Julie Landrieu (1984)

Before I became a somewhat resident at Jan Van Gent, I often came to the Hotsy Totsy Club, a bar on the other end of the Oude Houtlei and close to Labath, the nice coffee bar.

The Hotsy Totsy has already a long history (it already exists more than 30 years now!) and is mostly known as an artists or jazz café. The walls are filled with art and exhibitions by photographers and other creative masterminds.

The couches in the front are accompanied by some old lighting and in the back you can find games to play like Monopoly. If you like jazz, this is a must been address. On their website you will find their upcoming and past activities, and it mostly is for free!

The Burgstraat is becoming my favourite street it seems. New shops open with jaw dropping concepts and products. Like Spice Bazaar. I tried to capture it as best as possible in the picture, there are 350 herbs, but also teas and nuts and other very good stuff. You can take your time to browse and be delighted with all the specialities, sniff a jar perhaps

Many of the spices are those difficult-to-find-spices from recipes, so finally you have an address and can stop looking. Of course I have not tried all the spices, but according to hearsay it is very good quality and for a good price. Sometimes cheaper than the supermarket! 

Now I bought some eucalyptus tea for the road, definitely coming back for some almonds and coconut chips.

Ghent is getting to be known as a giant coffee house, so lots of the places like Or, Café Labath and Simon Says are full all the time. But I like to sit quietly. Especially when everybody is in town, you can keep searching for that spot. I wasn’t sure if I should share this one with you, but I have faith that you all are quality seekers and want to maintain the high level of peace that Le Jardin Bohémien brings. 

It is a very big place, but with little room to sit. That really sets that spacious feeling. When you enter, the smell of baked bread welcomes you, and also, as always, the staff who are very cheerful.

All the furniture and decoration is art and is for sale! Talk about fancy coffee drinking! While Or is still the place for my favorite cappuccino moment, Le Jardin conquered me with their almondoccino, delicious! You can also eat very healthy with tapenades or eat some homemade cake.

And if you really love the place, which you will, you can book a bed and breakfast! 

Three years passed before I first set foot in Au Boeuf Qui Rit. I don’t know why, but perhaps it is because you cannot really look inside and see what’s going on that held me back to take a peek.

But now I have… my my, did I get blown away. The grill is integrated into the restaurant, so you see (and smell!) your meal being prepared right in front of you. There is one French lady running all this, which is quite amazing.

Next to the usual steaks I preferred a scampi brochette the first time with the sauce à la boeuf, a real winner. I don’t know whether reservations are in order here, but you can try just walking in like I did and eat some boeuf.

Now I only eat the meat there, but the sauce has stayed. And everybody loves it. If you want to impress your guests with some meat restaurant know how, go here.

Like coffee and cigarettes can be addictive, so is the cream on my cappuccino at Or. This charming espresso bar in the Walpoortstraat opened several years ago and can count me as a number one fan ever since. Or can get crowded sometimes, but I have always managed to find a spot, even with complete strangers!

During the week, I find myself there mostly in the morning, near the window in the sunlight and a very calm surrounding. The music mostly is jazzy, or chillout.

If you are hungry, you can try their bagels. Or, if you do not have to pay attention to your calories intake, you can always order delicious pastries from Julie’s House, like brownies or pie. And, every first Tuesday evening of the month, they organize a cupping moment, where you can taste new brands and give your opinion on which coffee they should introduce next month. But you cannot just show up, you have to let them know beforehand.

Since March 2011, Or decided to open every day! So there’s Sunday brunch now, yeah! And now there is also one in Brussels, but not yet open on Sundays.

Charlene, one of Ors valued baristas, won Belgian and World championships in slow coffee. You can ask her to explain, it’s really hard to score points! And did you know that filter coffee can be more strong than espresso?