Yet slowly but surely, Brussels seems to have cultivated a taste for Japanese fare. Chez Oki opened a few years ago, experimenting with French/Japanese fusion – but still on the pricey side. And then suddenly one day it seemed that little sushi shops started opening all over town. Here’s a brief selection of sushi-on-a-shoestring, Brussels style.

Anata This was my saving grace in my early Brussels years. Right next to the Beurs, their menu includes the classic, basic sushi: salmon and tuna in abundance, assorted other fish, a few vegetables. I’m also a fan of their excellent bento boxes. Anata also offers the best service of all the budget sushi restaurants – there are usually multiple chefs in the kitchen/sushi bar, and the staff does its best to serve quickly.

Shilla This Ukkel venue is the newest branch of a chain with locations in Overijse, Amsterdam and Warsaw. The seating area is small but comfortable, the menu is focused on sushi, and you can get a little shopping done in their Japanese mini-mart. Shilla (and Anata) get extra points for excellent miso soup – very light and not too salty. Bonus: Shilla offers a fidelity card so you can eat your way towards free meals.  www.shillaeurope.com

Sushi Shop Although located on Louizalaan, Sushi Shop is surprisingly well priced. This is but one branch of a growing European empire, and a second Brussels site is under construction on the Grote Zavel. The menu is both extensive and adventurous, and the sushi is far and away the most colourful and creative I have seen in Brussels. They also run a busy delivery/take-away service.

Sushi World With branches both in the centre of town and in Sint-Gillis, Sushi World specialises in ambitious flavours and vibrantly coloured sushi. Prices are comparable to Sushi Shop, although the setting is less upscale. There are nice touches, such as serving a “spring” sushi roll (sushi wrapped in rice paper and lettuce instead of nori) with a sweet-and-spicy dipping sauce, and each table is pre-set with both regular and low-sodium soy sauce. I was particularly impressed with their cooked tuna roll: while other venues have simply used the canned stuff, Sushi World offered grilled sushi-grade tuna. Delish. www.sushiworld.be