Mussels are seasonal, can only harvest Belgium mussels in those months, ending with R, out side of that that are imported mussels from France or other regions. Some non tourist restaurants won’t even sell mussels outside of season. Had the imported mussels when I was there, still very good, locals said they were smaller and less flavorful though. Proost
Het Friet Atelier is actually not a Belgian fries shop. It is one of the food initiatives of 1 of your Dutch country men ;-) Sergio Herman.. The Michelin star celebrity who is in love with Flanders. He has a few restaurants in Antwerpen. But that makes the products not really traditional. The Fries shop that is the most well known is Frituur No. 1 in the Hoogstraat. BUT... my favorite fries shop is Frituur Max on the Groenplaats. They got the real good stuff. Plus if you order "Friet met saus" (Fries with sauce ) You get a real big paper cone of delicious fries and you can try out any of the 10+ sauces that are available in the sauce bar in front of the counter. Traditionals are the "Andalouse", "Tartare", "Samourai" (hot) and tomato-greque and curry and.. and... and of course MAYONAISE. (The ketchup is just for the American tourists). I am sorry Jessica but the "Vlaamse Frieten" in Amsterdam have nothing to do with Flanders.. they serve thick fries which is absolutely not a thing in Flanders. Plus they buy prefried fries.. OK most of the Fry-shops in Flanders do too but there are still places where they cut their fries from fresh potatos and fry them twice.. the way it should by tradition. :-)
In my research I saw that both of the fries shops were favorites and this one was on our way to another spot. I'm sorry I got it wrong! But I was pretty sure fries in Amsterdam were all done Flemish style, so how are they not from Flanders...now I'm really confused! The fry shops in Amsterdam I know of (and love) are all double-fried...that's Flemish, right? Please correct me because I was SO SURE! And this is why I should've messaged you before going :)
@@aWanderlustForLife Oops so I also make mistakes .. I just typed a huge answer and one finger touched another key and bye bye my text.. Please come around one day and I will tell you all about everything :-) There is so much more to discover :-) Be sure!
The months with an R thing is true, but we never eat mussels like that. Just in a pot with some veggies an white wine and fries. In Belgium we eat our fries with mayo mostly. But not the sweet kind you find in Holland. The thing about waffles is funny, it's something mostly tourist eat. We very rarely eat waffles. It's a must eat however as a tourist. :) Great video! It's good that you went to the Frites Atelier. In my opinion our fries culture is not what it used to be. The Frites Atelier is actually from a Dutch chef, who makes better fries than virtually every fry shop (frituur) in Antwerp. As you say, in Holland you can find better fries in the big cities than in the regular "frituur" in Antwerp sadly. The chocolate line is amazing. If you every come back, I recommend "Del Rey" for more traditional chocolates. I would also recommend to get "koffiekoeken", which are basically Belgian pastries. It's something we all eat all the time, unlike waffles. There are many good bakeries: Domestic, Aldo, Goossens are some in the city center.
The legend with the hand is from "Brabo & de Reus". Brabant is named to this legend and Antwerpen (Handwerpen, but the H fell away) was/is the Capital of it. Also Brussel is part of Brabant and a there is a piece in North-France.
There is a part in the south of the Netherlands. The Dutch province of Noord Brabant. Together with the actual Belgian provinces of Vlaams Brabant, Antwerpen en Brabant Wallon, it formed the duchy of Brabant. A part of Northern France used to be a part of the county of Flanders.
Belgian food is a lot more than fries, waffles and chocolate. Most Belgians don't even like waffles. Traditional Belgian food is cheese/shrimp 'kroketten', chicoree, mashed potatoes with carrots, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, waterzooi (a thick soup of chicken with vegetables and cream), vol au vent, meatballs in a tomato sauce, asparagus ...
Now that waffle looked delicious! Having a homemade waffle with lots of powdered sugar would be a great meal especially with getting some fresh fries afterward. Antwerp looks like a great place to eat and not go hungry! Great video!
It’s not that you have to eat mussels in months that end with an r it is just that they are best in those months. So we do gravitate towards those months.
