Can anyone recommend a good gastro type restaurant in Brussels ?

Nope, but this fish and chips place was great! http://www.biamara.com/

http://www.greenwich-cafe.be

If you walk out of the bar and cross the road there is another restaurant that sits on the pointy corner (it’s a junction of 5-6 roads so all the buildings come to a point) don’t know the name but ate in both when I worked in Brussels a few years ago. The owners used to go to each other’s bar to have a drink away from work.

If you want to push the boat out the here.
http://www.vertdegris.be

They may do cheaper lunch menus but I only went there for fine dining in the evening.

Whatever you do don’t eat at the places near the station where waiters wave menus at you.

A few years since I lived there, but have a look round the Ixelles district. Get a tram up Avenue Louise and get off at L’Abbeye or the one before it. Go down one of the streets off Louise (not on the other side of the tram). Until you come to a parallel main road, I forget it’s name. Walk up or down it, plenty of goos eating and drinking places. If you spot any little squares, head there, there’s usually a good restaurant on them.