Fabulous food and setting – this place has it all

Chinese restaurants are bountiful in Brussels but, over three decades after it opened, there is one place that possibly transcends them all.

Cite Du Dragon is as popular today as it was back in 1991 when it was first launched.

That is obviously due to the enduring quality of its lovely food.

But this resto has its very own “secret weapon” that keeps it one step ahead of newcomers: its unique décor.

You would not know if from the front of the restaurant, on a busy road, but it comprises a quite glorious garden and lavish water features. Seeing this for the first time is a real eye-opener so come equipped with a camera as you will want to show it to friends and family.

The interior is also cavernous – it can seat up to 600 – with oriental antiques and painted murals.

All this makes it something to behold.Importantly the same applies to the cuisine.

House specialities include its famed full Peking duck which, unlike a lot of Asian restaurants, is prepared in-house. It involves a bit of a wait but, without doubt, if you do opt for this it’s well worth the wait.

The other house speciality is the pork belly which is equally terrific. One of the most popular features here, apart from the visual ones, is the “buffet a volonte” which, considering the number and range of dishes available, is remarkably well priced. From Sunday to Thursday, you pay just  €27pp (drinks excluded).

This rises to €32 pp at weekends (Friday and Saturday evening and Sunday lunch) but it is still very much worth it.

The “eat as much as you like” homemade buffet, served in one corner of the resto, has been a massive success with its army of clients and comes with a great choice of the most popular dishes. For drinks you pay another €13 pp for a choice of softs, wine or beer.The buffet, served from 6.30pm to 10.30pm (9.45pm Sunday to Thursday), is great value for money.

The menu is, like the resto itself, very large and includes a “quick lunch”,  a dish of the day for €14 and a “menu lunch”, priced €18 (starter and mains).  

The basket of dim sum (different types) is a “best seller” while the “Imperial” plateau of crispy starters is also recommended. 

The mains card includes several soups, cold and hot starters plus a range of croustillantes. For mains, you really are spoilt for choice as the menu features several fish and rice dishes, meat, poultry, duck, rice and noodles.

Veggies are also well catered for here and a vegetarian choice of soups, starters and mains. The mostly young staff are very friendly so if you need a bit of help navigating your way through it all they are only too happy to do so. As mentioned, duck is a real house speciality and pride of place goes to the  “Canard Laque Entier a la Pekinoise” which costs €105 (allow about 50minutes for the preparation).

It is served three different ways and is meant for two people. Look out also for some nice drinks offerings, including Belgian beers and tasty wines and some great desserts such as litchis, chocolate mouse, ice cream and the house speciality: pommes caramelisees aux fils d’or.

With better weather hopefully approaching  it is worth noting that the quite wondrous outside garden will soon be not just a place to admire but also dine in as it has a large terrace where you get the chance to eat the lovely food while admitting the scenery and tropical fish.

This marvellous place opened long before many of its “rivals” even arrived on the culinary scene in Brussels but it still manages to “pack them in” and is rarely quiet. Little wonder that top diplomats and VIPs continue to make a beeline for it.

Liem, the very friendly and long standing owner, will celebrate her 75^th birthday soon and the success of her business is testimony to her dedication, hard work and devotion to high standards. 

At a time when the horeca scene here in Belgium is rapidly changing – with data showing people are eating out less and less and, when they do, opting more and more for fast food outlets – it is something of a  pleasure to report on such a fabulous success story such as this place.

There, surely, can be no other place in this country where you can eat Asian food in such a magnificent and exotic setting.

Further info:

Cite Du Dragon

Chaussée de Waterloo 1024,Brussels

02 375 8080

www.citedudragon.be