Naked CITY

Managing director, Brussels AVE

'I really feel at home in Brussels,' says Brussels AVE's managing director Jochen D Girsch. 'After three years of cold showers in a place like Zurich, it's been a relief to be in Brussels. The people living in Brussels are sociable and enjoy life which is probably why there are so many good places to eat.'

One of his favourites is Daniel van Avermaet's Au Stekerlapatte, where you can meet a variety of people, both industry executives and tourists. Girsch recommends the escalopes de foie gras with port sauce as starters, followed by spare ribs or the daily fresh market suggestion.

La Malte, near to chaussée de Charleroi, in the avenue Berckmans, is another of his favourite spots. The regulars and locals eat and drink in this friendly atmosphere with its 24-hour shops.

Another advantage, says Girsch, is the central location of Brussels. 'It just takes you a few hours by car and you're in Amsterdam, Paris, Cologne, or in one the coastal resorts.'

However, Girsch seems to be a little disappointed in the films recently on offer at the Brussels cinemas. Although the Belgian capital has got one of the world's biggest multiplex theatres, Kinepolis, arthouse distributors, he says, are taking far fewer risks so that the variety of films on offer is becoming much poorer than it used to be. 'It's a shame,' he concludes.