Brux-Ale

Brux-Ale brings something different to Bangsar: uncommon recipes & beers from Belgium.

North Sea gray shrimp croquettes. Absolutely addictive; the shrimps' sweet oceanic brininess went so well with the melt-in-the-mouth texture of the cheese-stuffed potato croquettes.

Pork belly with French beans & potatoes, a specialty of Belgium's Liege province. Not the healthiest salad around _ but with such tender, finger-lickin'-good meat, velvety carbs and crunchy veggies, it's definitely to die for.

Asparagus with soft-cooked eggs & butter sauce. Gooey comfort food; the reason why this recipe has reputedly remained popular since the Middle Ages is deliciously, devilishly clear.

Terrine of pork & chicken liver. Not as robust-tasting as the best ones out there, but nevertheless seemed fairly fresh and not overly processed.

Pork sausage with stoemp. Irresistible; we gobbled up every flavor-packed bite of the succulent sausage and the super-thick puree of potatoes, veggies & herbs.

Meli melo of seafood in waterzooi. So, meli melo means "jumble," while waterzooi is broth thickened with egg yolk & cream. A watery but savory stew, brimming with salmon, mussels & gray shrimp. Couldn't help mopping up every last drop with some bread.

Belgian Congo Koukouyakalanga chicken. A legacy of Belgium's colonial history in Africa. We loved the warm, creamy curry, carefully calibrated with herbs and spices that turned it into the perfect partner for the moist, coconut-infused rice.

White Lady ice cream. Basically vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate sauce. Sounded simple, but tasted indulgent, thanks to the delectably rich ice cream.

Belgian chocolate mousse. Luxuriously soft, smooth and aromatic.

Liege-style coffee ice cream. Let it melt a little and slurp it up like a milkshake.

Tasting set of Belgian beers: Blanche de Bruxelles white ale, 4.5% vol. alc. (our favorite _ the least bitter and easiest to drink); Floreffe Blonde Belgian Abbey Ale, 6%; Floreffe Double Brown, 6%; Belgian Kriek Cherry Beer, 3.5%.

Barbar with honey, Belgian Strong Ale, 8% vol. alc. (2009 Gold Medal).

Floreffe Prima Merlior, Abbey Strong Ale, 8% (2009 Gold Medal).

Beaujolais Blanc 2009 (Bel-Air 2010 Paris Bronze Medal) & Cattier Brut.

Beaujolais Rose 2008 (Chateaux La Bourdonierre, 2009 Paris Gold Medal) & Bougongne Morgon 2004. French wines dominate the menu.

Cum Shot (butterscotch liquor, baileys, whipped cream) & Warped Willie (vodka, amaretto, lime cordial). Plenty of cocktails and shots here for beer-haters.

Frozen Russian (baileys, vodka, creme de cacao, vanilla ice cream) & Butterscotch Daiquiri (rum, butterscotch liquor, lime juice).

The two of us were totally stuffed, but only half-drunk. Our alcohol tolerance is back!

Brux-Ale,

4, Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru.