Relaxing at: La Sultane du Saba

Located at 24 Rue du Pot d'Or in the centre of Liège, La Sultane du Saba offers massages, scrubs, facials, waxing, body-wraps, as well as foot and hand treatments and make-up services.  The spa services both men & women offering treatments à la carte along with a series of treatment packages for individuals or couples.  Fortunately for the non-French speaking residents and visitors to Liège, the owner (who answers most of the calls to the spa,) speaks English and is accustomed to welcoming English speakers and explaining the spas treatments to them.

Photo credit: cityplug.be

One thing that makes La Sultane du Saba memorable is the heavy emphasis on the Orient.  The decor transports one to locales much further South-East of Liège and most treatments incorporate elements of the Orient in either the method or the products used.

The in-house Hammam (Turkish style steam-sauna) can be booked for 15 Euro as a stand-alone treatment, and features as one of the elements in most spa packages.  We must say that the light scent of Eucalyptus along with the heat and steam in the Hammam are something we appreciate particularly in the winter.

Tchantches, myself, and another person we know have taken massage treatments at this spa, and while we found them relaxing, we all agree that we found the touch of the masseuses to be a little light.  These are not Swedish or Shiatsu style treatments, and so we'd recommend the Hammam followed perhaps by a Hot Stone massage as your best bet if you are looking to relieve tight muscles.

Tchantches has personally sampled the foot reflexology massage, and says it was wonderful.  He only felt bad that he had to use his superbly relaxed feet to walk out of the spa after his treatment!

A pdf brochure listing treatments, pricing, contact information and spa hours can be viewed by clicking the link on this page of the spas site.

Le Lulay Al Copète

Known not only for its traditional Liègoise cuisine, but also the friendly husband and wife duo who run it, Le Lulay Al Copète is one of the top places to go if you'd like an honest taste of Liège.

Le Lulay Al Copète, seen from outside at night

This small restaurant is very centrally located just off the passage Lemonnier at 11 rue Lulay des Febvres, and inside the atmosphere is Liègois through and through.  Elisabeth and Vincent are welcoming, and fortunately for those who don't speak French, Vincent is more than happy to assist you in English!

Just as the décor references Liège in times more traditional, the food does too.  It's honestly prepared and served in a classic style for the region, meaning that most visitors are positively stuffed after an entrée and a main dish.  Even the salads are quite satisfying, each one containing an ample serving of protein. (Fortunately if you like you can order any salad in a smaller "entrée" size.)

A dish not to be missed: "Boulets à la Liègoise".  This is the "taste of home" for many Liègois.  The secret is in the Sirop de Liège, a regional product that imparts a unique depth and slight sweetness to the sauce.  Naturally, this is a dish that pairs very nicely with "frites mayonnaise" and Belgian beer.

Although many come for the boulets, Le Lulay is no one-trick pony.  Other tastes of Belgium you may wish to try include the pavés.  The beef used for these is of the "Blanc Bleu Belge" race, (one of the most muscular breeds of cattle we've seen, and as the name implies, this is a race developed in Belgium.

The very beefy Blanc Bleu Belge

For those willing to walk on the wilder side of anglophone tastes, Le Lulay also serves "Filet Americain", a melt-in-your mouth deliciously fresh combination of raw steak, ground and mixed with mayonnaise, capers, and raw egg, among other seasonings.  For those worried about eating raw meat: food purity and butchery standards in Belgium are very strict, which is why something like filet american can be prepared in so many restaurants here, with virtually no problems of food related illness.  Consider this "sushi-grade" beef.

One last point both tourists and Liègois can appreciate aside from the authenticity of the food or the warm ambiance of Le Lulay: the value.  The last time we were there, supper for the two of us (2 mains, 4 beer and 1 coffee) totaled less than 30 euro, and we both left feeling so full that we couldn't have eaten another bite!

Elisabeth will sometimes say to those who comment positively at the end of their meal: "We do this on purpose, we make it good so you'll come back!"  This philosophy of service has worked very well for the restaurant over the past 7 years it seems, the business doesn't seem to have suffered at all from the economic downturn and they are regularly busy.  As many locals do go back when they can, it's always a good idea to call ahead to reserve a table (phone: 04 222 0670)

Le Lulay is closed on Sundays, Mondays, as well as Thursday nights.
Click here to visit their website.

Sláinte! Guinness in Liège

It's true, it is St. Patrick's Day as we're posting this, but we know we can't possibly be the only ones who (no matter the date,) like to know where in a city we might be able to find a good pint of Guinness.

There are several restaurants and pubs in Liège that offer Guinness, but most of them serve it from the can.  If you're looking for Guinness on-tap, here are a few places we've found it:


---The Shamrock - Located at the intersection of Rue St. Gilles and Rue Louvrex (about 5 minute walk from the Pont D'Avroy.)

---The Celtic - After a lengthy closure for renovations, this pub has just re-opened.  Located at 143-145 Blvd. de la Sauvenière (at the Pont D'Avroy.)

---Mad Murphy's - Located at 21Rue St.-Jean-en-Isle (in the Carré.)


Please do let us know if you've found another pub pouring Guinness in Liège, and we'll add the listing here!

Cucinella

Fine Italian fare with a modern influence.  Situated on rue de la Casquette, on the edge of "the Carré", this restaurant is one we love.  Judging by the full room the past few times we've visited, we're guessing the word has spread on Cucinella, and how could it not with food like theirs?

Salads, scallops, tartars, and carpaccios are handled with great skill - we feel it's one of the best places in Liège for these.  The "salade folle" is a delicious showcase for the chefs talent with these items.

Cooked fish and meats are well handled, though occasionally left 20 seconds too long on the grill or in the pan.

We've yet to meet a pasta we don't like here.

Deserts are house-made, and finely executed.  (We try to save a little extra-room for them!)

We've always found the service to be warm and professional - They leave you time to talk and enjoy the meal without needless interruptions, but they never leave you for very long with an empty glass or waiting for your next course.  We know that at least some of the servers are comfortable working in English; we've never seen an anglophone table experience difficulty making their order known nor have we observed a different standard of service for English speakers.

The restaurant's web-site includes a map, contact information, listing of the (prix fixe) menu for the day as well as the full carte for food.  Sadly the wine list and cocktail menus are not presented, and French is the sole language of the site at the moment.  The site is relatively new however, so hopefully these small oversights will be corrected.

The restaurant is a stone's throw from the Hotel Mercure as well as the Crowne Plaza and the Ibis Opera Hotel for those out of towners craving a good meal close to their 'base of operations'.  In any case, if you find yourself on the Boulevard de la Sauveniere craving an excellent meal, this is a safe bet.

Cucinella, Liège.