Au Stekerlapatte — Restaurant in Brussels

First and foremost, customer service was not existent. Upon arrival, we were welcomed in a cold and uninviting manner, but fine. We sat down, and the waitress immediately asked us for our order without bothering to say hi. She took only one drink order and ran away without asking or waiting for the others to say what they wanted to drink (we were a group of six). I can somewhat understand this, although it’s unacceptable.

The most serious issue was when I ordered one of the dishes on the menu, described as "fresh mixed vegetables and rice." When the dish arrived, it was completely different from the description. I was served a bland vegetable broth with a separate plate of rice that seemed to be two days old. The vegetables weren’t neither fresh nor seasoned, there was no salt or flavor whatsoever—just served with a disgusting brown water. It was a dish that even a hospital wouldn’t dare serve, let alone a restaurant that charges whopping €23.50 for it.

Feeling taken for a fool, I asked the main waitress for an explanation. She told me that "the menu stated it was boiled." In a very rude manner, she grabbed the menu herself. Spoiler alert ; it didn’t say that anywhere. She even added, "Do you even speak French?" The menu was in English and French, and I was dining with native speakers of both languages, so yes, we do speak and understand both languages.

I didn’t receive an apology, nor was I offered a solution, an alternative, or anything that could make up for the terrible meal I wasn’t going to eat . When I asked the same waitress to take the plate back, she told me she was "clearing other tables and that I’d have to wait because she couldn’t do everything at once”.

I can forgive a misunderstanding, but there was no effort to accommodate the customer, which should be a priority in any restaurant. In the end, I left donating them €23.50 on an empty stomach, as the hospital-grade dish was taken back untouched.

P.S. I also asked if it was possible to order some extra portions of fries and was told, "No, that’s not possible," even though the menu specifically says they can be requested. I will definitely never return, not so much because of the dish (which was inedible) but because of the poor service provided by what I assume was the head waitress, as she was the only one allowed to...

I would recommend the cooked meats from their menu. Rib's looked exceptional and so did the steaks.

Unfortunately when receiving a complaint about their food, the chef was quick to be on the defense and to make a scene out of it, including making his way out of the kitchen to the table to talk very loudly and rudely across the heads of everyone seated. This was extremely embarrassing and ruined for me what would have otherwise been a 5 star review from myself.

Although the manager did explain this was exactly how the dish was meant to be and had even come to a resolution with the person who had ordered this meal (albeit, this dish had passed the hands of two servers before coming back to the guest), the establishment thought the chef coming out in this dramatic manner was acceptable as "this is how the dish has been made for 50 years, and never had a complaint before". I was also told that it probably seemed aggressive to me because of how culturally belgians communicate.

Wether or not this is the reason, I do not know, but she was very pleasant with me when I approached her at the bar to explain how unhappy I was with the Chef's demeanour. I would like to add we had an international party with us, and we had all agreed the Chef's mannerisms were unneccesary.

I can see the chefs know their menu well, majority of the food was very nice and most had enjoyed their meals.

I'd recommend their...

A proper Belgian spot - cosy, authentic, and absolutely worth a visit.

The service was a highlight in itself. The person who took care of us was a real joy, funny, full of good vibes, and made the whole experience feel easy and light. Not just polite or attentive, but genuinely fun to be around.

Now, the food. One burger, one portion of pork ribs, and honestly, the portions were no joke. The burger came with such a thick cut of meat that there was a moment of silence, followed by a mild internal panic. In the end, it had to be eaten with a knife and fork. No shame, only satisfaction. The ribs? Big, proper pork ribs, cooked just right, flavourful, generous, satisfying. Not a crumb left.

There’s also an impressive list of beers and other drinks (wine too, for the curious). No dessert this time, but a few passed by the table and looked very, very promising. Next time, dessert is a must.

Overall, a great experience : good food, great atmosphere, and someone lovely to bring it all together....