It’s got to be the most unusual restaurant in Belgium.

You could be forgiven for thinking that Flylounge is going to whisk you off to some exotic destination. In fact, it’s been rather cleverly turned into a multi-function space that doubles as a restaurant…. and is located just down the road from Brussels’ EU Quarter.

You do all the usual things you do when flying: you’re given boarding passes, do the check in, along with being called for departure and choosing an aisle or window seat.  There’s even the obligatory safety routine from the “cabin crew.”

But you do not take off. Instead, you just tuck into a nice meal, washed down by some equally pleasant wine….all from a converted office block in downtown Brussels.

This is all thanks to the passion, ambition and hard work of Alain Loiseau, a retired commercial airline pilot, who had enjoyed a 30-year flying career when he came up with what he admits many may have deemed a madcap idea: to locate an out-of-use plane, move it to Brussels and turn it into a multi-event venue, including a restaurant.

And, a few years after last flying a plane back in 2012, that is precisely what Alain did. The result is a large chunk of the aforementioned former German airline plane, now reconfigured but still retaining most of its original features and residing inside  an otherwise bland looking building in Brussels.

Alain admits that even the tradesmen he employed to rebuild the plane were left scratching their heads as to how they’d go about such an unusual task.

What you see today is “Flylounge”, a “flying” experience that starts the minute you walk through the front door.

You are introduced to the cabin crew, both suitably attired in airline uniform, and your chef for the “flight” (Sebastian Hayot).

The chef, in fact, deserves full credit for serving up some of the best food you will ever enjoy on a “flight”. No, none of the often tasteless stuff many of us will be used to but excellent cuisine. On this occasion (the menu is always changing) that amounts to a lovely pumpkin-inspired soup, followed by delicious roasted duck breast and a delectable dessert (poached pear).

Unlike food on most flights (unless you are lucky enough to be in first class), this is food to actually enjoy and accompanied by some lovely red and white wines (or softs) and a coffee.

While the food is excellent, part of fun here is dining out in such unusual surroundings (that even extends to the loos which were removed (as with things like the overhead lights and exit door) from the aforementioned aircraft in Manchester, England.

And that takes us back to Alain who you certainly see and hear a lot more from here than you would from the pilot on a real flight.

In between each course, he takes time out to describe, in detail, how he managed to transport the plane from Manchester to Brussels and all the obstacles he had to overcome in the process. That included Brexit and the coronavirus health pandemic.

Alain, who used to fly planes for Brussels Airlines, the national carrier, and Richard Branson’s Virgin Express, ploughed on regardless and  shipped the plane, in parts, to a site alongside Brussels Canal where work started on what was a remarkable transformation and overcoming the seemingly impossible task of manoeuvring such a bulk through the front door of an office.

Alain calls the whole thing “my pet project” and, thankfully, it has proved a huge success.

The restaurant itself is open on certain days of the week but the space is also for things like company team building events and as a set for adverts and even motion pictures (it’s appeared in no less than 25 to date).

You can get into the spirit of the occasion with things like a role playing “sketch” (when you’re invited to pretend you’re giving a safety instruction to passengers/diners) plus a quiz, moderated by Alain, which, naturally, has an aviation theme.

For a bit extra, and with Alain providing his expert supervision, you can even enter the cockpit to have a go at taking off and landing a plane on the lifelike simulator.

After “arriving” at your “destination” and before leaving, you might also like to take with you a souvenir which can be purchased from a small shop.

Says Alain, “It’s certainly been an adventure and, if you asked if I would do it all again, I might say ‘no’ but I am proud of what we have achieved.”

Brussels and Belgium is full of terrific places to eat of course but there can, surely, be nowhere quite like this place here. If you come for a meal, then the food is very nice but it is the whole experience that gives you, well, a soaraway feeling.

As with the cuisine and service, the background music is also pleasant and includes – what else? – the 1978 hit by The Motors called….. “Airport,” of course.

“Flylounge”, Rue du Commerce, Brussels

https://www.flylounge.com

T. +32 (0)2 318 0047