When you think of brunch, do fries, mac and cheese and waffles come to mind? Okay, maybe the the waffles, but when the brunch destination is Point Brugge in Point Breeze, a Belgian gem of a restaurant, it would be a shame to limit yourself to typical brunch options. That’s why we didn’t, and it turned out to be a mighty good choice.
Let’s start things off with the fries, which were fancily named Brugge Frites and were easily the best I have had in Pittsburgh. Not just frites, but fries in general. Seriously, those Belgians know how to make amazing fries. These in particular were fried to a perfect crisp on the outside and soft inside, but were also salted to perfection. On top of all that, they came with basil mayonnaise for dipping, which is exactly what it sounds like, as opposed to Frites, which sounds like Fritos and is absolutely nothing like them.
Our second appetizer/side dish was their Macaroni Gratin, which is similarly a fancy name for mac and cheese. With a blend of gruyere, parmesan and cheddar, Point Brugge managed to cram three cheeses into a dish without going over the top in cheesy richness. Did this stick out as some of the best mac and cheese ever? Not quite, but it didn’t leave me complaining either.
Finally, I had myself some Liege Waffles, which are actually different from Belgian Waffles. This threw me, because I assume all waffles from the land of Belgia were Belgian, but I was wrong. In fact, Belgian Waffles are just some American trickery that can’t even be found in the land of Belgia. These Liege Waffles turned out to be a dense waffle with an inherent sweetness in the waffles themselves rather that as a result of the topping. The toppings, by the way, were powdered sugar, whipped cream and a choice of seasonal fruit or chocolate. I opted for the fruit, with was some rummy peaches and pretty delicious. The waffles were definitely a nice complement of sweetness to the savory starters.
The journey to Point Brugge was certainly a rewarding one. If for no other reason, the place is a must-visit for anyone who has ever wondered if a better fry (or frite) existed in the world. The answer is that it does, and it is at Point Brugge.
