Public Market, Brussels Belgium

I already gave my thoughts as to why the Europeans have a much better philosophy about food so, I'll save you another lecture from atop my soapbox. Anyway, I went to this fantastic market in the a Spanish and Italian neighborhood in Brussels today I then made my rendition of the sandwiches from Snack Sandwiches (see below). Also pictured: white peaches (my ALL time favorite fruit), garlic brined olives, and six month Manchego cheese...EPIC!

Arty photos courtesy of my new iPhone app...

Snack Sandwiches, Brussels Belgium

One of the things I love about vacations is finding spots that are not on your radar. Tommy stumbled upon this little sandwich shop and we fell in love with it. In two days I managed three meals from this humble little shop.

There are three things that make a great sandwich in my opinion:
1) Someone else makes it
2) The quality of the toppings
3) The bread (probably the most important!)
Snack Sandwiches has all three of these in spades! They are assembled by a husband and wife duo that dance around each other and prepare your lunch with love and respect. The meat and cheeses here shine but the real stars are the vegetables. Cucumber, mixed greens, roasted peppers, carrot julienne, and tomato all made an appearance on one or all of our sandwiches. All the baguettes are fresh baked in house (in fact, with our first order the bread was still hot!!!) These things are the type of sandwich I dream of. I once drove four hours to Pittsburgh to get a sandwich. I envision a day when I will have to buy a plane ticket and fly eight hours to get a salami sandwich from Therese and Dominique!

Lobsterlicious!

Founeau, Brussels Belgium
For our second to last night in beautiful Brussels we decided to do it up right at a nice restaurant, one last hoorah before the journey home. Enter Fourneau, an excellent, upscale, bistro near the Magritte museum in Brussels. Upon arrival we had a little trouble deciphering the menu but were soon helped and guided towards a five-course prix fixe menu of homard (lobster).

The first four courses were all different preparations of lobster and the meal was finished with a crème brulee for dessert. An amuse bouche arrived before our meal and it was a play on the meal we were about to have. One piece of sushi, a shot of lobster bisque, and potato chips with lobster salt were presented, as the meal was to be lobster maki roll, lobster tempura, and lobster bisque. The amuse bouche mirrored the meal, a playful move from the kitchen that I found to be genius.

The first actual course was lobster maki and sushi rolls. Well made rolls with high quality lobster that was cooked to perfection. A whole claw and part of tail were plated in an eye appealing way that aided in our pleasant reception of this dish.

The next course was the tempura, and easily the star of this meal. The batter here was just enough to change the texture to crispy. The vegetables were done just right, they still crispy, not soggy or oily as is often the case with tempura vegetables. The lobster, again, was cooked masterfully: crispy, warm, butter, soft, and most importantly NOT tough.

Next out of the kitchen was my least favorite course. Lobster ravioli served in a pool of lobster bisque. The filling was good, lobster mixed with diced potato and shallots, but perhaps a bit heavy on the white pepper. The real failing here was the pasta was a little chewy. This was either a result of not being cooked in enough water or simply not having enough time in the water.

The main course was a mystery to us, as we did not know what “lumpia” was from the menu. We soon found out that it means spring roll. The simple roll was filled with that same, well cooked, buttery, lobster meat as well as French green beans. The deep fried roll was crisp and hot. All of this was served with lobster infused butter sauce and a light green salad to help balance the plate.

Dessert was crème brulee, a dessert that is often offered and seldom done well. This one was quite good. As Elizabeth noted the inside was cool and the caramelized top was perfect, not too thick or over bruleed.

Fourneau was a job well done and a good way to wind down our European eating extravaganza!

Airport Sheraton, Brussels Belgium

EasyJet left us high and dry in the Brussels airport with no flight and no chance of getting to see Berlin. They were "kind" enough to put us up in the Sheraton at the airport for a night which was an improvement on our other Brussels accommodations so we gladly accepted. With this came a free "meal". This was hands down the worst food I've had in Europe and some of the worst I've ever been served. Over cooked vegetables, nondescript fish in no-name sauce, cous cous, boiled sliced ham, slice processed "swiss" cheese, and stale rolls with margarine...NO THANKS, I'M GOOD!

La Fringale, Brussels Belgium

Street-Za! Lunch+Europe+Tommy+Pizza=Fucking Good! ‘Nuff said!

Sausage mixed grill: A prelude to Berlin!

Belgian Frit 'N Toast

Tommy and I did our second to last go around in Brussels today and after finding some new duds we stopped for a cone of fries near the Grand Plaice at a little “fast food” stand and we were not disappointed. What we actually ordered was a mixed grill of sausages, fries, and a salad.

