Bought selected coffees, 'n had an espresso...in Bruxxels

by **Belgik** » Sat May 07, 2005 4:08 pm

Today Saturday, sold my sports car, so ... plenty of time at hand to drive way over to the other side of the nation's capital, to "La Perle Noire" which is listed in Raf's Belgian links page.
Very nice little coffee (and tea) shop and bar, not really truly "expensively" posh (like the Nespresso outfit I saw in Antwerp, my oh my!), but very nice and inspired, "sympathique" in french... Glass and copper coffee showhoppers lining the walls, a few little tables on simple wooden floor, a pervasive smell of coffee first thing meeting the scent, the sound of many hundreds of coffee grains rolling in the roaster coming to the ears. Dedicated...
Man coming from the back room, working, walked over, smile on face, we talked for 20 odd minutes, offered me a very nice espresso (I haven't the conditioned reflex yet to remember the terroir), ground in front of me in some large old-looking grinder with German labels, run through a huge old Gaggia maquina.
As I explained my personal reason for being there...being that I have a Faema E61 equiped maquina, a burr grinder but...no coffee. Bought 7 different coffees, 250 grams each, whereof 3 house blends, 1 Papua New Guinea, 1 Ethiopian, 1 decaffeinated and ..forgot the 7th...any case, I'll know what to do next few weeks.
I forgot to ask his name - man from Cameroun, speaks Italian, took all the time in the world to, slowly, Africanly, "villagely" provide councel... Very nice!
Maybe we should set up a meeting with Raf, some time; matter of getting acquainted (I think I may even arrange my wife to pay for it, as she gave me a wishing card with "fee espresso's" for our 19th wedding anniversaly last week and, because we didn't know any place to go to, the gift has not yet been consummated!)...

by **Raf** » Sun May 08, 2005 9:57 am

I've met that man. I even asked him to link to us on his homepage, but I haven't seen any results yet. A meetup, yes, but maybe we should include our Netherlands friends too?

by **Belgik** » Sun May 08, 2005 3:29 pm

Of course, the more presents, the more joy :-)

The internet is splendid for being isolated together, but there's nothing like person-to-person meetings!

by **Mathias** » Thu May 12, 2005 1:58 pm

Hmmm....brussels, 1:25 mins away by train....around 90 euros...sounds like a nice place to go. Are swedes living in Paris welcome too?

by **Raf** » Thu May 12, 2005 4:16 pm

Oy, of course! Note: it's only two hours if you're coming from London too, Dom et al...

by **Gouezeri** » Thu May 12, 2005 4:24 pm

That's what they say in the brochure Raf! ;-)

The train has got to get out of London first and despite the kent countryside being nice and all, in my experience the sheep in the fields move faster than the train ;-)

Anytime I go near the eurostar the darned thing gets delayed :-S
Actually, I can see it go past from where I'm sitting now, though it's more of a TPV rather than a TGV ;-)

D

by **Belgik** » Sat May 14, 2005 7:49 pm

Hey guys, don't gripe about delays, if that's your prime motivation, you might not ever get anywhere (I HAVE to think positive, I'm booked on next thursday's Eurostar to Waterloo station!!!)
Seriously, yes, why don't we get together.
Brussels does have a number of things to offer to the motiviated visitor.
Art Nouveau, chocolate, mannekin pis (euch...), one nice coffee bar, Raf, not to forget great restaurants, splendid weather, speculoos, a unique world-class selection of fabulous beers, and I'm sure I forgot plenty.
How about it?

by **jumper** » Sun May 15, 2005 10:13 am

i'm in i am a frequent visitor of Brussels and the gran place has become my best hang over recouperation spot in the world :drink:

Bought selected coffees, 'n had an espresso...in Bruxxels

Bought selected coffees, 'n had an espresso...in Bruxxels

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