Avenue des Arts 24
What’s good? This place is a (well) hidden gem in the food desert that is Rue de la Loi. The lunch menu offers delicious Vietnamese cuisine classics ranging from Bánh mì, a Vietnamese-French fusion sandwich born out of colonialism, comprising a baguette, a meaty or plant-based protein, minced carrots, cucumbers and coriander, to Bò bún, a cold dish with rice vermicelli, the same vegetable-protein mix and tasty nems topped with sweet and sour sauce.
Otherwise, when the Brussels weather inevitably takes a turn for the cold and wet again, Phô — the traditional Vietnamese noodle soup with a flavorful broth — was recently added to the menu.
The friendly staff are happy to accommodate dietary requests. Want the cucumbers or coriander removed from certain dishes? That’ll be no problem.
What’s not? The lemongrass sausage proved to be slightly too odd a flavor for my palate.
Vibe: Bit peculiar. The restaurant’s entrance is hidden at the end of a dark hallway that leads directly to the street. The two dining rooms are nicely decorated, with wood panels and dimmed lights. One of the rooms interestingly overlooks an underground parking entrance.
Who’s picking up the check? Prices range from €8.90 to €15. Plus, drumroll please … European Commission employees get a 10 percent discount upon showing their badge at the till!
Spotted: Many Commission employees taking advantage of the discount — after all, several DGs are just across the street.
Insider tip: You can get a lunch menu with a Bento box — basically a Bò bún but with rice — and some nems on the side for €12.90. All orders have to be made at the counter, so make sure to get in there early to avoid lines, as well as the occasional rice shortage.
How to get there: Stroll past EXKi and Pulp (always stroll past EXKi and Pulp!), turn the corner, and the entrance is right next to the exit from metro lines 2 and 6.
— Review published on June 22, 2023. Illustration by Dato Parulava for POLITICO.
