London

Brouge

Why doesn't Belgium ever make the list of fattest nations? We're pretty sure if we lived off beer and chocolate all day, we'd be one of those people on Channel 5 who gets fork lifted out of their house.

Turns out those sneaky, slim Belgians actually eat a more varied diet than we thought though – as Itchy learnt when we went to the Belgian eatery Brouge. Turns out the choco dons have a penchant for fresh seafood (and cooking things in booze).

We're talking fresher than fresh mussels served in cute-as-can-be (but massive) pots with 'Moules' scrawled across them (to remind those with a fickle attention span exactly what they are eating) and award-winning sausages cooked in beer.

Itchy's mussels were what you'd expect to find in a seaside restaurant in France – fresh, perfectly cooked and dripping in creamy sauce so good we felt the need to lick it off when it dripped down our arm. Unfortunately, the accompanying bucketload of frites were a bit lifeless, and, quite frankly, droopier than Uma Thurman.

Meanwhile, our dining companion's sausage and stoemp (traditional mash made with potato and swede) in beer gravy were the kind of thing you'd be craving after a night on the tiles. The award winning sausages were scrumptious.

We topped off this pretty sturdy (and generously portioned) fare with a pretty, creamy and delicious pear and almond cheesecake, leaving us wondering again about how our European neighbours stay so slim. They must use some sort of new fangled photographic trickery to fool the judges – there's no other explanation.

So, although Brouge is in the no man's land that is the end of the district line (and as South London as you can get without getting the 'I've left the city' sweats), it's kinda worth the trip.

We loved the space – a tardis-style yawning old wine cellar – and considering we don't have enough money to go to Belgium, we thought this was a pretty impressive alternative. But please sort out the frites guys – Itchy likes 'em perky.

Brouge
5 Hill Street
Richmond Upon Thames
Surrey
TW9 1SX

020 8332 0055
www.brouge.co.uk

Christine Fleming

- Award Winning Pork Sausage served with an Onion and Bruin Beer Gravy with Stoemp, £8.95

- Moules Mariniere a la Crème served with a bucket of Frites, £11.95

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