Leon de Bruxelles in London

IT is probably easier to name more Belgian dishes than that old cliché of naming famous Belgians – tennis players aside, of course – these days. Try Flammande, waffles, carbonnade, stoempe, home of the chip, the mussel, even chicory.

Now the legendary Leon de Bruxelles, which first opened in the Grand Place in 1893, is coming to Cambridge Circus in January – a whopping 220 seater, black and red homage to the original and the signature green check tablecloths.

Mussels will be offered eleven ways (watch out Belgo) from Ardenais – with white wine, crème fraiche, bacon and mushrooms – to Madras. There will be fish soup, French-style with croutons, braised beef in beer and more beers from their own micro-brewery.

You can get a flavour of the original with the video here.

It is still, reassuringly a family business headed by the great grandson Rudy Vanlacker, albeit there are already 51 outlets in France, so we are a bit behind the times… so as Priscilla takes a final bow, we have a potential new diva on the block.