A Tale of Two Cities, Sorta...

 












                   In Brussels circa 2007 and at The Publick House circa Monday 

I've been on the hunt for a good bar since I moved to Brookline last month. The only place anyone mentions is The Publick House. This is also the recommendation for any restaurant/date-spot/hang out/late-night spot in the area. Apparently all Brookline has to offer is good schools, nice homes, Old World bakeries, and The Publick House. So be it. I finally made the trip a few nights ago and was delightfully surprised to find that The Publick House is a Belgian restaurant. In case you didn't know, I love Belgium. Here's why:

I've only been to two countries outside of North America (three if you count traveling through France on the Eurostar): England and Belgium. Yep, Belgium. You see, I was studying abroad in London for the summer so naturally, my mom came for a visit. After a week spent taking in the sights and eating lots of delicious curry, we decided to take advantage of the Continent's close proximity and go away somewhere for the weekend. So, I was given a choice: Paris or Brussels. As much as I love my mother, I wasn't too thrilled by the idea of spending my first visit to the romance capital of the world with her. I was also suffering from a broken heart at the time, so I was even more emo than usual. City of Lights, no thank you. City of Beer and Chocolate? Yes, please!

Overall, it was a decent trip. Brussels is an interesting city and quite beautiful in parts, though I got really tired of it smelling like urine everywhere. But it was the food that made the most lasting impression. Honestly, Brussels had the most delicious fries, waffles, and chocolate I've ever had anywhere. The best part was how cheap everything was. Sure, you could pay an arm and a leg for chocolate at Godiva or pay a quarter of the price at some neighborhood chocolate shop and it will still be better than anything you've had in the U.S. Hands down.


The Publick House's frites. Get the mustard sauce. If you don't, lie to me and say you did. So. Good.

Anyways...what was the point of this post? Oh, right: The Publick House. Basically, it's as close to Brussels as you're gonna get without a passport. It'll definitely cost you, but it won't smell like urine. Besides, who doesn't like drinking in a bar that resembles a medieval dining hall?