In a bid to try different cuisines, it was time to visit one of London’s most famous Belgian restaurants, Belgo. With its big portions, it was good value, but was it any good? Time to find out...
Ideal for:
Those craving some good old home-cooked dishes
Diners with a large appetite
Dining on a budget
Ambience & Décor
Belgo Centraal split-level design was quirky. With stain glass panelling illuminating the top floor, the rest of the restaurant on the lower floor is a random assortment of wooden fixtures, wire meshing and metal piping. The dim lighting felt like dining in a cavern. The large venue created a raucous atmosphere and conversation was not hard to maintain.
Service
Belgo Centraal’s service was memorable for all the wrong reasons. The waitress dumped the dining party at the table, and was an age before we were served. Laborious and inattentive service all night meant we could have walked out without paying.
Food
Starting with a sharing platter called the “This One” Giant Plank (left), this had a selection of cured meats, chicken liver parfait, fig & date chutney, sour cherries and giant crouton crisps. The combination of the meats with the sweetness of the chutney and the crouton crisps was very enjoyable. For £13.95, the portion was ample for the table. This was great value.
The Beef Short Rib (right) was slow cooked beef with creamed mash, glazed carrots and savoy cabbage. For £15.95, the hearty, rustic portion presented great value again. The short rib, like a lamb shank, can be too fatty for some, but this was ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ tender. The thick creamy mash was especially heart warming. I am not a fan of boiled carrots, but the sweet glaze and gravy gave livened it up.
Belgo presents amazing value given the high quality of food and ample portions for the price. Ideal if you want hearty, rustic, home-cooked style food but on a budget. Belgo Centraal nailed the food, but was severely sub-par in everything else. Therefore, I can maximum give a C rating.
Photos of Belgo Centraal and more can be found on Instagram here.
Final grade: C
Final comment: Great food and beer, but shocking service and bizarre décor.
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