Frothy and tart, with a hint of apples, gueuze is a thirst-quenching specialty native to Brussels and was once the drink of choice of working people living in the surrounding area known as Les Marolles . Hoegaarden on draft typically appears with a lemon slice floating on its head and is a refreshing complement to Le Perroquet's menu of spicy pita sandwiches. Across the city, in fact, history, architecture and other characteristically Bruxellois elements often strongly suggest which beer to enjoy where. Marionette Cellar First-time Brussels visitors will almost certainly head straight for the city's Baroque centerpiece, the gilded and crenellated Grand Place. In summer months, tables are packed tightly together on raised outdoor platforms to accommodate the sun and the high season crowds.
Beer lists are as formidable here as anywhere in Brussels, but close by are more intriguing choices.
Outside, tourists from many nations milled around the Manneken-Pis fountain and posed for souvenir snapshots. When Poechenellekelder first opened, the estaminet featured in its cellar a marionette theatre, which has since closed. In the past, Toone performances would have been given entirely in a Brussels patois of French, Flemish and local slang. The recent premiere run of Michel de Ghelderode's re-telling of Christ's passion was spoken almost entirely in French. Only two brief scenes were delivered in Flemish.