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.

Café Orleans, Disneyland, Anaheim California

When in Disneyland it is hard to find food that is not out of a cart, or in hotdog form, not that I am apposed to either of these. When we went searching for dinner we found Café Orleans in the New Orleans Square section of the park. Our group of five had to wait about ten minutes for a table at which point we were squeezed into a table right next to the front door that was a little uncomfortable. The fare here is supposed to be authentic Cajun and Creole but I found it to fall a little flat. The hallmark of Cajun food is bold, spicy flavors that have deep and rich flavor. I ordered garlic frites with remoulade as an appetizer and a chicken gumbo crepe for my entrée.

The fries were actually very good and between the five of us at the table we managed to eat all of these. Fried golden brown and seasoned with Parmesan and garlic these fries really well done. They were served with a spiced remoulade sauce that took them over the edge.

The entrees were where the restaurant failed. The depth of flavor was simply not there on my selection. Chicken, Tasso ham, and andouille sausage were generous in the dish but not necessarily good. The chicken was over cooked, the Tasso was flat and the andouille seemed over processed. The whole thing was topped with an uninspired “gumbo sauce” that was closer to gravy than anything Cajun I’ve ever had. My dining companions had the other crepe offering which was a seafood crepe. This was filled with generic white fish, again overcooked, and no other seafood at all. Perhaps it should have been called fish crepe. This was topped with a Mornay sauce that I think was probably from a packet or a tin. Ian ordered the Mardi Gras chicken sandwich and it was met with mixed reviews and I would say the high point for this sandwich was the cornichons pickles it was served with.

Service here was all right but nothing to write home about. The whole staff seemed worn down by the fact that they served the thousands and thousands of visitors that Disneyland greets everyday. I suppose that I should have stuck to the hotdog cart, maybe the mouse would have fed me a better dinner. Four out of ten.