MARCEL BURGER BAR
Ever since I started the blog I’ve been on a quest in order to spot the best burger places in Brussels. I know, it’s a hard job but someone’s got to do it! Following the suggestion of a couple of readers on Facebook, I decided to try Marcel Burger Bar, one of the latest additions in the city’s burger scene.
This spot happens to be located in one my favourite foodie blocks (yep, that’s totally a thing for bloggers!) in Châtelain, right next to West End and just a short walk from La Fabrique. My partner in crime and I arrived on a Sunday ready to skip our favourite weekend ritual, i.e. brunch, for the ultimate comfort food. The restaurant is spacious and bright with an open kitchen and a few tables outside on the terrace. The decor is quite simple; it actually reminded me of a modern version of a typical fast food, so it wouldn’t be my first choice for a romantic meal but it works of you’re looking for a more casual venue. Note to foodie parents: Marcel Burger Bar is a family-friendly place; so much so that on our visit we seemed to be the only ones without kids!
The menu features a handful of burgers, including a vegetarian one, and a few sides that you have to order separately. As I was browsing through the different options, it was obvious that this was going to be no ordinary burger! The meat is sourced from Metzger, patties are made from 80% lean ground beef, the cheese comes from a Belgian artisan producer, fries are hand cut and the buns homemade. Prices are very reasonable too (around 13€ for a burger and 15€ for a combo of burger, fries and a soft drink), especially considering the quality.
We finally opted for the Cheese Bacon (beef burger, bacon, mimolette cheese, lettuce, tomato and Marcel Burger Bar’s secret sauce), the Sweet Lamb (lamb burger, gouda cheese, cumin, red onions, lettuce, tomato and coriander), sweet potato fries and quesadillas with guacamole. Both burgers were really good but if you go, please promise me you’ll have the Sweet Lamb. The meat was exceptionally good, the bun did not fall apart and the overall size of the burgers was manageable in the sense that you could eat them in a graceful manner without dislocating your jaw, if you know what I mean! The sweet potatoes were really good while my least favourite were the quesadillas – I have become rather strict I’m afraid after my trip to Mexico. Every burger at Marcel is paired with a Belgian beer and I’m really glad we decided to go for those. Not only did they compliment perfectly our burgers, but it’s also a clever Belgo-American culinary marriage.
As you’ll notice in the pictures, portions are more than fair, so after having a burger and sharing two sides were both way too full to have dessert. Next time I’m eager to try Marcel’s frozen yoghurt and see if it’s as good as Mellow’s (my current favourite!). Oh and just in case you’re wondering who Marcel is, it’s the owner’s English bulldog. I happen to love this breed as my sister has the cutest bulldog ever, so big thumbs up for the fun logo. If you try Marcel Burger Bar, let me know how you liked it!
| INFO |
| Address: Rue Américaine 87, 1050 Ixelles, Belgium |
| Telephone: +32 2 5343434 |
*UPDATE: Unfortunately, Marcel Burger Bar is now closed.*
