Last night, my wife, three friends, and I had a very nice dinner at Brasserie Belge (Belgian Brasserie) in Sarasota (http://brasseriebelge.com/). My wife and I had never sampled Belgian food before. We were mostly delighted with this experience.
One of the specialties of Brasserie Belge is steamed mussels. All of the mussel dishes incorporate Prince Edward Island mussels, and all are made with a basic sauce of celery, onions, and butter. They are steamed and served in enamel pots, and are accompanied by wonderful Belgian fries.
My wife had:
- Salad Brussels - iceberg lettuce, shredded parmesan cheese, hard boiled egg, and croutons with caesar dressing for $10. It was delicious.
- Hanger steak with shallots and red wine sauce (Onglet à l'échalotte) for $19. She liked the sauce and taste of the steak, but found the steak a bit tough. The dish was accompanied by Belgian fries, which were terrific.
- Dame Blanche (White Lady) - vanilla ice cream with warm Belgian chocolate sauce for $7 - delicious. This is a dessert I've often seen on menus in France, but I think the Belgian chocolate sauce made it extra special.
I had:
- Warm goat cheese salad (Salade Chèvre Chaud) - goat cheese pillows in phyllo pastry on a bed of romaine lettuce, apples, and nuts for $12. This dish was fantastic!!! It is the best goat cheese salad I've ever had. The serving could easily have served two people. It was very large.
- Cassolet (not Cassoulet) de Moules Asperge - steamed mussels with the basic sauce of celery, onions, and butter, plus white asparagus, fresh basil, cream, white wine, and truffle oil - for $24. It was great!!
- The dessert of the day - Apple Streudel with vanilla ice cream, and creme anglaise for $7. The dessert was terrific.
One of our friends ordered the mussels with a blue cheese, white wine, and cream sauce. He really enjoyed the dish.
Half way through the mussels, a member of the restaurant staff mentioned that the way Belgians normally eat steamed mussels is to first remove all of them from the shell and remove the shells, so that the mussels could soak in the sauce. I and our friend who ordered the other mussel dish removed our remaining mussels and ate them in the Belgian manner - much better that way.
Our wine was a Bouchard Âiné & Fils Pinot Noir from Burgundy for $29. This pinot is inexpensive and always good. My wife and I first enjoyed it at the classy Bouchard tasting room in Beaune, Burgundy, France.
The brasserie has an extensive selection of Belgian beers and ales, including three on draught.
The restaurant has a nice atmosphere. There was live piano music during our meal.
Our meal service was excellent.
The brasserie also has outdoor tables and heaters for chilly weather.
Brasserie Belge is located at 1990 Main St. in Sarasota. There is free, indoor parking in the same building. See the brasserie's web site for parking directions.
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