It's 7.45pm on a chilly Friday evening, and I am waiting at the tram stop at Place Poelaert to go to dinner.
While I have found myself in this position before, the tram usually drops me off as close to the restaurant as possible. But not this time. Tonight, the tram is the restaurant.
Every evening (except Mondays), the Tram Experience winds its way through the streets of Brussels while up to 36 dinner guests enjoy six or seven-course meals by renowned chefs, prepared inside the tram's two carriages.
While waiting for the tram to arrive, all guests are shown their table on the floor plan so they can quickly board and take their seats. Fancy dinner reservation or not, the Tram Experience runs on the normal STIB/MIVB network – meaning it cannot wait for guests turning up fashionably late.
Evening has fallen by now, and the lit-up Ferris wheel opposite the Palais de Justice provides a beautiful backdrop as the tram rolls up, perfectly on schedule.
Credit: Visit.Brussels
My dinner date and I quickly queue up and find our table. Once inside, we fancy ourselves in a high-end restaurant, albeit a miniature one on wheels.
The kitchen is all the way at the back of the tram. One side of the aisle is converted into a line of two-person tables, while the other side has several tables seating groups of four. There is even a toilet available if you're caught short during the meal.
The table is set with wine glasses held steady by a rack in the middle of the table, while the cutlery is held in place by an elegant leather pouch-come-table cover. The only thing not attached to the table is the already-filled glass of bubbles waiting for us – smartly tucked underneath the cover.
As soon as everyone is seated, the tram departs – followed by excited giggles, exclamations of surprise and the clinking of glasses in both carriages. Clearly thinking about all the bumps in the road still to come, the three well-trained waiters smile knowingly at each other.
All-in drinks and vegetarian options
I spill a little bit of my sparkling wine, but they quickly make it clear that this is not an issue. Undaunted by the sudden shakiness or unexpected brakes, the trio expertly weave past each other to top up people's glasses all evening.
The sudden movement of the fully-loaded tram takes some getting used to – especially when passing the many overlapping tracks on busy crossings – but it is all part of the experience, and a nice change from dining in a regular establishment.
We quickly find our rhythm, taking small sips of our drinks and enjoying the views of the Brussels streetscape while the journey really gets going.
We go down Chaussée de Charleroi, and the first appetiser of the evening is served: a delicious beef tartare accompanied by oysters, Roscoff seaweed and a crumble of squid.
Credit: The Brussels Times
For the first time in its over 10-year run, the Tram Experience also offers a fully vegetarian menu. And while Alsace-born chef Manon Schenck (La Table de Manon*) spent years perfecting her mastery of seafood in Brittany, the meat and fish-free alternative – swapping out beef tartare for beetroot – was just as delicious.
As the tram passes Bois de la Cambre, we are served lobster (or potato, for the vegetarians) cappuccino – which we are still enjoying while whizzing past the ponds of Flagey.
Slowly making our way to the eastern-most edge of the Capital Region, our last appetiser is served right before we pass the fountain-roundabout at Montgomery: roasted pumpkin and seed crackers in a rich but light goat's cheese sauce.
All the while, the waiters ask us how we like our food, if we are enjoying the experience, and if we would like the wine that goes with the next courses – all in English, French or Dutch, depending on the guests' preferences.
Flying by
We get our first starter – a crab (or tofu) mimosa covered in a beautifully thin celeriac leaf – as we cross the capital's European district. Once arrived in Stockel, the tram halts for nearly ten minutes while the second one is brought to the table: a large raviolo with sheep milk cheese and beetroot, horseradish and poppy seed butter.
We loop back past the Tram Museum and make our way to Auderghem, where we pause at the Herrmann-Debroux for the main course: slow-cooked pollock (or soy bean) steak, served with kasha and a yuzu-hollandaise sauce.
A full two hours into the experience, we are sad to notice that the tram is starting to retrace its tracks to where it picked us up. Just as we are saying we cannot eat any more, dessert is placed in front of us.
While its description makes us raise our eyebrows, we are quickly converted when we taste it. A tartlet made of caramelised sauerkraut may sound like something you'd rather not try, but the result is incredibly tasty, as are the cinnamon ice cream and Kirsch caramel that come with it.
Credit: Visit.Brussels
As the dessert is enthusiastically devoured, the tram turns back onto the Avenue Louise, and we are now well and truly in the final stretch. Those who want it are offered one last glass of sweet dessert wine, while the waiting staff are already getting people's coats, so everyone is ready to get off as smoothly as they got on.
The Ferris wheel on Place Poelaert gets bigger and bigger as we make our way back to the drop-off point. One hearty applause for the chef and the waiting staff later, and with their bellies full and a great experience to tell friends and family about, all guests shuffle, single-file, back into the night.
The Tram Experience operates on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday (six-course meal), and on Friday and Saturday (seven-course meal) all year round, except in July and August.
Guests can book a table for two or four. For bigger events, there is also the possibility to book the entire tram (36 seats), or one of its carriages (16 or 20 seats).
More information can be found on the website.
