Bitterballen at Brasserie 214

Chef Armand Vanderstigchel is from Holland and brings dishes from his homeland to where he is executive chef.

The Dish: if you go to Holland or Belgium, bitterballen is an appetizer that you’d find in any bar or restaurant.

What’s Inside: Brasserie 214’s bitterballen is ground veal mixed with onions and spices. To prepare it, Chef Vanderstigchel browns the meat, adds onions, butter and flour, spice such as allspice and beef broth—as it cooks, all comes together like a very thick béchamel sauce, making this a creamy mixture. The cooked meat is then refrigerated until cold and then scooped to make balls coated with egg and bread crumbs and put back in the fridge. When ordered, they are fried until golden brown and served with a bold Dijon mustard.

How’s it Taste: Crisp outside and soft and gooey inside – this is a delicious combination of textures and flavors. The bite of the mustard sauce adds another taste note.

Sides: Tilburg Dutch Brown feels like the perfect beverage to have with the bitterballen. Tilburg is brewed in the tiny village of Tilburg near the Belgian border.
 It is an aromatic dark ale with a bit of sweetness.