Carbonnade | sucrésalédeluxe

I’m not sure if everyone who experiences Bruges feels the way I do, but from the first moment I laid eyes on the old city, I have loved it. With its medieval canals and mysterious alley ways, it is my imagination’s dream come true. And if you are lucky enough to see at night, when the crowds have all faded and the cobble stone streets are dimly lit, it is magical.

I have been lucky enough to see Bruges in three seasons (summer, fall and winter) and went back again this weekend for a meal at one of my favourite restaurants: Poules Moules. It’s not a best kept secret or a hidden gem, but it has become my petit indulgence ever since I happened upon it three years ago.

It was one of the only restaurants open at three in the afternoon the first time I ate there, and after a morning spent in the rain I was delighted to sit near the fire place and dry off. I ordered from the prix fixe menu, and to this day, it is one of the most unexpectedly delicious meals I’ve had.

I had a fresh salad followed by tender chunks of beef carbonnade and perfectly crisp frites. Yes, I was stuffed after the large portion of Flemish stew, but somehow managed to still polish off the three scoops of ice cream that the dessert came with (yeah, you read that right, three scoops!)

I ate there again two summers ago with one of my best friends, and after building up the restaurant, I was so glad we were not disappointed. Sitting at a lovely little table in the square, we dined al fresco sharing a never ending pot of moules and the carbonnade. There were so many mussels, we actually started to count at one point, but since the shells had been emptied by the wait staff, and by this time we had had a few belgian beers, we never did figure out how many there were!

This weekend’s fare was once again delicious. After a brisk afternoon outdoors, we sat at a table near the fireplace and enjoyed the rustic ambiance of the 17th century building we were in. We ordered mussels in a wine sauce and a three course meal, which included a wonderfully smooth cauliflower soup, carbonnade and a sinfully rich pot de chocolate.

Like I said, Poules Moules is not an undiscovered gem or off the beaten path at all. It’s rated and reviewed on travel websites and I’m sure tonnes of people know about it, but that hasn’t diminshed the quality of their food, or the pleasure of dining there. I guess sometimes the best things are not so secret after all!