For close to a decade now we have refrained from going out to eat on Valentine's Day. On that day restaurants are always fully booked, the pressure is immense, and we generally don't enjoy it as much.
In the strange year of 2020, we were stuck in Brussels and therefore had no way of enjoying what has become our tradition meal on Valentine's Day now, home cooked Milanese osso buco.
It was quite difficult to book a really nice restaurant in Brussels on such short notice. However, we were still able to enjoy a classic Belgian seafood meal at La Maree, an institution that has been in Brussels for 40 years (!) and known for its fresh, quality seafood.
La Maree has been recognized by numerous outlets, including the Michelin Guide with a Michelin Plate.
The Food
Food is fresh and simply prepared. We hadn't had raw oysters in a long time (we don't usually eat it in Hong Kong, unlike when we were in Boston!), so it was really nice to try a few at La Maree.
Grey shrimp is a Belgian specialty and we had never even heard of it before we came to Brussels. It's very local and very unique to this region. Honestly, I didn't love these tiny shrimp. They reminded me of dried Chinese shrimp (which I also don't love).
Moules Frites are classic and you can get them in a lot of places. The ones here were good and comparable to the ones we had enjoyed at other good, solid moules frites joints.
I was actually surprised that the fish came with such a rich creamy sauce. It was executed fine, but I didn't love my dish. I was hoping for something a bit lighter. The simple, steamed vegetables offered a nice balance.
General Thoughts - La Maree Brussels
The quality of the seafood at La Maree is fresh and the preparation is quite simple. We had a nice meal and enjoyed our Valentine's Day. However, there are other seafood places, like Vismet, that we prefer. All in all, though, it's still a fine place to get a fresh, healthy, and enjoyable authentic Belgian seafood dinner.
La Marée Brussels
rue de Flandre 99
1000 Brussels
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