I got us to the station with just enough time to spare to buy our tickets however broken ticket machines meant a breakneck run around the station to find a working ticket machine and then a quick dash back to our platform. We made it back to the platform in time but as the train was arriving it was only then that I realised that we were about to board the wrong train, right time, wrong train.
So 15 minutes later we boarded a different train however this one took twice as long and got us to De Heeren late, again...
We did arrive though and soon had a round of lambics placed in front of us, my latest failure was old news.
De Heeren van Liedekerke is rated as the best beer restaurant in the world and the proceeding five hours certainly confirmed its reputation in our eyes.
For entrées, Matto and Nix each had chicory soup with smoked eel and I had plaice and mussels, both expertly matched with Kasteel Hoppy and Vicaris gueuze/tripel respectively. Words don't really do any of our courses justice.
For mains, Nix went for the coq-a-la-bier that she said was "delightful", Matto the cod with bacon and mushrooms which was "fantastically fresh" and I went for the guinea fowl with crab risotto, also amazing. So much meat and so hearty. Our choices once again were beer matched to perfection.
For dessert, we shared a Westmalle dubbel sabayon (woah!) and various European cheeses. To drink Matto went for the very exclusive, extremely tasty Rodenbach Vin de Cereal, Nix Cuvée Delphine (huge) and me a 2006 Stille Nacht, it certainly does not get any worse with time.
To finish off we thought we'd go for a cheeky 1994 3 Fonteinen Oude Gueuze, because we can.
We got back to Brussels after a phenomenal food experience and headed to the Hoppy Loft for a couple (note the phone book size beer maps - "it's a beer map because it takes you on a journey") and then Bécasse for a few, a traditional sour beer café hidden away down a tiny alley. Very cool.
The next day we hit the food trail for some crispy fried kippling, decent Belgian chocolate, pretty good frites, very average hot dogs and very enjoyable, meaty gyros.
The Beers
Mort Subite Lambic
De Troch Lambic
Kasteel Hoppy
Vicaris Tripel/Gueuze
Pater Lieven Blond
Eurotropius First Angel
Brouwerij De Toeteler Amber Tripel
De Dolle Stille Nacht 2006
De Struise Cuvée Delphine
Rodenbach Vin de Cereale 2008
3 Fonteinen Oude Gueuze 1994
Black Bear IV IPA
Cazaue Saison
Delirium Tremens
Lindemans Witte, Bourgogne des Flandres
De Ranke Noir de Dottignes, Kriek
Tilquin Lambic Blend
Moeder Lambic/Brasserie de la Senne Band of Brothers
Contreras Valeir Blond
Kerkom Bink Bloesem
Adelardus Bruin
Duvel
