City on Tap: The Buzz
on Brussels
 Like
a surrealist painting, Brussels can be as difficult to fathom as the
ever-shifting quilts of clouds drifting above the city. Here, architecture,
culture and gastronomy mingle freely with EU euphoria, vibing visitors
with an emerging style and eclectic aesthetic all its own. Yes, Brussels
has its buttoned-down side - it is home to NATO, after all - but it
also has a history of turning convention on its head (picture Magritte).
And this year, Brussels' buzz is even louder, as the Belgian capital
is one of nine European Cities of Culture for the year 2000.
First impressions count, and Brussels' is of architecture.
The city fronts a dizzying pastiche of truly European styles of
various eras. A slew of mostly Baroque buildings preside over the
Grand'Place, the city's center. Other stars include the Gothic City
Hall and the nearby Maison du Cygne, a Louis XIV-style structure
where Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels penned The Communist Manifesto.
Art Nouveau is eloquently defined here, especially
in the newly restored former Old England department store, housing
the Museum of Musical Instruments and one of the best cafes in town.
Add to the hit list the former residence of Victor Horta, the movement's
Belgian maestro, to see one of the most inspiring examples in Brussels.
Digging deeper into the city's design history is Bruxellae 1238,
a glass-covered excavation of an ancient abbey fortuitously exposed
by a road crew, now yours for the gawking.
But wither the idea that Brussels is just about the
past. The small downtown triangle bordered by rue des Chartreux,
rue Antoine Dansaert and the place St. Gery is happening. The nouvelle
cuisine of Bonsoir Clara and the Middle Eastern menu and milieu
of Kasbah deliver first-rate multicultural magic - and people-watching.
Belgian's avant-garde fashion designers, though Antwerp-based, are
fully represented at Stijl, where the best of Martin Margiela,
Veronique Branquinho and their compatriots are sold under one stylish
roof.
Fall back in line with tradition, though, when it
comes to chocolate and beer. It's no secret that Belgian chocolate
is considered the best in the world, so true acolytes accept nothing
less than the masterworks of Wittamer. And quaffing beer in local
haute boites like Archiduc is nothing short of a religious experience
(medieval monks here were the most renowned alchemists of the brew).
Local variations include the light local Witbier, fruity Lambics,
open-air-fermented Gueuze and lusciously dark Trappist ales. They're
just further evidence that regardless of preferences, Brussels is
a heady mix of style and substance.
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