You know how it is: you’ve had a long day, you’re tired and you just feel like nothing more than a drink. You wish you had the energy to be a bit more exciting and do something unusual but you’re not sure you have the energy. What do you do? If you happen to be in Brussels, try popping into Hortense.

Over a weekend in the Belgian capital I had spent a lot of time catching up with some friends and crisscrossing the capital in the sometimes erratic public transport system.

Brussels, like all cities, keeps evolving. Most of the times this is for the better.

I didn’t want to miss meeting some more of my friends but the silent groans that my ankles gave were hard to ignore too.

There are plenty of things to visit and see within commutable distance of Brussels. The Duvel brewery is one of them.

We met in the Place de Grande Sablon beside the market stalls that were packing up for the day, behind the Church dedicated to Our Lady that was built by the Guild of Crossbowmen. “Sablon” refers to a particular kind of fine sand that is somewhere between silt and sand – there’s no word for it in English – and way back in the 12th century this entire area was covered in it. Wanting to get rid of the sand, or Sablon, from our shoes after the lengthy day, we decided to try getting a drink from Hortense.

This pub is very easy to miss as it is tucked below one of the ornate buildings but if you’re careful, you’ll spot a blackboard outside the place inviting you in. As I walked down the stairs, the whole atmosphere began to change.

Hortense, more cocktail bar than pub, is a chic place stored in a low-lit vaulted cellar. It is lit by the flickering of numerous candles. As my eyes adjusted to the different light levels, I could see a few nooks and crannies, one of which was occupied by a canoodling couple.

The bar is not large but is excellently stocked. The bar man silently handed me their cocktail menu while he continued chatting to some regulars. I ordered a Negroni and was delighted to try it out with Monkey 47 Gin which I had never heard of before.

We sat there accompanied by the clinking of ice in my glass, the aromatic fumes of our expertly mixed concoctions and the dancing shadows that the candles projected around us. I felt myself mellowing – there was a certain sense of mystique and je ne sais quoi that comes from being amidst friends and whispers and the shadows and the promise of an infinite evening rolling out into the great beyond.

Very recommendable place, if you ask me. Sante!

You can find Hortense at Rue des Sablons 7 or on the web or Facebook.