‘Panem et circenses’ translated as ‘bread and games’ – these are the satirical words used by the Roman poet Juvenalis to challenge the free food and circus performances laid on by the great emperors. As long as people had enough to eat and were kept entertained, they failed to notice the decadence and decay creeping over the great Roman Empire in the first century A.D.
Although originally intended mockingly, these words may sometimes pervade your mind. Who hasn’t experienced that feeling of an empty stomach as you return home after a night out, a show or a concert? Without any shortage of entertainment, but a deficit in the food department? Apart from a greasy snack, after about 10 p.m. there isn’t much on offer on the culinary front. Unless…
Unless you are lucky enough to be wandering around feeling hungry in the centre of Brussels. At VIAGE we understand the need for both bread and games. The entertainment factor of a casino is obvious. The gastronomic perhaps a little less so. However, good food and drink are an inextricable part of the casino experience and across the world, you can eat and drink at affordable prices there. The core business lies elsewhere, after all. The bar and restaurant are an additional service for guests who thus find an all-in-one formula for a successful evening in one place.
An additional service, therefore, but not just any old one. At the end of last year, we renovated our restaurant at VIAGE. The international menu at ‘Saffron’ was replaced by a ‘licence to grill’ at ‘Viage Grill’. Superior-quality meat (such as Holstein, Black Angus, Hereford…) acquires a crispy crust while retaining all its rich flavours and juices on the sizzling-hot 360° Australian broiler grill. For those who would rather not eat meat, we are happy to put a fish on the barbecue. And naturally there are plenty of vegetarian dishes on our menu. We change this menu monthly, so you need never eat the same thing twice.
‘Viage Grill’ exudes the atmosphere of an authentic steakhouse: warmth and cosiness with the somewhat rougher decor of leather and wood. Leaving the hustle and bustle of the casino behind, you enter a different, rustic world where you can enjoy dining with friends and colleagues or a romantic meal for two.
Eating without playing is allowed, of course. To access the restaurant, you do need a membership card from Grand Casino Brussels VIAGE. You request this once at reception and it costs €10. In exchange, you get €5 in casino chips and a delicious welcome cocktail. And subsequently, you simply walk in on presentation of this card. If you are making an online booking for VIAGE, the membership card is free. A warm welcome – the way it should be! Incidentally, don’t forget that you must be over 21 years of age to enter the casino.
Viage Grill is always open from 6 p.m. until midnight. On Fridays and Saturdays, a limited menu is available until 3 a.m. and on other days, until 2 a.m.
More info: https://www.viage.be/en/wine-dine/restaurant/
