Brussels flexes its muscles

The capital of the EU is not the first place that springs to mind for a night of raves and wall-to-wall models. Even my hotel bedroom, cool in every other respect, looked like a Magritte theme park, with touches of TinTin.

But Brussels is busy reinventing itself as a mini Paris-crossed-with Amsterdam, with new bars, shops, clubs and restaurants. And, if it's good enough for Harrison Ford and Naomi Campbell's weekend revelry, it's got to be worth a visit ...

Splurge on foie gras (e15) and huge fruits de mers (e90). Belgium's beautiful people are keen to see and be seen - the long promenade to the loo is a stroke to the ego. Through the velvet curtain boys queue with girls for two glass-fronted loos - which mist over when shut.

Eric Cantona, Jane Birkin and MC Solaar drop in to Bonsoir Clara (00 32 2 502 0990), 22-26 rue Antoine Dansaert: illuminated kaleidoscope-coloured walls and fantastic food. Duck with stuffing on a bed of carrots and gratin potato was the best I've had.

The people behind this intimate restaurant also opened the nearby Zebra Bar (its summer terrace is a model magnet), Mappa Mundo and Kasbah, and are about to open Wassalon (surely Europe's first beer and laundry joint?). A £60 bottle of Pinot Noir was fantastic but excessive, so the bill came to £100.

At converted warehouse Le Loft (00 32 2 534 43 43), 21 rue Simonis St Gilles, diners eat under massive boulders - art exhibits - suspended from the ceiling by rope. Knock back a few shots and you won't keep thinking they're about to fall on your head.

At Les Jardins des Bagatelles (00 32 2 512 1276), 17 rue de Berger, you can eat zebra, antelope and crocodile. Owner Dany Neuret is a big mussel on the Belgian nightscene and throws a launch party every summer - last year, Richard Branson came, along with Jean Michel Jarre and Massive Attack. This year's party is on 6 June.

David Bowie, Debbie Harry, Jane Birkin and Bryan Ferry have all passed the door test at L'Archiduc (00 32 2 512 06 52), 6 rue Antoine Dansaert. (Ring for admission - the staff scrutinise you through a hidden camera.) This dark bar started as a maison de rendezvous - the men would lean over the half-moon balcony while women paraded below. Now guests check out the scrummy staff.

Under-thirties should go to Fuse (00 32 2 511 9789), 208 rue Blaes, Lower Town. On the biggest of its three floors, resident DJ is DJ Pierre - Belgium's finest, and great for techno house. Newest and coolest club is Louise Galerie, at the end of Avenue Louise (00 32 7 022 2018), open 10pm till 5am. With fashion shows, bands and theatre, it kicked off unofficially two weeks ago and the launch night is in May.

You never see the purplenailed Elvis Pompilio (00 32 2 511 1188), 60 rue du Midi, without his cowboy hat in this grotto of silk, sequins, velvet, feathers and flowers. The mad hatter makes creations for Madonna and Harrison Ford, the queens of Holland, Belgium and Sweden, and designs all the hats for the Chanel Haute Couture collection. I'd rather wear Philip Treacy or Stephen Jones, but hey, Ascot week is a day longer this year, and you can never have enough hats.

After nagging the concierge with constant requests from 5.30am to 10pm, I can safely say he's the best in Europe.