La Maison du Cygne

This grande dame of Brussels's internationally recognized restaurants overlooks the Grand-Place from the former guild house of the Butchers Guild -- where Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels cooked up The Communist Manifesto during a 3-year sojourn in Brussels. The service, though a tad stuffy, is as elegant as the polished walnut walls, bronze wall sconces, and green velvet. The menu has haute cuisine Belgian and French classics, such as waterzooï de homard (a souplike lobster stew), veal sautéed with fresh wild mushrooms, and tournedos (filet steak) with green peppercorns. There are fine chicken and fish dishes, and specialties such as huîtres au champagne (oysters in champagne) and goujonette de sole mousseline (sole mousse). Because of its location, the restaurant is usually crowded at lunchtime, but dinner reservations are likely to be available.

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