Rob: The gourmet restaurant

You can eat in the restaurant right through the day, staring with breakfast (served 9-11h), lunch (noon to 14h30) and, later, afternoon tea. There is also an “anytime menu”, featuring items like a cheese platter, burgers and quiche. This is available from 11-18h.

The lovely a la carte menu features a great range of dishes. Starters include delicious scallops and grey shrimp croquettes while mains feature sea bass and cod as well as sweetbreads and blanquette of veal.

For the more adventurous, sushi is also available along with 40g Canadian lobster. Veggies are well catered, for as are children with dishes at less than €8.

The idea is to “showcase” fresh, natural and flavoursome products, many of them sourced from only the most reliable producers.

The choice can change from month to month and will, where possible, reflect seasonal Belgian products such as asparagus or, from June, lobster.

Pricing is very democratic, with mains starting at a mere €13.90.  The wine list is also impressive. If you cannot find one of your choice on the list the in-house sommelier will offer one from its wine cellar, said to be “one of the most beautiful” in Belgium.

Alain Bergen joined Rob in 2003 and, having spent 25 years in the business is now executive chef. He also runs cookery workshops with colleague Nicolas Ramon, the charcuterie product manager, and sommeliers Jérémie Claes and David François.

In an age of globalization, it is worth pointing out that the restaurant works  closely with local, small producers here in Belgium.

It makes no pretense to serve gastronomic cuisine but this is fine food served in an informal setting - at an affordable price. The fact that it boasts up to 150 free parking spaces is another area it scores over city centre restaurants.

Robs will be celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2016 and, while the restaurant has been open only a relative fraction of that time, it has proved a big hit. Pay a visit and you will see why.

Rob the Gourmet's Market, Boulevard de la Woluwe 28,Woluwe-Saint-Pierre, Brussels

T. +32 (0)2 761 0162