Life Is Beautiful — Restaurant in Brussels

tl;dr: A top-5 (of my lifetime) cocktail experience

Longer review: I knew from some ahead-of-trip reconnaissance that I wanted to check LIB out. I expected very good drinks/a great time; the drinks were spectacular, and the experience/service was even better. Herbert and Klara took care of me tonight, and it's one of the best cocktail experiences I can recall having.

LIB's space is neither sparse nor sprawling; it's cozy without being claustrophobic. And as much as the place is frequented by tourists, there is a clear, dedicated local fanbase (some of which who kindly shared some baklava with me), some of whom adorn the walls in cute polaroids.

The menu is certainly creative, but doesn't aspire to become pretentious. At its heart, LIB's interest in fresh ingredients and small/local/boutique providers is what shines through. I had a bourbon cocktail, followed by a calvados and goat cheese (!!!) cocktail, and both were (while very different) exceptional. There was easily a third and a fourth that I wish I could have had, but I might've stayed the night under their bar had I indulged (I'll just have to go back).

What really put LIB over the top, however, was the level of care Klara and Herbert show for their patrons. Upon hearing I was visiting from Canada, Klara must have given me ~20 recommendations for other cocktail, beer, coffee, and food spots to check out in Brussels. And Herbert and I had a fantastic conversation about variations in French dialect, how to know when you've found the right kind of cafe in Belgium (it's the old carpet smell), and peculiarities of the Canadian diary/cheese market. All to say, as much as businesses like to talk a big "customer-centred" game, LIB might be one of the only experiences I've had where the folks behind the bar treated me as a genuine (albeit time-limited) friend. It was a feeling that left quite the impression.

I'll certainly be trying to go back again before I leave, and if I was a local, I'd be on an immediate crash-course to becoming...

Dear readers, it is with great regret that I must report on a certain cocktail bar that left a rather bitter taste in my mouth.

Upon entering the establishment, my companions and I were excited to indulge in some fancy libations and let loose after a long week. Alas, our enthusiasm was short-lived when one of our party members politely declined to order a drink due to some stomach troubles.

Instead of offering any understanding or accommodating options, the bartender huffed and rolled their eyes as if our poor friend had just insulted their firstborn. We were promptly made to feel like pariahs, with the rest of our orders sloppily thrown together and presented with an air of disdain.

To add insult to injury, the drinks themselves were lackluster and uninspired. We might have been able to overlook the subpar quality had the service been even remotely acceptable, but alas, it was not to be.

In short, if you're looking for a sophisticated and enjoyable night out, I suggest steering clear of this particular establishment. It's a shame that one staff member's lack of empathy and professionalism ruined what could have been a delightful evening. Let's hope they can learn to treat their patrons with a bit more respect...

Drinks: we had 4 different cocktails each, meaning a more or less representative sample. Quality of incrediants and presentation is clearly above standard bars. Also the taste had some surprises and new flavors. Question is, do you like those tastes. For me, I had 1 I liked, 2 drinkable but not smth I would order again and 1 that did hit my taste. But that is solely individual taste and has nothing to do with quality.

Food we had hummus which was not great. Too much oil on it and the bread was crap. Not to be repeated and not on the same quality level as the drinks.

Service was good and much above typical Belgian standard. Attentive, explaining, giving recommendations. Good!

So in the end it is a cocktail bar and not a restaurant, so I ignore the hummus. Then quality is good and it comes down to yhe personal taste vs luck of choosing a...