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Brabant - NYC's Largest Authentic Belgian Brasserie

There’s a little bit of Belgium on East 53rd Street, and if you’ve ever eaten mussels in Brussels, as I have, its authenticity will make you nostalgic for both that city and Belgium. For that matter, so will the Ardennes wild boar paté, Belgian frites (made from a Canadian cousin to the Belgian Bintjes), short ribs carbonade flamade, steak frites, Uitsmijter (open-faced Belgian sandwich of sunnyside eggs, brioched bread, ham and Fontana cheese), white asparagus with Ardennes ham lardoons, jumbo Belgian waffles, and 60 traditional Belgian beers—50 or more in bottles and ten on tap.

Brussels is a culinary “little Paris” and Belgium is an often overlooked and underrated restaurant nation. Therefore, a meal at Brabant Belgian Brasserie will open many a diner’s eyes and taste buds. This place is the real thing: Daniel Kolaj, the owner, is from Brussels and Armand Vanderstigchel, the executive chef, is also Belgian.

Brabant looks the part as well, with its exposed brick, dark wood, white tile, long marble-covered bar, oil table lamps, globe lighting, French-style doors that open to the outside, dark tin ceiling, white cloth napery, Belgian beer signs (Stella Artois is prominent) and Belgian artifacts. There’s robust Paris-style jazz (circa 1930s and ’40s) in the air and rough hewn crusty bread, some of it raisin-studded, on the tables.

The two most recommended starters are the sautéed escargot of the house that would make the fanciest French restaurant proud. They came on four sourdough croustades, alive with herb shallot butter, some bearing more than one snail and a wild country-style boar paté that can and should be spread with off-setting lingonberries. Less unusual, but still desirable, were tender, lightly cooked sea scallops wrapped in speck. Two plump Croquettes de Crevettes with a powerful tomato dip were tasty but needing a bit more shrimp and less filler; wild pistachio-crusted salmon with a crisp surface and a red currant beurre blanc was fresh and fine. The duck was a bell ringer; it was firm but tender on a bed of potatoes with a plate mate of cranberries that bolstered it further.  Both steak frites and a grilled filet mignon were escorted by cognac peppercorn sauce and fries, plus a frisée salad with the steak frites and mushrooms, whipped potatoes, and caramelized onions with the filet.

All four desserts were home runs. A huge Bananas Foster waffle and equally large waffle special with berries and chocolate syrup were spectacular taste treats while an appropriately named chocolate decadence (or lava) cake and a super duper rice pudding, complete with ice cream and whipped cream, topped the meal off with a flourish.

316 E. 53rd St. (1st & 2nd Aves.), 212-510-8588; brabantbelgianbrasserie.com

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