Outdoor dining by the pond in Watermael-Boitsfort

The lovely weather shows no sign of abating so what better excuse for a spot of dining – al fresco style?

One lovely spot for outdoor dining is Les Pecheries, which also enjoys a particularly quiet location being situated alongside some very pleasant ponds in leafy Watermael-Boitsfort.

This place makes no gastronomic claim to fame but, rather, boasts a very good reputation for serving excellent, value-for-money food.

The number of praiseworthy newspaper and magazine reviews written about the restaurant over the years – displayed in frames on the wall – bear testimony to this.

Another striking feature of the casual interior are the references to rugby, the great sporting passion of the two long-time owners, Nicolas Carlier and Alain Gerard.

Look closely and you will see no end of rugby (and other sporting) memorabilia, including (adoring an entire wall) frames shirts of rugby teams from all over the world.

It’s an impressive line-up – as is the food here which, this being summer, is nice to enjoy on the comfortable outdoor terrace overlooking the aforementioned pond and park.

There is a main card and also a daily suggestions list to choose from, plus a good selection of nice wines.

The a la carte choice includes, for starters, that perennially popular Belgian dish – croquettes – served with either cheese or shrimp, plus cassolette de scampis a l’ail (another customer favourite here). For mains, there’s a nice balance of fish and meat, including a house recommendation, cotes d’agneau served in a light crust, and also rognons de veau served with dijonnaise sauce.

Other mains offerings include Irish beef and caramelised ribs while veggies are well catered for here as are children. There’s also a great choice of lovely salads, particularly welcome at this time of the year, of course.

If you’ve still room, a small but nice choice of deserts include crème brulee and tiramisu.

Considering the very good quality, the prices are amazingly reasonable meaning that you certainly won’t need to break the bank to eat well here.

Also worth mentioning that the service is equally pleasant and it all makes for a nice dining experience in a convivial and relaxing environment.

The cuisine isn’t the only attraction here: so too is the somewhat chequered history of Les Pecheries a history that dates back much longer than most of the many apartment complexes nearby.

This used to be a humble café serving the humble needs of people fishing in the nearby lake. Sadly, it burnt down and then fell into a state of real disrepair for about 30 years. Happily, Brussels Capital Region had the foresight to help with the investment required for rebuilding the place. About 18 years ago, Alain and Nicolas took it over and (rugby shirts included) stamped their own personality on the establishment. Still the owners, they now take pride in satisfying a different sort of customer base.

Based on two levels, the restaurant, as well as those rare rugby shirts (and its lovely, Belgian-inspired cuisine of course!) has another “claim to fame” – overlooking what is said to be the only eco-park in Brussels.

Worth bearing in mind also that on one Thursday each month, there is a special 4 course offering, accompanied each time by wines from a different European region, priced just €35.

Between May and August, there is a special “aperos” session from 5pm-10pm and, during this period, also a happy hour (5pm-6pm). It also has a room upstairs which is ideal for parties and larger groups.

The food is the main thing and this tries to draw on the best of Belgium. With the national football team doing so wonderfully well in the World Cup here’s another good reason to celebrate this fine Benelux country!

Good to know:

• Les Pecheries
• 97 rue des Pecheries, 1170 Watermael-Boitsfort
• 02 673 9024
• www.lespecheries.be