Sunday, January 6, 2013

Right on Point

PID and I have been meaning to check out Point Brugge for years. So I feel it's only appropriate that we waited until the first major snow storm of 2012 to make the dangerous decision to drive there and do it.

All I have to say, is that the reward was worth the risk.

We arrived by the skin of our teeth while the snow was still falling. The restaurant is tucked away on a quiet Point Breeze side street. Don't blink, because you may miss it amongst the other Hastings houses!

Though the place was nearly packed despite the storm, we were greeted and seated the moment we walked in. We were celebrating the first night of our 10 consecutive days of freedom (we both had the entire holiday week off), so we ordered a few drinks right away.




They have a huge selection of wine and Belgian, artisan and standard beers. PID went with a Newcastle Brown Ale while I went with my standard Cab.

Moules with Red Curry Sauce (small portion) - $12
PID is a mussel fanatic (and a muscle fanatic, but that's another story), so we placed an order a pound of Moules in a red curry coconut sauce. The mussels were fresh and tasty, but that red curry sauce was out of this world. I could have drank it like soup. I didn't, but I could have.


Roasted Tomato and Spinach Dip - $9
We also made sure to snag an order of the roasted tomato and spinach dip, served with crostini and celery sticks. The roasted tomato was a brilliant addition to your average spinach dip. It added an entirely new depth of flavor to the dish. The dip was made with cream cheese which made it light and fluffy, as well.

Chipotle Hangar Steak (special, not on regular menu) - $20
As my entree, I ordered the daily special: a chipotle marinated hangar steak with a raspberry  balsamic reduction, served on a bed braised kale, white beans and bacon. This dish was phenomenal. Chipotle can be an overpowering pepper when it comes to flavor profiles, but the balance was just right on my perfectly cooked portion. I made sure to cut it into tiny pieces so I could enjoy it as long as possible. The pleasant surprise of this dish, however, was definitely the bean salad. The braised kale and bacon complemented the beans perfectly to add a nice saltiness and brininess. I would order it on it's own in a heartbeat.

Steak Frites - $26 (add Blue Cheese - $2)
PID also opted for steak, going for the Steak Frites (aka - with fries) with Maytag Blue Cheese. I have a very special fiance. He gave me more than one bite. If you're anything like me, you can tell when Blue Cheese is of a finer quality. This certainly was.  PID's fries were also crispy and hot, just the way he likes them.

Belgian Chocolate Mousse Cake - $8
I mentioned before that we were celebrating, and we didn't sell ourselves short. For the first time in a very long time, we ordered dessert. We had a Belgian triple chocolate cake. Even as I post this photo, the memory of this luscious, velvety cake has me salivating. The Belgian influence gave the cake bitter notes with the perfect amount of sweetness to make your mind tell you to stop while your taste buds beg you to keep eating.

Restaurant Information:
Point Brugge
Address: 401 Hastings Street, Point Brugge
Phone: 412-441-3334
Reservations: Taken
Hours:
Tuesday – Thursday: 11am – 10pm
Friday – Saturday: 11am – 11pm (Kitchen closes at 10pm)
Sunday: 11am – 9pm
Closed Monday

Overall Opinion:
The food was impeccable, the service was amazing, the atmosphere is warm and welcoming - what's NOT to love about this place?!  My parents travel to Brussels and Belgium every year as a tradition they started after I left the nest. I can't wait to take them here the next time they're in town to show them that they don't have to leave the country to get the most delicious and authentic Belgian cuisine they could ever want. It's right in our very own back yard. Date night, girls night, wine night, snowmageddon - any night of the year Point Brugge is the place to be.




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