Was the fries dip you tried in Amsterdam Mustard Pickle? That was a classic dip from 50+ yrs ago along with mayo. Those were the two originals from the 1970’s. Your Belgium Waffle was not complete without Airbasin (strawberries met crem. Yumm! The Stofleus was fantastic made with beer and a slice of bread with mustard on it added to the stew and later used to thicken the stew. Definitely not an onion stew! My cousin in Belgium is a Chef and used to fly here (usa) to see us & make all the foods I craved. My Mother was born & raised there. See the Atonium in Brussels if you can. It’s Amazing! It’s nice to see familiar sites. Thank you!
@@aWanderlustForLife First of all I want to thank you for recommending the Mussels with cheese in the Grand Cafe de Rooden Hoed It was really the best mussels I've ever had.I just went yesterday 10th Feb 2023. I also tried the Rib eye. That too was very well cooked, exactly medium rare.😊.
Hi we watched your videos and we are traveling to Amsterdam in June and would like your recommendations on buying train tickets to Antwerp, should we buy tickets online before going or just wait until we are in Amsterdam? We’ll be in Amsterdam for 5 nights, should buy a local tram,bus etc card? Is De Pijp,Utrecht,Haarlem walkable? Thank you very much your videos are great. Joe
I had a great time watching your videos. And i already subscribe to your greate channel. Your channel has excellent video with great content. Love it... Thanks for your hard work. Success.
Fries should be eaten with your fingers ,-) If you want to taste the best chocolate in Antwerp or even pastry, you should head to Del Rey…oh and btw, De Rooden Hoed is indeed verrrrry good! Thx to Cas!
Nah, Ketchup definitely goes on some kinds of fries! Mostly I have mayo but it has to be the right kind, otherwise it's gross and I'll eat them with ketchup anyway.
Hi we follow your videos and they’re great. We will be in Amsterdam in June for 5 nights, can you recommend the best way to purchase a fast train ticket to Antwerp. Also how much and how long is the train ride to Antwerp? Are Jordan , De Pijp ,Utrecht , and Haarlem walkable? You also recommended a free walking tour , how was that? You also said take a canal tour with those dam boat guys? We will have 8 people on this trip, private boat? Keep up the great job. Thanks Joe
NS International is how I would buy tickets, you can check times there. I would always suggest buying tickets ahead of time if that's already in your plan. Those neighborhoods and towns are pretty walkable.Not sure about the free walking tour. And please check the Those Dam Boat Guys for the information you need from them. Have a great trip! I can offer a travel consulting call if you'd like. Reach out on instagram.com/awanderlustforlife if you'd like to set something up ☺️
OK that was not the original story about the hand... The giant Antigoon ruled the entrance on the river to the city and merchants had to pay a lot of money for passing by. A roman soldier Silvius Brabo fought the evil giant and cut the giant in pieces (as depicted graphically in the famous statue on the Grote Markt in front of city hall. ) And then .. YES... he threw the hand of the giant into the river Scheldt ... and Throwing a hand in Dutch is Hand Werpen.. which turned over time to Antwerpen and that's why there are many references through out the city to that Antwerp symbol. It is in the city armor shield over the castle Het Steen 2 red hands and it is a statue on the Meir shopping street and it is even the name of the Brewery De Hand where the real Antwerp beer "De Koninck" is produced and that beer you should order by the glass - 'N bolleke !! (or the smaller version "prinske" . You guys are welcome to come again and enjoy so much more interesting things typically for Antwerpen.. you only touched the surface :-)
You're confusing mythology for history. The name of Antwerpen actually comes from the verb 'aanwerpen' (to throw on) which refers to the curve the river Schelde takes. The sand that was 'thrown onto' the riverbank made it an ideal location for the harbour.
Frites ateliers is the worst place to eat fries. They aren't authentic there. It's just a chef thzt wanted to create "haute-cuisine" fries. What you say about Chocolate Line is also strange, you can even see them make the Chocolate by hand in the back of the shop.
Everything looked very tasty, but the food at De Rooden Hood looked particularly awesome! Those mussels looked decadent, I've never had them prepared that way before.
@@aWanderlustForLife No it's more of a joke that references how much food you ate meaning you would've probably gained weight. I don't think it's ill intended
I'm Asian, I was um, underwhelmed by Belgian food to be honest 😂. The tastiest foods I've had till day here are all at ethnic restaurants. Belgian chocolates are good though.
