficult to get a reservation).

Some pictures to whet your appetite…

Museum Brasserie

Museum Brasserie is one of those much-hyped restaurants that disappoints a bit.

Right on Place Royale, Museum Brasserie is a trendy restaurant frequented by patrons of the arts and Bozar concert-goers, which might account for the somewhat inflated prices.

The food is good (modern Belgian fare) but not worth the prices they charge, and nothing is really so memorable that makes you want to go back. (I cannot remember what I had, but I do remember nothing struck me as great).

Perhaps one of the most interesting things is the decor, which is best described as trendy-semi-minimalist  modern meets classic Belgian setting (with the high ceilings of an old Brussels building which make the restaurant feel quite open and spacious). However, this is something you can find in many other Brussels restaurants as well…

Having said that, it is probably still worth a try if you can get the 30% discount with the Restopass.

30% off 30 popular Brussels restaurants

Feel like trying some new restaurants at a discounted price?

Restopass is so to speak a coupon booklet that offers a 30% discount off food in 30 popular restaurants in Brussels. There is a wide selection of restaurants with different price ranges.

How it works: First you have to buy the Restopass booklet, which you can do online or at a few spots around Brussels including Waterstone’s, la Fnac or Filigranes (see more locations). The price is EUR 35.

If you type in “Facebook” in the discount box, you will get EUR 5 off the price when you order online (offer only valid until September 20 or so). Another tip: If a friend of yours has a Restopass and gives you his/her serial number, you can also get the same EUR 5 discount (not cumulable with the other one though).

Getting your discount: You go to any of the 30 restaurants (see full list) for lunch or dinner any day of the week, and when you ask for your bill, you give them the Restopass. They will automatically apply the 30% discount on all food items consumed (not on drinks), for a maximum of EUR 50 off for your table.

Any catches? Doesn’t look like it, but here are a few things to note:

• You can only get the discount once per restaurant
• There are some special holidays during which the discount is not valid (Xmas eve, New Year’s eve, Valentine’s Day…)
• The booklet is valid for one year from the date of purchase (I am not sure how they check on that though…)
• You can probably recup your EUR 35 investment with just 2-3 dinners (for two) so it seems like quite a good deal…

Does it really work? I have tried it and so far it seems as simple and straightforward as advertised… I’ll let you know if/when it’s not the case.

I’ll also be writing reviews now and then on the featured restaurants, so stay tuned…