Delirium Tremens

My 21st birthday was a few weeks ago and I knew I had to post about the wonderful restaurant where my parents took me to celebrate. It's located in a hidden spot just above Capitol Hill, right across from the Eastern Market metro. It's called Belga Cafe -- and it is one of my family's favourite restaurants. By its name clearly a Belgian restaurant, it's known not only for its fabulous moules-frites, but also for its array of Euro-fusion offerings. My Dad swears it rivals some of the best places he's been to all over Belgium (and that's quite a statement!).

The ambiance of this place is completely relaxed. By looking around me, I can see a wide range of people -- from families coming for a special dinner or co-workers stopping off for a Belgian draft after work. It's a small place, no more than twenty tables. But the energy is young and vibrant. 

Now, let's be honest. I can wax poetic about the ambiance and the food all I want, but there's one glaringly absent detail of this story: the beer! After all, this was my 21st birthday; I had to pick a place where I knew I could have my pick of alcohol. This place had a beer list nearly 12 pages long -- overwhelming to say the least!   And nothing is more delicious that Belgian beer. To start, I had a very famous Belgian pale ale called Delirium Tremens. As with most Belgian beers, it was quite strong! 

 I had every intention of drinking heavily throughout this fabulous meal with my parents. But unfortunately, my low tolerance combined with the high alcohol content of Belgian beers meant that in truth, I could only muster having three beers. The other two was a wonderful classic dark beer, Chimay Bleue, and Kasteel rouge, a "dessert" beer rich in cherry flavour. 

Okay, now we can get to the food. In truth, every time I go to this restaurant I cannot help but order the moules-frites. They have about 10 different kinds of broth, ranging from Hoegaarden to curry. This time, I tried a new sauce that was a lobster and crab broth with a bit of cream. It was absolutely sinful. The picture speaks for itself:  

As for my parents, my mom got a delicious grilled African sea bass and my dad got a similar pot of mussels brewed in a Hoegaarden broth. Simply delicious!

And for dessert, a decadent chocolate molten lava cake with espresso ice cream and chocolate and caramel sauce. Naturally, calories don't count on your birthday, so I didn't feel bad one bit!

For anyone looking for an evening filled with fabulous food and a great beer, look no further than Belga Cafe. It is truly an experience found nowhere else in Washington DC.

Happy Eating!
Talia