The platter consisted of three meat items. One kabob, one deep fried sausage, and one sautéed sausage. The kabob was the stand out here. Whatever the marinade, it was amazing. We both agreed we could have eaten three of those and they could have kept the rest. The deep fried sausage came in a close second. It was mild and creamy in texture, but the crispy fried outer casing was provided balance. Last was the sautéed sausage. This was a little deceptive because it looked the best but packed the least amount of flavor. It was certainly not bad but it was a little too mild for me, it was similar to an English banger. The fries, as everywhere, in Belgium were stellar and the salad also a nice addition to the meal and helped to cleanse the palate after all the rich meat and fried potatoes.

Chez Leon, Brussels Belgium

Chez Leon

This restaurant was in the heart of the Grand Plaice and was interesting looking but the service and food quickly brought down the whole experience. My salad was the highlight but it’s hard to screw that up when you have lardons of bacon and goat cheese. The dressing was balsamic vinaigrette that was broken and the greens were soggy. For an entrée I ordered a NY strip that was unseasoned (NOT under seasoned, UNseasoned) and full of gristle. The béarnaise I ordered to accompany the steak at an extra 2,30 Euro was overly vinegared and under tarragoned. Chez Leon is famous for it’s mussels, which most people at the table ordered, they looked dry and over cooked to me, but perhaps I would have been happier with the shellfish.

With one bad meal in over a week, I’d still say Europe is doing well. I found out at the end of the meal that Chez Leon is now a chain throughout Europe although the one in Brussels is the original I still say, Chez Leon=Chez Applebee’s

All this great food and you STILL cooked?

Yes, I made homemade Mac n Cheese in Brussels last night. Bacon, garlic, green onion, Boursin, and Gruyere Mac n Cheese to be exact. After blowing a huge sum of cash in Paris T & E and I decided to low-key it. I managed all this with nothing but a hot plate and a microwave. Dinner Impossible ain't got nuthin' on me! Needless to say it was fantastic!

Bistro Cockney, Paris France

Cockney Bistro
While in Paris I decided that I was going to get up early and get coffee at a cafe, eat croissants, and people watch every morning. The café I chose was one close to our hotel called Cockney Bistro. I suppose it was to be a representation of an English pub, it was not. It was however a great place to have a Parisian breakfast and wake up for a day of shopping or sight seeing.

Everyday I had the same thing: two espressos with a lot of sugar, one plain croissant, and one chocolate croissant. The food and coffee were great but what made this experience for me were the atmosphere and the events at the café.

One morning a rowdy group of drunk (drunk at 7:30 am!) Latin Americans tried to sit under the awning on the patio to escape the rain upon an altercation with the owner they were chased into the streets smashing their glass fifths in the street and shouting French obscenities. The very next morning at group of three drunk French college girls came stumbling into the café after being cat-called on the street for about a block, fell into a booth and continued drinking and carrying on. My favorite sight I saw from my solitary table at the bistro was a couple on Sunday morning walking up the Metro station steps, he in a full tuxedo, tie hanging open around his neck, and she in a cocktail dress, still in heels, makeup smudged and hair askew. I know they had been out all night living it up in Paris, fabulous!

Why are they better?

Because they care about food and they know what to cook and what time of year to cook it! I haven't seen one Taco Bell in a week and I am happy. Bring on real food!

La Campanella, Paris France

La Campanella, Paris France
Brasseries are the way to eat in Paris and much of Europe. What I love about them is allow you to slow down and look at where your feet are and enjoy the moment. A leisurely lunch with friends where you enjoy several courses and coffee in the middle of the day is my idea of a break mid-day.

La Campanella is one such brasserie. Located at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, they serve typical French lunch fare: omelets, steak with frites, salads, and sandwiches. Tommy, Elizabeth, Myself and Elizabeth’s co-worker, Yan Ping sat down to lunch and were treated to a wonderful meal at this quaint little restaurant.

Tommy and I both ordered the Croque Madame. This classic French sandwich is essentially a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with more cheese bruleed on the top and crowned with a fried egg. This monster was served with frites and a simple salad. This was a filling lunch, but we were famished after a morning of taking in the Parisian sites so we were quick to eat it all.

The girls opted for paninis. Elizabeth had the ham and cheese panini and Yan Ping ordered the curried chicken version. These too were served salad and frites. All the sandwiches met approval and gave us the much needed energy to tackle a busy Louvre on a free admission Sunday!

Oh, yeah cause I ate this too...

A pitcher of water and a HUGE bowl of Reece's Pieces!

