No Waffling: The Belgians Do It Best

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I took The Great DC Brunch Tour of 2009-2010 on the road last weekend when I traveled to that other city, NYC, for work. Mixing business with pleasure & playing the part of a New York vagabond, I packed a meager four outfits in a shockingly compact shoulder bag & took a train north to spend three nights in the Big Apple, where I stayed with a different friend (all former coworkers!) each night.

I should first note that if I ever conducted a Great Mac & Cheese Tour (OMGsecondbestideaI'veveerhad), I'd definitely hit up New York for the bulk of those reviews, considering I ate no fewer than - don't judge me - three different mac dishes during my visit. But let's get back on topic. The topic is waffles. Ohhhh, the waffles.

On Saturday morning, I joined the three friends I stayed with (they're all friends, too!) at the Stuyvesant Town location of Petite Abeille, a Belgian NYC chain. Rarely have I been as jazzed about a brunch menu as I was about theirs - because what better place to grab a Belgian waffle than from the Belgians themselves?! Fine, our waiter was a Syrian transplant to Brooklyn, but that's entirely beside the point.

Upon delivery to our table, I was disappointed to discover that the waffle was pretty small. Upon tasting it, however, I promptly declared it the best waffle I'd ever eaten. In my life. And let me tell you, my life has seen a lot of waffles. I would even dare go so far as to label myself a connoisseur, so, you know, this is serious stuff.

Sadly, my little waffle-ironed piece of heaven came sans side dishes, which meant that once the glory was complete, my stomach was still a'grumblin' - because even a few bites of deliciousness, if served solo, do not a full meal make. Luckily, I have a bff who is mysteriously disinterested in breakfast potatoes, so I scarfed savored hers - mashed potatoes with onions & carrots, a traditional Belgian side dish. I couldn't put syrup on them because as much as I like syrup, even I can admit that it's not a carrot-friendly condiment, but for once, that wasn't a strike in the Bad Breakfast Potatoes column.

Good Belgian God. Everything was so good. My stomach hates me just for remembering all of it, only because I can't go back, like, tomorrow.


Where's your favorite NYC restaurant? It need not be a brunch spot. But while we're on the topic, WHERE CAN I GET MORE WAFFLES?

11 comments:

  1. um, you MUST go to Sarabeth's (multiple locations...my favorite is on the upper west side). their lemon-ricotta pancakes are TO. DIE. FOR. and they have a spinach/goat cheese omelette which is basically HEAVEN on a plate.

    they also have a pumpkin-y waffle, which i've never had but i hear is great.

    and if you're doing a mac n cheese tour, please remember to hit up S'mac NYC (in the east village).

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  2. I have no suggestions, as you are more worldly than me. What I do have it a puddle of drool. Thanks...

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  3. totally with cavy, sarabeths has THE BEST breakfast anywhere in the city.

    i'm thinking of doing a bloggers in NYC thing soon, thoughts?

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  4. I'm not a huge waffle fan but I still dream about the pancake, bacon and maple syrup breakfast I had in some grungy diner in New York!

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  5. mmmmm waffles. You are making me hungry and now I want to purchase another kitchen appliance or maybe I should just go to brunch.

    *furiously searches google for best DC waffles*

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  6. OMG if you ever decide to have a Mac N Cheese tour, PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE call me! Mac and Cheese is it's own food group in my world!

    Waffles are divine, and I seriously need to start going out more for brunch!

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  7. crazy small world! i was also in NYC this weekend, but we spent most of our time on the upper west side.

    anywhoo you can get belgian waffles at le pain quotidien. on P and 24th i think? there is more than one location in DC.

    and i DIE for belgian waffles, used to live there as a kid and ate one every weekend, don't know how i wasn't 200 lbs.

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  8. ha, i was going to get on here and sing sarabeth's praises as well. SOOO GOOOOOOOOD.

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  9. OMG Belga on Capital Hill (also Belgian) has AMAZING waffles. I also dig their green eggs and ham. Definitely worth a Brunch Tour stop.

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  10. Aww I love Petite Abeille! I haven't had brunch there, just dinner. (SUPER yummy mussels!)

    And I didn't know you were in NYC! Well, actually I did via Foursquare, but you know what I mean. :)

    My favorite restaurant in NYC? Hmm that's tough. A really good one is Dell Anima, mainly cause my friend co-owns it and hooks me up. :)

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  11. Anything in Little Italy is good but I'm probably biased... :)

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