Point Brugge Cafe-Waffles and Mussels and Frites (Oh my!)

For Memorial Day weekend Mark and I decide to visit our favorite brunch restaurant in Pittsburgh, Point Brugge. I am confident that I don't have to commence this post with how much Mark and I love brunch as it should be evident by now. Though we have dined at this restaurant and its sister resturant Park Bruges several times, we haven't had the opportunity to blog about it. This is not because the restaurant isn't  "blog worthy" or that we hope to keep one of our favorite restaurants a secret from our readers. It is that every time that we dine there, we are too enthralled with the food, drinks, and the atmosphere that we forgot to take photos of our food.

Point Brugge is located in Point Breeze; tucked away in a residential neighborhood in the East End of Pittsburgh. It is a small restaurant with tables, a bar, and outdoor seating. The restaurant doesn't accept reservations so it is best to dine at less popular times or anticipate at least a 45 minute to an hour wait. Point Brugge is known for its Belgian waffles, mussels, and frites. They also serve a small selection of craft and Belgian beers, wine, and cocktails.

Brunch is only served on Sundays from 11am-3pm and a line begins to form around 10:45am when the weather is warm. The menu features several entrees, a la carte items, and a prix frixe menu. The brunch menu changes seasonal but the integrity and quality of the food remains the same. The menu includes traditional items such as steak and eggs, omelettes, and eggs benedict though with a European bistro like flare.

Regardless of the meal Mark and I always order mussels. For dinner, patrons can order a pound and a half of mussels prepared with one of three of sauces served with their famous frites. During brunch, the mussels and the frites are sold separately but each for a reasonable price. We had the mussels prepared in a classic white wine with shallots, garlic and light cream.

I had the Chili Verde Baked Eggs as my entree. This was the first time we had seen this item on the menu which meant an opportunity to try something new. The meal was light and not overly greasy yet filling and was full of flavor. I enjoyed the textured and the queso fresco really tied the meal together.

Since Point Brugge is a Belgian restaurant, Mark insisted on having their Liege Waffles and sausage served as an open face sandwich with potato hash and a sunnyside up egg. As described in their menu, Belgium has multiple styles of waffles with the Liege Waffle being a dense, crunchy waffle with a caramel flavor.  The meal had a nice contrast of sweet and salty flavors and the fruit was a great compliment to the entree.

The best two words to describe Point Brugge are seasonal and fresh. The quality of the food is consistent and we have never had a disappointing meal there. We do hope one day that they will accept reservations but the experience of the food is well worth the wait. Mark and I would consider Point Brugge one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh and one that locals and visitors should enjoy.

And as a special treat, here is a photo of me eating a Belgian waffle in Brussels when I was in college. Enjoy.

-Michelle

The Morning After: Orange Pancakes with Berry-Orange Sauce

We're back! Mark and I have been extremely busy over the past few months which unfortunately has caused us to neglect our blog. We got in engaged (Yay!), we fostered a dog, and we refinished our hardwood floors. We still ate during that time (obviously), but most of our time had been dedicated to others things. Now that the dust has settled (literally), we have more time to focus on one of the things we enjoy most, eating.
For those of you that know me well, know that I have a bottomless pit of a stomach. Last night Mark and I hosted Thanksgiving dinner with his family and we ate A LOT of food. We had lemon and herb roasted Cornish hens, collard greens, roasted Parmesan cauliflower, jambalaya dressing, cranberry chutney, and caramel pecan pumpkin pie. We averted a major disaster after the roasting pan didn't fit into our oven and we had to improvise with a baking sheet. The fat from the cornish hens spilled over the baking sheet and dripped onto the coils which filled the house with smoke!
When I woke up this morning I was STARVING and I wanted to reward myself (and Mark) for planning and hosting a successful Thanksgiving dinner. Mark usually isn't hungry in the morning and it often takes some coercing to get him to eat. I asked Mark if he wanted breakfast and our conversation went like this:

Me: Babe, are you hungry?
Mark: No, I am good right now.
Me: Well, I am making breakfast, so you're hungry.
Mark: Ok
Me: Get excited. Are you excited?
Mark: YEAH!

I enjoy cooking pancakes because they are easy to make and the varieties are endless. We had an orange that we didn't use for our cocktails and it inspired me to make orange pancakes. After a quick Google search I stumbled upon a recipe for Orange Pancakes with Berry-Orange Sauce by Iowa Girl Eats. I had all of the ingredients to make the pancakes, so it was an easy decision.

