Recipefiesta

Pierre Kompany, Belgium’s first black mayor, leads the way to the city’s best bars, food and a sporting landmark honouring his footballing son Vincent

There is delicious Congolese food to be had in Brussels – a legacy of Belgium’s colonial history. For a lot of choice, I would go to Matongé, a buzzy, very multicultural area close to the city centre. I have two favourite restaurants there. Chez Malou Bomboka, at 104 Chausée de Wavre is very popular, yet the service is relaxed. Malou, who runs it, came to Belgium with nothing 40 years ago and now has a number of restaurants in Brussels. Its chicken wings are popular, but you shouldn’t miss out on the goat, which is street food in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I also enjoy Malou’s pondu, a cassava-leaf stew. The other good Congolese restaurant in Matongé is Inzia: it does a €20 buffet, with grilled goat, beans, plantains and peanut chicken stew. In Ganshoren, the Brussels district where I was mayor until last month, we have fine-dining restaurants such as San Daniele and Bruneau by Maxime Maziers, but also good spots for smaller budgets. Brasserie The Spoon is good for moules.

Shropshire may be one of the UK’s quietest counties, but there’s a lot going on

A great choice for those looking for serious adventure (and know how to handle a canoe), this five- or seven-day tour offers the chance to disappear into Shropshire’s most beautiful landscapes. The trip – which can cover the entire 125 miles of river – is self-guided, but 24-hour assistance is available. The boat is safety-tracked and there is only one boat departure per slot, ensuring total peace and tranquillity. Accommodation must be booked separately, with riversidecampsites, B&Bs and hotels all within easy reach of the river.
A five-day trip costs from £595 including all equipment; bigsevernadventure.co.uk.

From a sandstone labyrinth to bears and marmots, Europe’s hills and mountains offer exhilarating long-distance walks. Just don’t forget your poles and harness

Is this bag too heavy? Do my boots pinch? Am I fit enough? Do I look a complete anorak in this cagoule? There is nothing like the prospect of a multi-day, long-distance footpath to rouse lurking anxieties and keep you awake at night for weeks beforehand. And there is always the helpful soul who insists you must take a particular item: a thick hardback volume on the benefits of walking? Lovely.

A selection of artisanal cheeses and a bottle of fizz? I’ll squeeze them in somehow. Once for me, in Yemen, it was a pistol, presented with the comforting words: “Take this – you’re going to need it.”