 photograph by John Anderson |
The Belgian L’Estro Armonico
3520 Bee Caves Rd., 328-0580
Mon-Fri 11:30am–2pm; Sun-Thu 6pm–10pm; Fri & Sat 6 pm–11 pm
Like Agatha Christie’s
fictional sleuth Hercule Poirot, the cuisine of Belgium is often mistakenly
assumed to be a product of France. But as Ruth Van Waerebeek writes in her new
cookbook, Everybody Eats Well in Belgium, the French are just one of
sundry peoples to have had an influence on Belgian cooking. Over the ages, the
Vikings, Romans, Spanish, Germans, and Dutch, in addition to the French, have
all invaded the tiny coastal nation, each bringing with them techniques and
styles that, combined with a native hankering for potatoes, seafood, game,
fruits, beer, and, of course, chocolate, have culminated in a cuisine that the
author describes as “the meeting point of the Germanic cultures of northern
Europe and the Latin cultures to the south.”
The perception that Belgian food is merely an offshoot of French cuisine is
not likely to be challenged by a visit to The Belgian L’Estro Armonico,
however. Despite its moniker, The Belgian actually serves a predominance of
country French dishes, and this is unfortunate because its best offerings are
those featuring the flavors of its namesake country. With this caveat in mind,
however, visitors to the Westlake restaurant can expect to enjoy simple,
wholesome food, served in a charming atmosphere by an able and affable
waitstaff.
Although the restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner, evening is the
time to dine there. The dinner menu features more exciting options and a wider
variety of Belgian preparations, and the eatery’s cozy interior — a snug
15-table dining area surrounded by decor that imparts the feeling of a small
country inn — shines at night, when darkness allows patrons to forget that
they’re eating in a mini-stripmall.
With the soothing tones of live classical guitar inundating the space, we
began our dinner with a Belgian classic, Potato-Leek Soup ($4). Belgians
consume potatoes in one form or another at nearly every meal, so it’s not
surprising that they consider themselves aficionados of the spud. (Belgian
fries, in fact, are the national snack, served everywhere from street corners
to fancy restaurants.) The basic, flavorful puree required just a touch of
cream and some chicken stock to bring out the savory amalgam of its main
ingredients. And though not quite as impressive as the soup, the Scallops
Proven�ales ($6.50) — sweet and tender in a mild herbed tomato sauce —
made a pleasant second course.
Interestingly, the waitstaff at the Belgian does not have assigned tables,
which explains why, before we had received our entrees, one of our three
waiters began to clear our wine glasses and asked us whether we’d decided on
dessert. Fortunately, the miscommunication proved harmless, and the error was
forgivable in light of the overall attentiveness of The Belgian’s employees,
whose congeniality augmented the restaurant’s ambiance.
Pairing the Duck Cherry ($15.75) with a bottle of Chimay Red ($5.50) proved a
convincing example of the Belgian penchant for complementing gourmet food with
beer instead of wine. The choice, cherry-topped duck breast, was baked to
perfection and served with a simple stock-based sauce just sweet enough to
stand up to the floral bouquet of the ale. On the other hand, pairing the Pork
Tenderloin Adrennais ($13.50), a moist braised tenderloin in a mild
juniper-berry sauce, with a Celis White ($3) turned out less successful.
Although the meat was expertly prepared, there was no evidence of the resinous
juniper in the jus, allowing the powerful witbier to overwhelm the
lightly seasoned pork. The Celis did find a suitable partner, however, in the
mashed potatoes, whose touch of nutmeg countered well the coriander-spiked
brew.
Although Belgians are perhaps best known for a love of chocolate, this
affection reflects a national sweet tooth for desserts of all sorts. Served in
an almond tuile over a strawberry coulis, the Champagne and Lemon Sorbet
($3.75) was a light and refreshing alternative to cacao, and the
Bavarois ($3.75), an eggless white chocolate mousse, hit the spot for
this admirer of the other chocolate. I must admit, however, that the best of
The Belgian’s desserts — which closed a later lunch visit to the restaurant —
was a sumptuous cheesecake covered with a rich Belgian chocolate sauce ($2.75).
The combination of dark chocolate, airy cheese filling, and exquisite crust
made each bite a delight.
The other standout of the lunch was the Estro Salad ($2.75), a superb balance
of sweet and salty flavors that married raisins, walnuts, and Swiss cheese with
greens and a tangy mustard vinaigrette. On the other hand, the Endive Salad
($3.25) — chopped tomato, Belgian endive, lettuce, and lemon juice served over
a bed of whole endive leaves — was a bit austere, the bitterness of the greens
and the acidity of the lemon juice dominating the other ingredients. Overall,
the selection of lunch entrees was disappointingly non-Belgian, and my dining
companion and I settled for two fair but uninspired dishes — an herb-rubbed
fillet of rainbow trout ($6.95) that tasted heavily of tarragon, and the
Bouch�e � la Reine ($6.95) — chicken and mushrooms cooked
in pastry and served with a thick sauce, reminiscent of a pot pie.
Perhaps the folks at The Belgian do not believe that Austin diners are
prepared for a menu that features solely Belgian cuisine. But considering the
way that fine dining has boomed in the capital over the last few years, it
might behoove them to consider offering more dishes of their native country.
Among the many intriguing recipes in Van Waerebeek’s book are roast pheasant
with carmelized Belgian endive and apples, fillet of cod with mustard and
gingered carrots, eels in cream sauce, monkfish in beer sauce, and the national
meal, steamed mussels with Belgian fries. One can only imagine how fabulous
dishes like these would taste seasoned by the wonderful atmosphere of L’Estro
Armonico.
This article appears in November 22 • 1996 and November 22 • 1996 (Cover).