As soon as we arrived, the first thing to look up was Dan Huzzard. I remembered, this amazing little brasserie in Bruges, which left me impressed and that was more than five years ago. Closed on Wednesday and Thursday, we chose to try Dell'Arte.
A beautiful wooden facade and some nicely written suggestions on the blackboards grab your attention. I felt like having a closer look. Inside is a long rectangular space covered with wooden parquet and filled with wooden tables in a warm ambiance decorated with colorful fabrics and a chimney. Jazz music, candle lights and a ceiling supported by wooden columns.
With a bar in the middle and a terrace outside, this all day diner welcomes you inside. The menu is wide and varied. Snacks, suggestions, starters, meat, fish, salads and pastas with a selection of suggestions. A large selection of sandwiches, mussels and terrine, snails, pasta, meat plates and fried food.
Not too welcoming in terms of service, a bit touristic and straight to the point, but let's wait and taste their food.
Not too oily, nor smelling of oil, super crunchy with a melting heart, the cheese croquettes and shrimp croquettes are very good. I loved the cheese and the mix of shrimps as well. Those two plates are served with a flavorful salad on the side.
The French fries are French fries: as good as you'd expect.
The goat's cheese salad is as good as the other dishes. A goat's cheese tart in the middle served with tomatoes, bacon and endives. A beautiful plate that's good looking and tasty as well.
The Nicoise is super generous. Tuna on top supported by a bed of fresh greens, cucumbers and carrots. Lettuce and tomatoes with the sauce. Very good!
Now for the main courses. The Croque Monsieur is two sandwiches of square bread filled with melting cheese and ham, perfectly toasted and ready to be enjoyed without any sauce or additives. I liked the toasting and compression of the bread but felt it was missing something. It would have benefitted from more filling, some cream, more ham. But I liked it.
Not so appetizing when it comes to a fine plate, but the rabbit was something I recommend you order. Two large chunks of rabbit, perfectly cooked and tender with their cherry sauce. I would have preferred it with fries or potato wedges on the side and not the salad which is served with all plates.
I wasn't expecting to eat such good food: it's cafe casual good food.
The minuses:
- The water bottle was dirty
- They use water glasses with advertising on them - you know the ones offered free with bottles of whisky?
- Service is slow and not as good as it should be
- The plates are too big for the table
I enjoyed the food and the ambiance and recommend you try this place whenever visiting Bruges.
