From time to time you will find city guides with my discoveries and recommendations. I do this first and foremost to keep track of the places I discover and also to share with you some of my discoveries. It is also an easy way for me to have an archive which I can share promptly with friends who ask me for tips of places I have visited. Please do not hesitate to drop me a line with your recommendations.
The first is from a recent trip to Modena.
For a Maltese living in Belgium, this World Cup presents a new reality. Away from an island which is obsessed by football but whose national team would be lucky to win one match during the qualifying rounds, the decision as to which country to support as the greatest show on earth is about to kick-off is not a trivial one. Firstly, these are countries not clubs so normally everyone sides for his home country.
But back in Malta, 40 per cent will be routing for England, the other 40 per cent for Italy with the rest supporting teams like Germany, Brazil or the Netherlands. For many years, particularly when I lived in Malta my favourite team during such competitions used to be Germany. The team was more or less a sure bet and I particularly liked their resilience and temperament during major tournaments.
Living away from your country changes your perspective. So to those asking who I will be routing for this World Cup the answer is pretty simple. Belgium is not my home country, that will always remain Malta. But for nearly nine years, Belgium has been the place I call home, the place where my children where born, where I have made many new friends and where I now feel nearly if not more at home than in my home country.
So, this year Belgium it will be. The football fever can be felt everywhere in the streets. Radio stations play World Cup tunes, all adverts in the streets are football related as are the adverts on TV stations. People have covered car mirrors in Belgian flags. Wherever you go in shops and supermarkets, people are talking about the Diables Rouges and getting excited about the team’s possibilities. The young Belgian team which is made up of football stars playing top flight football in England, Italy, Spain and Germany will probably not even reach its peak in this World Cup. Most players are still very young and will gain strength from experience.
This morning I went to watch a training session of the Red Devils before their departure to Brazil. The atmosphere in the Roi Baudouin stadium was electrifying. A crowd of over 3,000 people must have turned up to cheer the team before their long journey to Brazil.
Am I expecting Belgium to win the World Cup? No, that will likely be a South American team as has always happened in the World Cup’s history whenever the World Cup has been played in the South America. What I am expecting is for the Red Devils to be among the most exciting teams of this World Cup. With players like Hazard, Kompany, Lukaku, Mertens and Courtois to mention a few names, it is no wonder that expectations are high.
Brussels is not just the heart of Europe, it is also a place with many hidden culinary surprises. You just need to know what you are looking for.
Japan has a special place in our hearts especially given the fact that my wife and I spent our honeymoon there and long to return back every time we remember that experience. So we are always on the lookout for Japanese places to eat. Sushi has become mainstream in most Western cities though I have only come across proper fare only on a handful of occasions outside of Japan. Two of them have been in Brussels.
You head to Kokuban not to eat sushi. There is no sushi to be found on the menu and this is clearly written on the black wall of the restaurant which seems to indicate that they have been asked many times for sushi.
The decor is bold – walls painted in brown and black. It is difficult to imagine but it does work. The place is buzzing at lunch time and in the evenings. It has an array of appetisers. Main courses include noodles, salads and typical Japanese rice dishes.
It serves authentic Japanese dishes at reasonable prices. Kokuban can be found just off one of the most well known streets on Avenue Louise just opposite the Vleurgat tram stop. If you haven’t tried it yet, head there next time you feel like Japanese fare. Even though there is no sushi, you will not be disappointed.
A picture is worth a thousand words. At Osteria Francescana
From time to time, i have toyed with the idea of starting a blog. But there was always a reason to procrastinate. For some time, I blogged at brincs@wordpress.com but that is no more. I decided to delete that blog because it was not regular and also had haphazard content. This time, I want to test myself and see whether I can discipline myself to post on a regular basis. I will not limit this blog just to food and wine, which are among my top passions but also to book reviews, observations on news and politics, sports. In other words, anything which tickles my fancy.
I hope you follow this blog from time to time and you find the content interesting. Do not hesitate to drop me a line with your suggestions or feedback.
My first post will be about following your passion and is inspired by a recent experience we had at one of the world’s best restaurants Osteria Francescana. I hope it tickles your taste buds.
Ivan Brincat 