L’Etoile, in the Rue des Harengs, is the most famous restaurant in Brussels. In the time of Louis L’Etoile, Rue des Dot, it certainly held rank as the first Harengs Gf all, both for cooking and for wine ; and Emile Ollivier, Dot’s successor, is doing his best to sustain the reputation. Neatly framed and hung on one of the walls is still to be seen the card signed by the late Henry Pettitt, the dramatist, attesting to the fact that he had just eaten the best lunch of his life. This card some years later was countersigned by a Lord Mayor of London ; and a Lord Mayor surely should be a good judge of a lunch. Whatever place is visited in Brussels, L’Etoile should not be missed. The stranger should be very careful to go in at the right door. The wines at L’Etoile have always been good, and Dot used to have some burgundy that was world-renowned. His fine champagne was also famous, and he had some extra special for which he used to charge 4 francs 50 centimes a glass. I have heard Dot himself tell the story how a well-known restaurateur from London came one evening with two friends to see how things were done at L’Etoile. After dinner they sent for Dot, to compliment him and ask him to join them with a liqueur, and he was to give them some of his best brandy. They smacked their lips on tasting it, and the glasses were filled a second time ; but the gentleman who paid the bill rather raised his eyebrows when he saw the item; “ Liqueurs, 36 francs.” “ He got even with me, however,” said Dot, u for when I went to London I returned his visit. I had a good dinner (not so good, I think, as I ‘Brussels 159 should have served), and I sent for him to join me with the coffee. While we chatted, I ordered cigars, repeating his words, ‘ Give us some of your very best. He did, and he charged me 7s. 6d. apiece for them.” The rooms at L’Etoile are very small, and if any one wants to prove the establishment at its best, he should take the precaution of retaining a table and ordering dinner beforehand. The Palais Royal is a quiet little restaurant in the Rue Grdtry, where the cuisine is ex- palais Royal, cellent. The proprietor is M. Got, Rue Gretry formerly chef at the Lion d’Or. This is a place that can be confidently recommended. The Cafe Riche used to be a high-class restaurant opposite the Helder, but it was closed a few years ago and the building has been converted into a big shop. The Cafe Riche was founded in 1865 by Gautier, the nephew of Bignon of Paris, who retained the pro- prietorship and management until his death. It had always had an aristocratic clientele , and was specially favoured by Parisians visiting Brussels. During the political troubles in France the Due d’Orleans, Prince Victor Napoleon, and Henri Rochefort were all patrons of the Cafe Riche, and it required all the tact and savoir faire of the proprietor to keep apart, and at the same time give satisfaction and pleasure to, the con- flicting parties. In the place of the Cafe Riche we have now the Cafe de Paris on the other side of the Opera House, at the corner of the Rue des Princes. This is the place to sup after the Cafe de Paris, theatre. The director is M. Lastreto, Rue des Princes un meridional sympathique. French cooking is a specialty, and everything is very well done.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

L'Etoile, in the Rue des Harengs, is the most famous restaurant in Brussels. In the time of Louis Dot, it certainly held rank as the first of all, both for cooking and for wine ; and Emile Ollivier, Dot’s successor, is doing his best to sustain the reputation. Neatly framed and hung on one of the walls is still to be seen the card signed by the late Henry Pettitt, the dramatist, attesting to the fact that he had just eaten the best lunch of his life. This card some years later was countersigned by a Lord Mayor of London ; and a Lord Mayor surely should be a good judge of a lunch. Whatever place is visited in Brussels, L’Etoile should not be missed. The stranger should be very careful to go in at the right door. The wines at L’Etoile have always been good, and Dot used to have some burgundy that was world-renowned. His fine champagne was also famous, and he had some extra special for which he used to charge 4 francs 50 centimes a glass. I have heard Dot himself tell the story how a well-known restaurateur from London came one evening with two friends to see how things were done at L’Etoile. After dinner they sent for Dot, to compliment him and ask him to join them with a liqueur, and he was to give them some of his best brandy. They smacked their lips on tasting it, and the glasses were filled a second time ; but the gentleman who paid the bill rather raised his eyebrows when he saw the item; “ Liqueurs, 36 francs.” “ He got even with me, however,” said Dot, u for when I went to London I returned his visit. I had a good dinner (not so good, I think, as I ‘Brussels 159 should have served), and I sent for him to join me with the coffee. While we chatted, I ordered cigars, repeating his words, ‘ Give us some of your very best. He did, and he charged me 7s. 6d. apiece for them.” The rooms at L’Etoile are very small, and if any one wants to prove the establishment at its best, he should take the precaution of retaining a table and ordering dinner beforehand. The Palais Royal is a quiet little restaurant in the Rue Grétry, where the cuisine is ex- palais Royal, cellent. The proprietor is M. Got, Rue Gretry formerly chef at the Lion d’Or. This is a place that can be confidently recommended. The Cafe Riche used to be a high-class restaurant opposite the Helder, but it was closed a few years ago and the building has been converted into a big shop. The Cafe Riche was founded in 1865 by Gautier, the nephew of Bignon of Paris, who retained the proprietorship and management until his death. It had always had an aristocratic clientele , and was specially favoured by Parisians visiting Brussels. During the political troubles in France the Due d’Orleans, Prince Victor Napoleon, and Henri Rochefort were all patrons of the Cafe Riche, and it required all the tact and savoir faire of the proprietor to keep apart, and at the same time give satisfaction and pleasure to, the conflicting parties. In the place of the Cafe Riche we have now the Cafe de Paris on the other side of the Opera House, at the corner of the Rue des Princes. This is the place to sup after the Cafe de Paris, theatre. The director is M. Lastreto, Rue des Princes un meridional sympathique. French cooking is a specialty, and everything is very well done.

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