London Cheap eats idea
 

I read several references to Belgo Centraal, so I pulled up the website: http://www.belgo-restaurants.com/.

They have several promotions, one of which is a free bottle of wine for the Bierodrome Islington if you print out the coupon, children eat free with parents and 5.95 lunches. Also, they have a Beat the Clock special on certain entrees- you pay what time you arrive...5:40 is 5.40 pounds.

I was tickled to see it so I thought I would share it!

I enjoyed a meal at Belgo Centraal in London. The price was good and the food was fine. We had the mussels and frites, and there was plenty of food, fresh tasting and nicely served in fun surroundings.

Our dinner was a special that included beer, but when I told the server (in monk costume) that I didn't drink beer, he graciously offered me a selection of house brewed soft drinks. I tasted then chose. Pretty nice, I thought.

If the specials were well-priced, I would go again. London is very expensive, and more so now for Americans like me. Belgo restaurants are a good deal and entertaining, too.

Aunt Nell is in a minority. Many people have raved here about Belgo. But realize that the one in Islington is not the same as Belgo Centraal which is in Covent Garden. Regardless, those specials are regulars there. In fact I just posted about that beat the clock special here a day or two ago -- it is mentioned often.

Oh, and if you are like Aunt Nell and you hate mussels, then you might want to look elsewhere. They have other things including really good roasted chicken, but their mussels are the main thing and they are as good as you'll get anywhere.
I'm assuming Aunt Nell hates mussels, otherwise it would be impossible to believe she thinks the food is nasty.

When I went to the web site, I realized that I had seen this restaurant in a Lonely Planet video. I hate to admit it, but I had dismissed it based on that, because the waiters as monks idea seemed so gimmicky. But it actually looks like it's a pretty good deal in a convenient spot, so I'm going to keep it in mind for the future.

WillTravel

This place is actually fun. Gimmicky, I guess, but done with a certain flare and enjoyment that seems to make it ok.

Plus the Centraal location has a bathroom sink that needs to be seen. In the US, I avoid "theme restaurants" and chains and gimmicks pretty nearly always. But in London, where a good meal that is reasonably priced is hard to find, this is a very reasonable choice.

I believe they had a New York location that closed... can't remember for sure.

Yes, they did have a New York location which lasted about a year as I recall.

And regarding the waiters dressed as monks -- well, that's a stretch. They wear a sort of tunic/apron that with one eye closed and the other half blind, you could possibly take for a modified shortened version of something that resembled what a monk would wear.

When the original Belgo opened in Kentish Town, I think the waiters' outfits were more monk-like - long robes with hoods & rope belts. Maybe they turned out not to be very practical & so were modified ?

I just found them on Harden's site and they blast them, but I'll give it a try if for nothing else, the Belgian beers.

Bill

Either I was wrong about the Lonely Planet video, or this place is also shown in a Rick Steves video which I watched last night. The uniforms were definitely monkish-looking in this 2000 taping.