Frites, Glorious Frites
By Karen Kennedy
The first thing you’ll wonder when you sit down is what the holes in the tables are for. It won’t take long for you to figure it out as huge cones of the most amazing French Fries you’ll ever have come sailing out of the kitchen to nearly every table, nestling perfectly snug and upright on the tabletop. Genius. These Frites are divine alone, but you’ll be asked to choose from a perfectly “magnifique” assortment of dipping sauces to dunk them in: House-made garlic aioli or ketchup, hot curry, pesto, blue cheese or sea salt and vinegar, to name just a few.
If you’re ready for a break from your usual pizza, Thai and sushi, Brugge Brasserie is like a mini European vacation. It’s authentic Belgian cuisine in a comfortable and casual environment, with a sweet little outdoor café for watching the street scene in bustling Broad Ripple village.
You might make a trip to Brugge for the Frites alone, but don’t fill up on them, because there are also Crepes. Oh yes. Delicate, made-to-order, paper thin crepes filled with delectables such as shaved Brussel Sprouts, Capers, Goat Cheese and Walnuts, or Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast with Mustard and Sweet Onion Confit.
If you happen to love mussels, as we do, check out the “Moules Frites” section of the menu, where you’ll find two pound pots of Prince Edward Island Mussels that come with both Frites and a hearty chunk of French bread, good for soaking up sauces like Wit beer and fennel, Provencale, red curry, Asian sake, or dark beer, cheddar and bacon.
Other marvelous menu choices include a lovely charcuterie and cheese section, from which you can build your perfect selection, salads and stews, and “Mitraillettes,” which are enormous baked French bread sandwiches. The Beer and Tomato Braised Meatballs with Swiss Cheese is amazing, and there is, of course, a hanger steak on the menu for a perfectly French Steak Frites experience.
If you haven’t had your fill of crepes with dinner, dessert crepes include a simple Butter and Sugar, Nutella or Lemon Curd and Blueberry. Kids are welcome at Brugge, and a classic PB&J Crepe with Frites is available for the most discriminating of young diners.
Brugge, celebrating its tenth year in business, is run by managing partners Ted Miller and Shannon Stone, the same folks who own Outliers Brewing Company at 534 E. North Street, so you’ll find all of their beers on tap. Perennial favorites include the Tripel de Ripple, a Belgian blonde ale and Pooka, a boysenberry sour. There’s also a short but serviceable wine list.
Big News! In June, look for a new Mass Ave-area hotspot from Miller and Stone called The Owner’s Wife, at 608 N. Park. It adjoins the brewery space and will feature an all new menu concept designed in collaboration with Milktooth’s Jonathan Brooks.
Brugge Brasserie
1011 E. Westfield Blvd, Indianapolis
255-0978
Lunch and dinner seven days a week.
