EXECUTIVE
CHEF
BART
Vandaele
has
created
a
contemporary
masterpiece
with
Belga
Café,
the
newest
addition
to
Barracks
Row.
Located
along
a
five-block
section
of
8th
Street,
SE,
Barracks
Row
(named
for
the
Marine
barracks
on
the
strip)
has
undergone
a
radical
transformation
in
recent
years,
with
city
officials
and
locals
hoping
to
attract
more
businesses
to
an
otherwise
residential
area.
The
restaurant
sits
across
the
street
from
the
lesbian
bar
Phase
One
and
the
Shakespeare
Theater,
and
is
consistently
packed
with
diners
eager
to
sample
the
café’s
eclectic
cuisine.
When
I
arrived,
the
atmosphere
was
bustling,
energetic
and
seemed
Euro-chic.
The
restaurant’s
layout
—
with
an
open
kitchen
and
14-person
“community
table”
near
the
rear
—
makes
the
most
of
an
otherwise
rectangular
space.
The
dark
wood
tables,
chrome
accents,
tiered
ceiling
and
exposed
brick
wall
blend
to
create
a
flavor
best
described
as
Northern
European
modern
and
disarmingly
inviting.
The
Belga
Café
crowd
is
lively
but
urbane,
and
the
limited
elbowroom
is
soon
forgotten
in
favor
of
contagious
ambience.
FORMERLY
THE
EXECUTIVE
chef
to
the
Dutch
ambassador,
Vandaele
opened
the
restaurant
in
October.
Its
menu
offers
a
mélange
of
traditional
and
contemporary
options,
with
a
wide
variety
of
time-honored
Belgian
entrees
—
largely
influenced
by
German
and
French
cuisine
—
sharing
the
spotlight
with
several
Euro-fusion
dishes
created
by
the
chef.
While
traces
of
Belgian
cooking
are
preserved,
such
as
using
beer
in
sauces
and
sprinkling
most
dishes
with
plenty
of
fresh
herbs,
the
Eurofusion
dishes
often
incorporate
Asian
ingredients
and
presentations.
For
starters,
I
recommend
the
Kip
&
Krab
Sigaars.
These
flavorful,
deep-fried
rolls
combine
a
European
croquette-like
filling
and
a
crispy
exterior
and
are
served
with
sweet
and
sour
and
creamy
curry
sauces.
As
a
vegetarian
option,
of
which
the
menu
has
few,
try
the
Flemish-style
poached
asparagus
served
with
a
very
basic
egg-parsley-butter
sauce.
The
simplicity
of
the
dish
allows
each
fresh
ingredient
to
shine.
Also
of
note
is
the
Brussels
endive
soup
with
cream
of
curry.
Nothing
highlights
Belgium’s
prized
vegetable
more
than
this
light
soup,
served
warm
and
freckled
with
curry.
THE
MAIN
ENTREES
feature
meats
like
rabbit,
duck
breast,
squab,
and
Belgian
steak.
The
steak
is
served
with
a
generous
helping
of
“real”
Belgian
fries
piled
into
a
cone-shaped
chrome
basket.
If
you’re
craving
surf,
try
the
pan-seared
scallops.
Beautifully
presented
on
a
teardrop
plate,
the
scallops
are
plump
and
succulent,
and
rest
atop
a
sour
sauce
balanced
by
the
naturally
sweet
carrot
mousseline.
For
a
traditional
Belgian
favorite,
order
the
mussels,
which
are
served
in
a
large
pot
with
your
choice
of
six
different
sauces.
And
don’t
forget
to
check
out
the
beer
and
wine
menu,
which
features
a
wide
range
of
Belgian
beers
in
bottles
and
on
tap.
Belga
Café
currently
serves
lunch
and
dinner,
and
offers
a
“special
Belgian
beer
event”
on
Tuesdays
and
brunch
on
the
weekends
built
around
a
“Belgian
waffles
and
chocolate”
theme.
The
hours
vary,
so
call
ahead.
Reservations
are
highly
recommended.
Appetizers
range
from
about
$5-$10;
dinner
entrees
from
$15-$25;
and
desserts
from
$5-$10.