For the berry-orange sauce, combine 1 cup of frozen mixed berries, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, 1 teaspoon of orange zest, and 1-2 teaspoons of sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a bubble then reduce heat and cook until thickened. I added a pinch of flour because my sauce was a bit too runny. Remove from heat and place a lid on top to keep warm.

To make the orange pancakes, combine 1/2 cup each of buttermilk and orange juice in a bowl and set aside for a few minutes. Next whisk in 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, and 1/2 teaspoon of orange zest.

In a separate bowl add 1 cup of flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula to combine.

Heat a teaspoon of butter in a pan over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into the pan and cook until the pancake starts to bubble on top. Flip and cook until both sides are golden brown. Repeat until batter is gone.

Top the pancakes with the orange-berry sauce, give the closest person a high-five, then eat!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup orange juice
1 egg
2 tablespoons of butter or vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Berry-Orange Sauce:
1 cup frozen mixed berries
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1-2 teaspoons sugar

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients for the Berry-Orange Sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a bubble, reduce heat and cook until thickened. Add flour if needed. Remove from heat and cover with a lid to keep warm.
2. Combine milk and orange juice in a bowl and set aside for a few minutes. In a separate bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk egg, vegetable oil, and orange zest into the milk and orange mixture. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix until combined. 
3. Heat pan over medium heat and add butter. Pour 1/4 cup of batter onto pan and cook until the pancake bubbles. Flip the pancake and cook until both sides are golden brown. Repeat until batter is gone. Top pancakes with Berry-Orange Sauce.

-Michelle

Square Cafe-Too Hip to Be Square

After a short hiatus from blogging, Michelle and I are back with critical palates and empty stomachs. Summer is great for outdoor dining, refreshing cocktails, and slow cooked barbecue and we plan to take advantage of the warmer days ahead. We are both excited to try both new and veteran restaurants in the city as well as share our own recipes as we experiment with our new charcoal grill. To resume or blog we decided to go to Square Cafe, one of our favorite restaurants for brunch. 

Square Cafe is located on South Braddock Ave in the cozy neighborhood of Regent Square. The location can be troublesome when the Squirrel Hill Tunnel is closed but there is a more scenic alternate route through Oakland, Squirrel Hill, and Frick Park. Street parking is limited though you are likely to find a space Sunday morning when the neighboring businesses are closed or open later in the day. Square Cafe has an abundance of seating inside and out and accommodate a large number of patrons. Brunch is popular on the weekends and there usually is a wait. 

The cafe is like a gallery with eclectic pieces of art on the walls. There are low tables, high tables, and a bar with stool seating. Dining inside tends to be elbow to elbow if you go during peak hours. Though the outdoor seating is on the sidewalk, there isn't much car or foot traffic. If you have a well-behaved dog (unlike us), you can bring him/her to join you while you dine out.

The menu includes dishes made with seasonal and local produce, and vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Flavored milkshakes and hot beverages are served in addition to the traditional fruit juices and soft drinks. Michelle and I enjoy the specialty lattes such as the Banana Nut Toffee (banana, hazelnut, and caramel) and the Fat Man (chocolate, hazelnut, and caramel) served in glazed mugs made by an artist from Mexico. I like my coffee like I like my women-dark and sweet with a little bit of spice. 

Normally I don't order pancakes, waffles, or French toast to eat because they are often too sweet and resemble more of a dessert. I prefer more traditional dishes like corned beef hash or eggs benedict but the special captured my interest. For my meal I had the Johnny Cakes made with fresh cornmeal and served with a banana puree topping. The pancakes were crispy yet light and the banana puree added just a hint of sweetness. I like that the fruit wasn't added to the batter because the pancakes can become soggy. These were the best pancakes I've had in quite a while (sorry, Michelle). 

Michelle had the Short Ribs Benedict, a toasted English muffin topped with braised short ribs, two eggs over easy, and hollandaise sauce. The short ribs were tender and not to chewy like when they are overcooked. There was just the right amount of hollandaise sauce drizzled over the dish and sauce to muffin ratio was perfect. The meal was served with a side of greens which was a pile of lettuce with a citrus vinaigrette. The salad was boring and asparagus would have been a better alternative. Despite the salad, Michelle was satisfied with her meal. 

Though it is out of the way, Michelle and I are willing to make the drive to Regent Square for brunch at Square Cafe. The menu is fresh, the service is friendly, and we love the outdoor seating. It is a great way to end the weekend and prepare for the work week.  

-Mark