Not only Antwerpen have good food the wealthy from the food is in Belgium the same. En Belgium fries don't have flavor the saus make the flavor ore the Salt make the flavor. And I bin alot in Amsterdam e see alot of Belgium fries and the are garbage
They are not flemish. Butfrom a duch chef Sergio hermans. They are to thick and not fried in ossewit a kind of animal fat that gives it the traditional taste. Frituur Max on the groeiplaats is the way to go for good frieten.
the fry place is from a famous chef, its bullshit, true belgian fries are baked twice in different temperatures in oxen fat, and then served with good normal mayonaise. I'm so sorry you got the hipster overpriced version. True belgian fries baked like that from the right kind of potatoes are magic especially with normal actual mayo. some salt on the fries is also needed. And if you dont like mayo on fries: try again.(ancient belgian proverb lol) There is way more though we have a fry culture that easily makes american burger joints run for their money. Next time ask for a "julientje" or a "rombautje". Google it!!
It wouldn't hurt you to be more friendly! I think she did a nice job making this video. Don't have such an a.hole. who cares if it is cooked or baked??
@@user-gq5fe6qp9j I think you are confusing Dutch directness with unkindness. I just give direct feedback, without the sugar coating. Not meant to be offensive at all. You, on the other hand, use words that I would not consider civilized, even if you hide a letter. Of course you have the right to judge me directly, but then you have to choose your words wisely.
@@user-gq5fe6qp9j there’s a big differance between the Dutch and Flemish. Dutch people are always a bit loud and they just keep talking. And like the guy said, rather direct and that is sometimes confusing. It sounds a bit harsh but it is not mend that way. The Flemish on the other hand speak silent and will hardly raise their voice in any circumstance. They like to keep themselves to themselves and will never interfere. If you want a chat with them take the initiative and they will open up when they feel you’re ok 😊
Mussels are seasonal, can only harvest Belgium mussels in those months, ending with R, out side of that that are imported mussels from France or other regions. Some non tourist restaurants won’t even sell mussels outside of season. Had the imported mussels when I was there, still very good, locals said they were smaller and less flavorful though. Proost
I'm going to Antwerp for the first time. Thank you for the recommendations, I will try them out ❤
Have a great time!
Het Friet Atelier is actually not a Belgian fries shop. It is one of the food initiatives of 1 of your Dutch country men ;-) Sergio Herman.. The Michelin star celebrity who is in love with Flanders. He has a few restaurants in Antwerpen. But that makes the products not really traditional. The Fries shop that is the most well known is Frituur No. 1 in the Hoogstraat. BUT... my favorite fries shop is Frituur Max on the Groenplaats. They got the real good stuff. Plus if you order "Friet met saus" (Fries with sauce ) You get a real big paper cone of delicious fries and you can try out any of the 10+ sauces that are available in the sauce bar in front of the counter. Traditionals are the "Andalouse", "Tartare", "Samourai" (hot) and tomato-greque and curry and.. and... and of course MAYONAISE. (The ketchup is just for the American tourists).
I am sorry Jessica but the "Vlaamse Frieten" in Amsterdam have nothing to do with Flanders.. they serve thick fries which is absolutely not a thing in Flanders. Plus they buy prefried fries.. OK most of the Fry-shops in Flanders do too but there are still places where they cut their fries from fresh potatos and fry them twice.. the way it should by tradition. :-)
In my research I saw that both of the fries shops were favorites and this one was on our way to another spot. I'm sorry I got it wrong! But I was pretty sure fries in Amsterdam were all done Flemish style, so how are they not from Flanders...now I'm really confused! The fry shops in Amsterdam I know of (and love) are all double-fried...that's Flemish, right? Please correct me because I was SO SURE! And this is why I should've messaged you before going :)
@@aWanderlustForLife Oops so I also make mistakes .. I just typed a huge answer and one finger touched another key and bye bye my text.. Please come around one day and I will tell you all about everything :-) There is so much more to discover :-) Be sure!
@@aWanderlustForLifewhat was your favorite fries shop in Amsterdam ? I’m going to both places :) thank you in advance
Thanks for visiting my hometown! ☺️ Great video!