Le Capucin Gourmand, Paris France

Le Capucin Gourmand, Paris France

Eggs are a staple in French cuisine and unlike the U.S. it is acceptable to eat them at any point during the day. The classic Julia Child book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking has over forty pages devoted to the humble egg. To this end Tommy, Elizabeth, and I decided we were going to see what the French had to offer in the way of a light dinner as we had already eaten at Le Rech and been out shopping all day.
Enter Le Capucin Gourmand, a little brasserie on Rue de Clichy in Montmartre, our little Paris neighborhood. This charming bistro is set in amongst bodegas, porn theaters, and street vendors of all sorts-an eclectic mix to be sure! The food was spot on. Elizabeth and I both ordered omelets and Tommy ordered the quiche. My eggs were stuffed with roasted peppers, goat cheese, and ham, while Elizabeth had mozzarella, bacon, and onion. Tommy’s quiche had goat cheese, tomatoes, and basil. The accompaniments for all these dishes were wonderfully light salads in mustard vinaigrette and “crystallized” tomatoes. These tomatoes were a take on oven dried tomatoes with balsamic but they were chewy, sweet, and packed full of tomato flavor! The sides made the meal as far as I am concerned. In addition we ordered a cheese plate to compliment our meal. My only issue here was that the cheese were never explained or listed so I would like to comment on them but I do not know what cheeses they were. Let’s just say that they were well chosen and enjoyed by all.
Brasseries in Paris allow you to slow down, enjoy the people watching and eat some of the best food anywhere!

Crepes for Cait, as promised...

I Heart Nutella. These were CRRRRRRRRRRRREPE!

Le Rech, Paris France

Le Rech: A Classic French Bistro
When I visit Paris it is a humbling experience. I have studied the cuisine of this city and country my entire adult life in order to hone my craft and better my skills. When one is in Paris, arguably the greatest food city in the entire world, for one weekend, you must make wise choices in regards to where you dine. When you have only three days in Paris, it is a double-edged sword to make your first meal in the city at a restaurant owned and ran by Michelin three star Chef and restaurateur, Alain Ducasse. It is a wonderful experience but at the same time you know that nothing else you eat while on your trip will compare. With twenty-one restaurants and counting, Chef Ducasse is a force to be reckoned with in the world of fine dining.
Tommy, Elizabeth, and I got off the train from Brussels, dropped our bags, stopped in at Printemps, for some light shopping, and headed for a lunch that I have no equal for in my memory. Le Rech is a classic French bistro opened in the style of 1920’s Paris. The Art Deco atmosphere is complimented by the delicate approach to the cuisine that Chef Ducasse and his staff employ. The offerings here are almost all seafood, save a few beef and veal offerings. We opted for the three course pre-fixe lunch and were not disappointed.
The menu was as follows:
Soupe glacee de concombre au rouget
Ou
Fillet de haddock marine au citron, salade d’herbes

Julienne de linge pochee, asperges blanches et sabayon citron
Ou
Joues de lotted snackees aux mousserons et cresson de fontaine

Soupe et sorbet de fraises gariguettes
Ou
Pain perdu Pastis d’Amelie, glace caramel au buerre sale

For the first course we all ordered the marinated haddock in citrus with the herb salad. While cold cucumber soup would have fit the 80 degree the delicate flavor of the marinade and the citrus cream accompanying the salad sounded too good to pass up. This fish was sublime. The citrus was just enough, not so much that it over powered, as is often the case in something like ceviche. The flavor of the haddock still shined in this dish. What I found most interesting about the first course was the plating. The fish was served in a bowl that was no doubt specifically designed for this dish as nothing else but the battonet of haddock would fit in the dish. The accompaniments were served on another plate, which allowed you to mix and match until you found that perfect bite. Balance between the fish, the greens, and the citrus cream was easy. The perfect piece of toasted bread was there to provide some crunch and texture that was much needed.
For the main course we were more diverse. I ordered the monkfish with mushrooms in a butter sauce while Tommy and Elizabeth ordered the poached mullett with a citrus sabayon and white asparagus. Both of the entrees were exceptional and given the hot day very delicate while still being filling. There is nothing worse on a hot day to sit down to a meal that stuffs you and leaves you lethargic. My dish was all about the seasoning. With only three ingredients on the plate it showed how the kitchen staff could transform such simple food into something extraordinary. When you start with the best ingredients available and apply classic technique with absolute precision it is hard for it not to turn out wonderfully. The other entrée was also superbly done. The fish poached till just done, left it flaky but not dry and the sabayon, which is a sauce usually, reserved for dessert was the star here. An emulsion sauce similar to hollandaise, this sauce had the perfect amount of citrus to butter to egg. The sauce was in complete balance with the fish and asparagus. It is of note that neither of the entrees was served with a starch of any kind, which I attribute, again, to the warm weather.
The last out of the kitchen was our dessert course. Elizabeth ordered the strawberry soup with fresh strawberries and strawberry sorbet. This was like the best fresh strawberry you’ve ever had but amplified by ten. Tommy and I both ordered the French toast with caramel ice cream. This was amazing; there are no other words for it. The toast was encased in a glaze, which had a slight crunch to it but made the texture otherworldly, while the inside was soft and rich. The ice cream was perhaps the greatest ice cream I’ve ever tasted. It was rich velvety in texture and had the most intense caramel flavor you can imagine.
This lunch was one for the record books, the setting, the company, the service, and of course the food made it a highlight of the trip for me so far and one of my favorite meals of all time. Here’s the Alain Ducasse, cheers Le Rech!