Midtown Lunch

Today,  profiled luncher Stephanie enjoys some Belgian Tavern fare in Old City.

There’s no shortage of bars in our old city, Khyber Pass Pub and Eulogy and Khyber Pass Pub are some of the few remaining old bars in Olde City. One rainy Thursday afternoon (lunch only served Thurs-Sunday, so don’t say I didn’t warn you when you show up on a Monday), a coworker and I decided to cross Chestnut Street and head to Eulogy for a hearty pub lunch.

The mere mention of a Belgian tavern instantly prompts an intense craving for mussels, so I heeded the ringing of my Pavlov’s Bell and decided to order mussels for lunch. With six different varieties of mussels to choose from, I opted for the most unique and protein-laden option of “Moules Sausage, Boursin, and Potato.” ($8.99)

True to its description, what I ordered was precisely what was presented in front of me: a pot of mussels adrift in a rich broth of Golden Ale beer, bits of bacon, robust sausage, fat-baby-fingerling potatoes, and the creamy addition of boursin cheese. Sitting atop of my complex medley of mussels was a plain-looking piece of crusty bread.

Tinged with herbs and infused with all the goodness of its meaty components, the dish was just what I had been craving. The mussels were well-cooked, neither slippery nor rubbery, and the broth was on the salty side, though expectedly so. After finishing my mussels, I put the crusty bread to good use, utilizing its absorbency to soak up as much broth as possible. (Dear reader, I have come to regard the crusty bread as a most effective and appetizing eating tool – especially in matters of mussels!)

To complete my Belgian lunch, I also ordered pomme frites – or rather, Beneluxx Belgian Frietjes. For around $5, I received a basket of thick-cut fries accompanied by two dipping sauces – the “house specialty mayo moutarde” and “slightly spicier bourbon mayo.” It is with a heavy heart and stomach that I report the fries were rather underwhelming. Maybe they weren’t left in the fryer long enough or perhaps the thickness of each gargantuan fry prevented it from being as crispy as I would have preferred, but the pomme frites were not particularly special. The same underwhelming factor applied to the dipping sauces, which were fine but also devoid any special qualities. Had I known this would be the case, I would have forgone the pomme frites and gone across the street to European Republic for a fry fix.

My dining companion, ordered the “Vegetable Bean Burger,”  ($8.50) which featured a veggie patty topped with romesco sauce and fresh goat cheese. A sometimes-vegetarian, she said the burger was filling, gratifying, and easily one of the best in the city. Although I will probably never order a veggie burger if I can help it, I must admit Eulogy’s rendition looked quite enticing.

Eulogy presented a good lunch and satiated my desire for hearty pub food. I will probably make a return trip on another cold afternoon to enjoy a steaming pot of mussels, followed by a post-meal stop for pomme frites elsewhere.

The + (What someone who likes this place would say)