Thanks for watching! It was a great trip 😊
The months with an R thing is true, but we never eat mussels like that. Just in a pot with some veggies an white wine and fries. In Belgium we eat our fries with mayo mostly. But not the sweet kind you find in Holland. The thing about waffles is funny, it's something mostly tourist eat. We very rarely eat waffles. It's a must eat however as a tourist. :) Great video! It's good that you went to the Frites Atelier. In my opinion our fries culture is not what it used to be. The Frites Atelier is actually from a Dutch chef, who makes better fries than virtually every fry shop (frituur) in Antwerp. As you say, in Holland you can find better fries in the big cities than in the regular "frituur" in Antwerp sadly. The chocolate line is amazing. If you every come back, I recommend "Del Rey" for more traditional chocolates. I would also recommend to get "koffiekoeken", which are basically Belgian pastries. It's something we all eat all the time, unlike waffles. There are many good bakeries: Domestic, Aldo, Goossens are some in the city center.
The legend with the hand is from "Brabo & de Reus".
Brabant is named to this legend and Antwerpen (Handwerpen, but the H fell away) was/is the Capital of it.
Also Brussel is part of Brabant and a there is a piece in North-France.
I had no idea about Brabant! Thanks for sharing. I love these little nuggets!
There is a part in the south of the Netherlands. The Dutch province of Noord Brabant. Together with the actual Belgian provinces of Vlaams Brabant, Antwerpen en Brabant Wallon, it formed the duchy of Brabant. A part of Northern France used to be a part of the county of Flanders.
Belgian food is a lot more than fries, waffles and chocolate. Most Belgians don't even like waffles. Traditional Belgian food is cheese/shrimp 'kroketten', chicoree, mashed potatoes with carrots, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, waterzooi (a thick soup of chicken with vegetables and cream), vol au vent, meatballs in a tomato sauce, asparagus ...
we will be spending a day in Antwerp and it is our first time. This was helpful for our food choices!
Have a great time!
Everything looked so good! Can’t wait to see y’all explore more!
We also have a bunch of videos from the last few years that you might like ☺️
As a Belgian we almost never go to the fancy Fries shops but we go the ‘frituur op den hoek’
Make sense! But when visiting, I try to find some way of narrowing down which place I'll try.
Now that waffle looked delicious! Having a homemade waffle with lots of powdered sugar would be a great meal especially with getting some fresh fries afterward. Antwerp looks like a great place to eat and not go hungry! Great video!
That waffle place was next level! And a little sweet and savory is always nice, right? 😁
Urgh... Nope. To do it properly, you eat the fries first since waffle is more considered as a desert or a more elaborate afternoon snack.
It’s not that you have to eat mussels in months that end with an r it is just that they are best in those months. So we do gravitate towards those months.
Thank you for clarifying!
Was the fries dip you tried in Amsterdam Mustard Pickle? That was a classic dip from 50+ yrs ago along with mayo. Those were the two originals from the 1970’s.
Your Belgium Waffle was not complete without Airbasin (strawberries met crem. Yumm!
The Stofleus was fantastic made with beer and a slice of bread with mustard on it added to the stew and later used to thicken the stew. Definitely not an onion stew! My cousin in Belgium is a Chef and used to fly here (usa) to see us & make all the foods I craved. My Mother was born & raised there. See the Atonium in Brussels if you can. It’s Amazing!
It’s nice to see familiar sites. Thank you!
stoofvlees :) best thing ever! But idd, no onions. We add a slice of bread with sharp mustard during the cooking process.
Strawberries = aardbeien (difficult to pronounce in English 😛) not airbasin 😄
I'm visiting Belgium ( Brussels and Antwerpen) next week. Thanks for the video 😊
Nice! Hopefully you found my Brussels, video, too 😉
@@aWanderlustForLife First of all I want to thank you for recommending the Mussels with cheese in the Grand Cafe de Rooden Hoed It was really the best mussels I've ever had.I just went yesterday 10th Feb 2023. I also tried the Rib eye. That too was very well cooked, exactly medium rare.😊.
Hope all is well
I prefer my fries very crispy with a mixture of mayo and ketchup for dipping. My Mom called it Russian dressing.
