Thursday 27 December 2018

AKSUM COFFEE HOUSE

Yesterday I was visiting my brother in Brussels when we strolled around in the city. A town full of tourists around this Christmas holiday time. And most tea rooms are packed, which is normal with a temperature of 1 degree Celsius. After trying four establishments, my brother suddenly tought about a little coffee place that I would appreciate.
The tiny little coffee house in the center of the city has a nice terrace, which was empty of course, and a  few tables inside. A big smile welcomed us, the place is operated by one girl. In fact that is all you need to have a nice coffee bar were you want to return too, a friendly person and a La Marzocco coffee machine! Ad some great beans , in this case Ethiopean and you have a top place.
The menu is rather small but still big enough to enjoy breakfast and great coffee. We all took different types of coffee, Peter had cappuccino, Lieve a one shot and I took a double shot of the delicious African coffee brew.
Unfortunatly we didn't have lunch yet, because on the counter was a nice range of delicious cakes on display. Might have to come back here.

Asking where the name Aksum comes from, the girl answered me that it was an ancient Kingdom situated in Eritrea and the North of Ethiopea.

Now you can find the Aksum name spread out in Brussels, on three different places where they serve the aromatic coffee of three different Ethiopean regions, Harrar, Sidamo and Yirgacheffe.

An extra reason to visit the coffee house is that the place is situated right across the head quarters of the organizers of the Tour de France start in Brussels in the first week of July 2019.

AKSUM DE BROUCKERE  -  Anspachlaan 13b - 1000 Brussel
AKSUM GALERIE DU ROI -  Koningsgalerij 3 - 1000 Brussel
AKSUM GRAND PLACE -  Hoedenmakerstraat 17 - 1000 Brussel 

www.aksumcoffeehouse.be - alle dagen open - wifi
 
                                                   

Thursday 20 December 2018

CROQINO'S

Croqino's is not a real coffee bar, but a little casual restaurant with good coffee. The first time I've been here was last summer. The whole arvo you can sit outside on the footpath terrace enjoying the afternoon sun. Maybe not the best view (you look at the back of the FNAC-shop outer wall), but the amount of people on bikes passing by give you enough entertainment. That means a quiet place to enjoy nicely served drinks.

For example, in August I had a wonderful affogato, vanille ice cream topped off with a single shot coffee. Delicious!
The whole range of different coffee's is available, plus even a few specials such as, special latté, panna montana, ice coffee etc...
And last week I ordered a latté and that comes in double glass cup, so you don't burn your fingers.
For every season you can get the right drink.
Lieve went for a cappuccino and that one was tasty enough to decide to stay for lunch.





We tried the local speciality, the Croqino, a personal created kinda toasted sandwich.
A traditional homemade and handy croque (croque =  flemish word for toast, in fact it is a french word, but that would bring us too far).

Homemade, yep they are! They even got a big "C" baked in the toast, handy too as they are made in a way nothing can fall out from between the two bread slices.
Smart thinking.
Fillings enough, from triple cheese, bacon & eggs, Caesar, Pepperoni, taboulé and so on.
Really worth a try, not only for the Croqino's but also for the coffees. Can't wait for a warm sunny day to get another affogato.
And by the way, very friendly service! They even say goodbye when you leave!

CROQINO'S - Ajuinlei 27 - 9000 Gent
(also Kapellestraat 2a - 8400 Oostende) 
www.croqinos.com  -  open every day

Monday 10 December 2018

ZIZA DELICE

A beautiful monday morning in december. Sun is out but pretty cold. On the bike to Gent and just crossing the Christmas market aka Winter Festival. Not one single stall could convince me to drink a coffee. Suddenly I tought about a place, nearby, I saw last week. Not really a coffee house, but a Moroccon tea house. I am sure they serve coffee too.
Salaam aleikum, Arabic for hello. The girl is reading a book as the place is empty. It is actually more a combination of a Ghoriba shop and a small tea room, maximum 10 seats.

In the background some good modern North African music. Aziza gives us the time to look around. In the meantime we find out where the name of the shop comes from too, it is the girl's name minus the A she explains. Her roots are in the north of Morocco, in the neighbourhood of Nador.
Traditional Maroccon clothing is decorated on dolls in the back of the room. Colorfull.
The counter is full of Ghoriba (Moroccon cookies). They all look very delicous.


As we finally order, Lieve gets the traditional mint tea, prepared at Aziza's mother's way. Just a little bit less sugar. Moroccon people drink it with tons of sugar, sweeter than we do, except me, lol. I love mint tea as sweet as possible. But I order a cappuccino, made by Douwe Egberts. We both want to try some cookies too because we just can't resist.
Lieve gets a M'louza (almond biscuit), I prefer a Briwat (a cookie where the honey syrup runs out).
Everything is nicely served on the small tables.
We chat away about Morocco and I must admit that this place is different to all other coffee shops, I will come back here.
Maybe to try the Moroccon pancakes!



ZIZA DELICE - Sint Niklaasstraat 23 - 9000 Gent 
closed on Sunday

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Shopping---Retail/Ziza




Wednesday 5 December 2018

PEDALEUR DE FLANDRES

It took a few months before Pedaleur de Flandres opened their doors. Many times when I passed by, I could still see the paper on the glass front door: opening soon!
It was only later that I found out that the delay was actualy our own fault. The whole idea was based on crowdfunding. In fact after all it didn't take that long, it was just me, walking pass too many times in a short period, that made it look a long time.
Anyway doors are wide open now. But when I went for a coffee last saturday arvo I was surprised that only four other people had the same idea. Altough it was raining and all other tea rooms and coffee bars were chock a block. And let this be my problem, to understand why people have an initial resistance to walk in this great coffee house.
Ok they are focused on coffee and cycling, fantastic idea I would say. But that doesn't mean that a football fan or a stamps collector can't have a brew in that place.
 I do admit that it looks like a cyclist paradise, as the first thing you see even before opening the door is that you can take your best friend (read: your bike) inside and hang him up on the wall. Yes several hooks are fixed on the wall. A cobble stone wall! For the rest the decoration is basic, some caps and mussettes and an old "Marcel Rijckaert" bike.

Few corners where you can sit down with your coffee and cake and some bar stools at the front window. In the middle a higher table and some first rang seats in front of the flat screen.
Yep you can watch road races and in wintertime cyclo cross live. In moments of no racing on tele, there are some interesting books to read too.
And even if your girlfriend (or in case you are a girl, your boyfriend doesn't like cycling) there is a little shop in the back with a clothing section and a bike parts display, all for sale. Means no excuse on sunday that you had a puncture and couldn't find a shop to buy a spare.

When it comes to coffee, I can tell you that the Rocket Espresso machine in combination with Il Magistrale Coffee does a perfect job. Race food is also available in cakes and special on the menu are the gummies
Image result for marcel rijckaert(that is only if Peter Sagan turns up).
If you keep an eye on their Facebook page you will find out when they go for group rides as well. Other extra's are the possibility to rent a bike, training indoor and even clean your bike.
I would say, reasons enough to visit this great place.

(Who is Marcel Rijckaert? he was a professional cyclist from 1944 till 1960, road and track. He was an excellent six day rider. After his career he was the mecanic of Eddy Merckx).


PEDALEUR DE FLANDRES - Volderstraat 58 - 9000 Gent

www.pedaleurdeflandres.be - closed on monday and tuesday