Brussels Bistro

My new spot in Orange County! Walking into Brussels Bistro I felt my shoulders drop and my spirit smile. I felt like I was in Europe :)

We had reservations on a Friday night, but kept getting delayed on our way there so we called the hostess and gave her a heads up. Even though we were over a half hour late she held our table and we were seated the minute we got there.

The waiter and bus boys were super! Every wish or need we had was met before the words were finished coming out of our mouths. We had Belgian beer, and I was so glad to see they had a melon and prosciutto appetizer on the daily specials board. Summer isn't summer without prosciutto and melons. We also tried the brie wrapped in bacon appetizer which paired with their complimentary house bread was outstanding!

For dinner I had roasted peaches topped with fresh tuna salad. I could eat this dish all day long! Whoever thought of pairing peaches with tuna? The rest of my dinning companions loved their fish and steak entrees as well.

For dessert we had delicious Belgian coffees and tried the sugar tart and mousse au chocolat Belge.

I know for a fact I will be back to try the goat cheese salad with a peach beer sauce and the Endive, Gouda & Jambon salad. There aren't too many places like this in Southern Calfornia where they are open late and allow you the ability for a few hours to pretend that you are in Europe.

Mildly overpriced but the food is delicious. It's hard to find parking, but that's no deterrent for the fries that await you. They're thin and seasoned to perfection. Also a lot of beers on tap to try. I got something flambé for dessert, I think an apple pie. Worth a try and friendly staff.

Moules frites si'l vous plait!

Two of the best things I had on our trip to Belgium (not counting the beer, chocolates, and waffles) were their mussels and fries. Imagine how ecstatic I was to have discovered this place on Yelp while looking for a restaurant to have dinner before hitting Pageant of the Masters!

Here's the icing on my cake...I found out they offer AYCE mussels and fries :D every Mon-Wed including a glass of wine (red/white) or Belgian beer on tap (Stella, Hoegarden, Leffe) for $26. Score!!!

We were the first patrons of the night but little by little people started trickling in and the place was happening. It was packed! Servers were really friendly and helpful. They chatted with us for a while, bringing the experience to a personal level.

HERE'S WHAT I TRIED:

**Mussels---There are 8 selections total and all of which are cooked with onions, celery, and butter in a casserole. You can try up to 3 selections in smaller pots and then decide which flavor you like best. Your mussels will then be served in a regular pot (which is pretty huge) if you still have space for more. At that point I was pretty much stuffed so I went for my 4th and last small pot with my flavor of choice--garlic and cream! Didn't care much for the Hoegarden beer as it was more sweet than anything while the grain mustard didn't rock my boat at all. The garlic cream on the other hand was sublime! I was digging into it like soup and dipping my bread in there. Just can't get enough of it! Mussels are steaming hot when served and easily falls off the shell with a single poke of your fork. Soak it in the sauce or use your spoon like I did. Good stuff!!! <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/brussels-bistro-laguna-beach?select=5spoRbKjd9UjNfjO6kVv_g#ZxnBqoCfDUwlPqgjAzoKUw">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>

**Belgian Fries---Thick cut, real potatoes, and deep fried to perfection! I love every bit of it! Be sure to ask for mayo and ketchup for dipping. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/brussels-bistro-laguna-beach?select=5spoRbKjd9UjNfjO6kVv_g#F1k2RFTcgEBVathUpP48DQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>

**Vol au vent de poulet et champignons---creamy chicken and mushrooms in puff pastry also served with Belgian fries. This was a good dish. Would have been better if served warm. It felt like it was sitting out there too long before it was served. Our server was really apologetic and offered to replace it but we were already halfway through our plate so that wasn't necessary. Flavors were awesome though...a comfort dish if you will. The one thing that really stood out to me on this one was the puff pastry which was buttery yummy with the perfect texture. $22 <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/brussels-bistro-laguna-beach?select=5spoRbKjd9UjNfjO6kVv_g#oLYfD6hzlV961U0k5OG52A">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>

**Waffles with bananas and chocolate syrup---you'd think they would nail this one but geez, that was disappointing! The batter and texture of the waffles was just wrong. Nothing like what I had in Belgium :( Bananas were not sweet or ripe yet and the chocolate sauce tasted just like the Hershey's syrup. No good! Luckily, this was on the house for the cold vol au vent. $9 <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/brussels-bistro-laguna-beach?select=5spoRbKjd9UjNfjO6kVv_g#J4RcLXrvGoN5hccHMYD2QQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>

Overall, the experience somewhat transported me to Belgium. The ambiance was very European! They had black and white photos of landmarks in Brussels on the walls and a miniature statue of the 'Mannekin Pis' as you walk down the stairs. Love their Belgian beers on tap especially the Leffe Brün. A good find indeed! 'Til next time..

Street parking only and free after 7pm. Meters accept credit cards.