Hi. My wife and I are looking for a restaurant for our anniversary this summer. We will be in Bruges (Brugge) and are looking for a good atmosphere (romantic) with good food and wine. Thanks. JWH

Cafe Topaz in Brugge is a very small, intimate, romantic restaurant that was undiscovered by tourists as of June 2005. The meal, setting, ambiance were very special. Check the photos - Topaz is # 14 on

Photos of Brugge, June 2005

http://tinyurl.com/e77ww

I had a wonderful meal at the Hotel Restaurant 't Putje, just of the 't Zand.

http://www.hotelputje.com/English/hotel-putje.htm

I had a "seafood wok" - scallops, prawns, lobsters, mussels and chicken in a broth served over rice. It was just to die for. I don't recall the price exactly but it was probably about 90 euros for 2, with a bottle or two of wine.

De Karmeliet is probably the most famous "serious" restaurant in Bruges as it has 3 Michelin stars (side note: Comme Chez Soi in Brussels lost its 3rd star). But my favorite occasion restaurant is Den Gouden Harynck, a beautiful restaurant with excellent food and service. One Michelin star. Less well known than de Karmeliet among non-Belgians.
http://www.dengoudenharynck.be/

Also, when in summer? Some of the better restaurants may be closed for parts of the summer. For example, Den Gouden Harynck is closed the last two weeks of July and first week of August.

We will be there the second week in July. De Karmeliet is closed then. Den Gouden Harynck looks very nice and we will check into that. Has anyone eaten at Chez Olivier? Thanks for the advice and information.

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I'll be in Bruges in Sept

Stu Dudley

>>Cafe Topaz in Brugge<<

Bob - Nice Pics. Do you recall what the specific entres were that you had?? It looks like they serve pretty large portions.

Stu Dudley

Hi Stu - the portions were large, especially compared to what we were used to in France - more starches.
I looked up my food comments and this is what I had written:

One of the best restaurants that we ate in was a tiny upscale bistro called Bistro Topaas - oude Gentweg 7, B-8000 Brugge, Tel 050/ 33 34 81. Now this place has perhaps six tables and is freqented by locals - the owner was intrigued to know how we found out about it.
The husband waits the tables, the wife cooks and can she cook! The food is a French/Belgian mix with Spanish influences as the owner is an expert on sherries. He delighted us with examples and samples of Spanish sherry that I had never imagined. He shattered my bias that all sherry is sickly-sweet and brilliant red.
However don't let this aside dissuade you. The food is superb. Our amuse bouche was an asparagus mousse with crayfish and a few sprigs of cress. Sandra's entre was pata negra (wild boar) salad accompanied by white sherry. I had foie gras with onion confiture and toast and a glass of muscadet.
Sandra's main course was a dinner steak served with a dollop of foie gras, cress salad and roast potatoes.
I had barbuie (small sole) mashed potatoes and salad. The owner suggested glasses of Spanish wine which went well.
Our dessert was shared and involved dark, rich, decadent Belgian chocolate -need I say more?
The price was reasoanble - well under E100 for the two of us. I doubt if you will find this place reviewed elsewhere and I know you wouldn't be disappointed.
The only other recommendation that I can make about Brugge restaurants is to look for Bouillabaisse(fish soup)on the menus. It is a full meal and can be quite outstanding.

Re-looking at the pictures I should replace "dollop of foie gras" with "slab of foie gras".

Stu - I like this kind of small place that is not touristy.

Bob

I dunno Stu - better check this out. Bistro Topaas may be no more?

http://users.telenet.be/bistrotopaas/

All of the restaurants on the main square across from the belfry are to be avoided. Unfortunately, they are also the most picturesque.

A few years back when in Brugge, a local had recommended the Int'l Nieuw Museum on Hooistraat. It had a pub atmosphere with delicious mussels and frites. I remember it was early fall and over a tiny bridge, crossing a canal ( somewhat off the beaten track). Inside was a fire in a huge fireplace. I don't know what is like now, but it was noted for steaks and charbonnade(chargrilled meats.)

Bookmarking (I'll be there in a few weeks!)