Léon de Bruxelles

A new Belgian-style eaterie is flexing its mussels on the London scene. Part of a continental chain that's widely established in France, Léon de Bruxelles plays on the staples Belgium does best: mussels, frites and waffles.

Their London flagship has taken over a prominent corner site on Cambridge Circus. Its brightly-lit interior of black and white tiles, dark wooden tables and red leather chairs resemble a French-style modern brasserie, of the chain variety.

The mussel-shaped menu pays homage to Léon's star dish. The moules come in 10 variations, three of which are gratinated. Garlic mussels 'au gratin' comprised a thick blanket of cheddar melted over the open shells. Even though heaving with garlic and cheese, the delicate taste of the shore shone through this heavy dish.

A bit lighter on the waistline were the mussels à l'Ardennaise. Served in a heavy iron cocotte, the generous portion of top quality mussels came snuggled in a bacon and mushroom sauce, finely balanced with white wine and crème fraîche. The salty broth was ideal for soaking up with a piece of fresh baguette - or do it like the Belgians do, and dip your frites into it.

Tintin's heart would have sunk at the first bite: without a crunch, these are frites ordinaires. Anyone who's stopped at one of Belgium's many autoroute stalls will have had a more satisfying experience. At least the eggy mayonnaise offered some redemption.

A similar disappointment awaited us with the waffles. Léon de Bruxelles serves the gaufre de Bruxelles type - a light and airy waffle, not to be confused with the heavy, sugar-studded gaufre de Liège. Even though the form and shape was perfect, the waffle was pre-cooked and served cold. As a result, it was dry and lacked the crisp-on-the-outside, moist-on-the-inside texture that makes Belgian gaufres something to be proud of.

Beer lovers hoping to discover some obscure Belgian Lambics or Trappist brews will be disappointed to find a small and pedestrian selection: a couple of Vedetts, a Duvel, and a De Koninck pale ale - as well as Léon's own-brand lager. Léon de Bruxelles is perfectly adequate, but it's also an opportunity missed.