effervescent refractions

My friend and I were prompted to visit Café Belgique after talking to the friendly barman at Brouwerij ‘t IJ. He assured us that their beer ‘Vlo’ was better on tap and only available this bar. Like all good things in Amsterdam, this place is in a small side street and is not necessarily obvious even if you are looking for it. The bar is small but not cramped with just a few stools and a couple tables. On draft, Vlo of course stood out, and their “tap of the week” was St Bernardus 12 which was a good surprise. The bottled list is quite short and includes mostly common Belgians such as Rochefort or Gulden Draak. Snacks are tasty, and decently priced. A few cheeses are available and the “toasties” are also good. The air was a bit smoky but overall the atmosphere was reposing. Overall, service was quick and clean which I always appreciate. Not the best bar in Amsterdam by a long shot but definitely the place to try ‘t IJ Vlo!