A bit of Belgium in Muang Redneck

[Brink15]

(This is really for BB's benefit more than anything)

 

I just had a nice, if not artery clogging, Belgian meal in of all places Springhill Florida. Now for all of you outside the sunshine state Springhill is far from what one would call urbane. It is more a breeding ground for future Jerry Springer guests.

 

That being said for some reason a group from Belgium decided to open a microbrewery restaurant there, Saint Sebastiaan .

 

The menu was rather light on Belgian fare, AFAIC. I would have preferred all the dishes to have been from the country however marketing even a handful of traditional dishes to people used to dining in such corporate swillhouses as Red Lobster would certainly pose a challenge.

 

I tried the Echt Belgisch Stoofvlees (Belgian Beef Stew) which came with a small bowl of Blonde Biersoep (Blond Beer Soup) and Pommes Frites. All was very good. The stew was extremely rich and the taste of the fine ale on which it was based made this a nice treat. The frites were somewhat disappointing as I had better in Boston at a restaurant of the same name (Pommes Frites not St. Sebastiaan). The frites were accompanied with the traditional mayonnaise which was very well made. Unfortunately they deemed it necessary to also offer a small cup of ketchup as well. I would have preferred two varieties of mayo. The combo of the frites and mayo is something I've always thought as just plain wrong. Not wrong as in putting them together is an error, they taste great together, but wrong as in you really shouldn't eat deep fried potatoes with an oil based dipping sauce. It just can't be good for you. This combined with the richness of the stew had me leaving the restaurant felling as if I had just taken a month off my life. You must have to drink a hell of a lot of red wine to counteract the effects of such food.

 

All-in-all it was an interesting outing.

[BelgianBoy]

Brink,

 

Thanks for the post, will have the stew tonite actually at moms' place

 

May I respectfully make one comment ?

When eating stew and fries, one does not really need mayo or any other sause....... just use the fries to munch up as much of the stew's sause, JIMO of course.....

 

So, what did you drink with that ?

 

BB

[Brink15]

I actually ended up doing just that with the fries. It's just as hand made mayos are such a rarity here I couldn't resist.

 

As for beverage, I had their 1731 Dark Ale. It's basically a Belgian brown ale but is only 5% abv so a little weaker than the same style available here in bottles.

 

BTW, I discovered a beer store in my area that carries over 700 different beers including over 100 from Belgium. That's where I got the Saint Sixtus. Recently they turned me on to Flemish Reds. Very interesting, tart quality.

 

[BelgianBoy]

100 Belgium beers ???

 

Yiiiii Haaaaa that will make a mensch out of you !!!!

 

BTW, buy your wife any cherry beer called KRIEK beer, all Thais here love it !

 

BB

[Brink15]

Which one Lindemans Kriek, Drie Fonteinen Schaarbeekse Kriek, Cantillon Lou Pepe Pure Kriek, Girardin Kriekenlambik, or...........

 

 

Personally I think Lidemans is overrated and not quite balanced enough between the sour and sweet. Drie Fonteinen is probably my favorite. Actually we have a bottle of Cantillon Lou Pepe Framboise in the fridge now which is rated very highly.

 

For me this is going to be a doppelbock night as last night was Flemmish Reds and Browns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

:beer: :beer:

[thalenoi]

Shit, Have to go to Springhill FLa for this feast

Nothing similar in Bangkok or Chumponj??? :onfire:

[BelgianBoy]

Which one Lindemans Kriek, Drie Fonteinen Schaarbeekse Kriek, Cantillon Lou Pepe Pure Kriek, Girardin Kriekenlambik, or...........

 

Hummmm....... Lindemans would be good enough for Thais, how the hell will they know the difference anyway :p

I'd go for the 3 Fonteinen or the Kriekenlambik...... yummyyyyyyyy

That and some good cheese !

 

BB

at breakfast