Yes it’s a thing, mussels are usually only eaten in months that have an r in it haha
What’s the name of the first place of mussels?
i think you got it the way around The Chocolate line is the hand made pralines and the other one is not hand made :)
"Flemish fries" are just a marketing name used in the Netherlands, here Belgium its just "fries", or "Belgian fries"
Hi we watched your videos and we are traveling to Amsterdam in June and would like your recommendations on buying train tickets to Antwerp, should we buy tickets online before going or just wait until we are in Amsterdam? We’ll be in Amsterdam for 5 nights, should buy a local tram,bus etc card? Is De Pijp,Utrecht,Haarlem walkable? Thank you very much your videos are great. Joe
Your vlog made me so hungry, please stop this! Belgian has incredible food! 👍
I'll never stop 🤣
We have friet atelier too in den Haque
Best fries are at Frituur Chips, St. Antoniusstraat. No discussion.
Next time you’re in Antwerp, let me know…I know some good places!!
I had a great time watching your videos. And i already subscribe to your greate channel. Your channel has excellent video with great content. Love it... Thanks for your hard work. Success.
Thanks so much!
Have you gone to Bruges or Namur and tried different fries 🍟 and waffles
Been to Bruges, and Namur is on the list! What do you mean by different fries? I've tried the two main types of waffles.
those fries look tasty. Great video
I'm so glad you liked it. Thanks for the comment!
so happy you didn't get a tourist trap waffle with like fruit and chocolate. supposed to eat it like you did
I still think about this waffle!
My least favorite place to get fries in Den Haag... we have a Friet Atelier as well. Nice video though! I really enjoyed it!
Thanks! And now I want to know you favorite place to get fries 😊
@@aWanderlustForLife t' kleinste winkeltje 😍 the lady who makes the fries is so lovely 🥰
Even before I was a vegetarian, I didn't look mussels as the stink :-).
Fries should be eaten with your fingers ,-)
If you want to taste the best chocolate in Antwerp or even pastry, you should head to Del Rey…oh and btw, De Rooden Hoed is indeed verrrrry good! Thx to Cas!
Thanks for the tips! Do you have any for Brussels? We are headed there, soon ☺️
Fries with forks is nice when you have camera gear 😂
@@aWanderlustForLife Brussels… I know there’s was a Chinese restaurant who serves succulent fried lobster… Don’t recall the name though
That's too dangerous for my fingers.
Omg those mussels !!!! 🤤🤤🤤
Right?! A bit rich but ohhhhh so good!
Ketchup???? That never goes on fries, that would be weird... Mayo, or peanut sause (sateh), goes with fries.
Nah, Ketchup definitely goes on some kinds of fries! Mostly I have mayo but it has to be the right kind, otherwise it's gross and I'll eat them with ketchup anyway.
No one in Belgium would ever eat Fries with peanut sauce. Mayonaise, Andalouse or (Curry)Ketchup are the most popular ones.
@@saladspinner3200 and/or pickles
Hi we follow your videos and they’re great. We will be in Amsterdam in June for 5 nights, can you recommend the best way to purchase a fast train ticket to Antwerp. Also how much and how long is the train ride to Antwerp?
Are Jordan , De Pijp ,Utrecht , and Haarlem walkable? You also recommended a free walking tour , how was that? You also said take a canal tour with those dam boat guys? We will have 8 people on this trip, private boat? Keep up the great job. Thanks Joe
NS International is how I would buy tickets, you can check times there. I would always suggest buying tickets ahead of time if that's already in your plan. Those neighborhoods and towns are pretty walkable.Not sure about the free walking tour. And please check the Those Dam Boat Guys for the information you need from them. Have a great trip! I can offer a travel consulting call if you'd like. Reach out on instagram.com/awanderlustforlife if you'd like to set something up ☺️
Antwerp top city of Belgium ! We say there is Antwerp and everything else is parking.
😂
What the Belgians really think of the people of Antwerp is not very flattering for them
belgians eat mussels in munse and in arm ? what does munse and in arm mean ?
There is a saying that they eat them in months that end in "R"
@@aWanderlustForLife oh yeah that used to be like that but nowadays it's from second part of july till somewhere in march
OK that was not the original story about the hand... The giant Antigoon ruled the entrance on the river to the city and merchants had to pay a lot of money for passing by. A roman soldier Silvius Brabo fought the evil giant and cut the giant in pieces (as depicted graphically in the famous statue on the Grote Markt in front of city hall. ) And then .. YES... he threw the hand of the giant into the river Scheldt ... and Throwing a hand in Dutch is Hand Werpen.. which turned over time to Antwerpen and that's why there are many references through out the city to that Antwerp symbol. It is in the city armor shield over the castle Het Steen 2 red hands and it is a statue on the Meir shopping street and it is even the name of the Brewery De Hand where the real Antwerp beer "De Koninck" is produced and that beer you should order by the glass - 'N bolleke !! (or the smaller version "prinske" . You guys are welcome to come again and enjoy so much more interesting things typically for Antwerpen.. you only touched the surface :-)
Oh, we'll definitely be back. This only made us want to see and learn more!
Mayonaise is sour in belgium
The name Antwerpen comes from HAND WERPEN which means throwing hands ;)
You're confusing mythology for history. The name of Antwerpen actually comes from the verb 'aanwerpen' (to throw on) which refers to the curve the river Schelde takes. The sand that was 'thrown onto' the riverbank made it an ideal location for the harbour.
Great video,I love your food tasting video's...
Thank you so much!
my dream is to eat mussels in brussels
Yesssss! Great idea!
Frites ateliers is the worst place to eat fries. They aren't authentic there. It's just a chef thzt wanted to create "haute-cuisine" fries.
What you say about Chocolate Line is also strange, you can even see them make the Chocolate by hand in the back of the shop.
I know they made their own chocolates though they weren't when we were there. But I'm just sharing my experience
Everything looked very tasty, but the food at De Rooden Hood looked particularly awesome! Those mussels looked decadent, I've never had them prepared that way before.
The mussels a delicious surprise! I read the menu but that is not was I expected 🤣
HOEVEEL KILO'S ZIJN JULLIE AAN GEKOMEM?????
Not sure if you meant to be rude, but it comes across that way.
@@aWanderlustForLife No it's more of a joke that references how much food you ate meaning you would've probably gained weight. I don't think it's ill intended
I'm Asian, I was um, underwhelmed by Belgian food to be honest 😂. The tastiest foods I've had till day here are all at ethnic restaurants. Belgian chocolates are good though.
Not only Antwerpen have good food the wealthy from the food is in Belgium the same. En Belgium fries don't have flavor the saus make the flavor ore the Salt make the flavor. And I bin alot in Amsterdam e see alot of Belgium fries and the are garbage
She DID NOT like the Fries... lol
They are not flemish. Butfrom a duch chef Sergio hermans. They are to thick and not fried in ossewit a kind of animal fat that gives it the traditional taste. Frituur Max on the groeiplaats is the way to go for good frieten.
the fry place is from a famous chef, its bullshit, true belgian fries are baked twice in different temperatures in oxen fat, and then served with good normal mayonaise. I'm so sorry you got the hipster overpriced version. True belgian fries baked like that from the right kind of potatoes are magic especially with normal actual mayo. some salt on the fries is also needed. And if you dont like mayo on fries: try again.(ancient belgian proverb lol) There is way more though we have a fry culture that easily makes american burger joints run for their money. Next time ask for a "julientje" or a "rombautje". Google it!!
cooked perfectly..?.. It's baked.
Do you hear yourself when you talk?
Yep. I sure do! And no, I don't always say everything exactly right. I'm far from perfect.
Dude, relax..
It wouldn't hurt you to be more friendly! I think she did a nice job making this video. Don't have such an a.hole. who cares if it is cooked or baked??
@@user-gq5fe6qp9j I think you are confusing Dutch directness with unkindness. I just give direct feedback, without the sugar coating. Not meant to be offensive at all. You, on the other hand, use words that I would not consider civilized, even if you hide a letter. Of course you have the right to judge me directly, but then you have to choose your words wisely.
@@user-gq5fe6qp9j there’s a big differance between the Dutch and Flemish. Dutch people are always a bit loud and they just keep talking. And like the guy said, rather direct and that is sometimes confusing. It sounds a bit harsh but it is not mend that way. The Flemish on the other hand speak silent and will hardly raise their voice in any circumstance. They like to keep themselves to themselves and will never interfere. If you want a chat with them take the initiative and they will open up when they feel you’re ok 😊