Maison Dandoy
Brussels Waffle with Speculoos Ice Cream and Chantilly
Liege Waffle with Chocolate and Chantilly
Biscuits – Speculoos, Sable, Chocolate Sable, Pure Butter and Frangipane, Pistachio Sable, Patience, Bernardin, Raisin, Palmier, Feuilletine
Biscuits – Sugar Brioche, Cherry, Royale, Pain a la Grecque, Dark Chocolate Speculoos, Milk Chocolate Speculoos, Vanilla Speculoos
Located on Rue du Beurre since 1829 and known best for creating the “Spectaculoos” Speculoos found in everything from biscuits and spreads to chocolate, cheesecake and ice cream throughout Belgium, a visit to Maison Dandoy was actually comprised of two distinct stops on Monday afternoon in Brussels, the first at the shop with an upstairs Tea Room on Rue Charles Buls with a follow-up at the original where more treats were consumed.
Perhaps Brussels’ most famous Artisan, their shops now spreading to Antwerp, Bruges and more, Maison Dandoy’s story is told by way of the website or, in the case of the Tea Room, within the menu and although cookies remain the shops mainstay there is no doubt that the made-to-order waffles have gained their own following, both Liege and Brussels style turned out hot from fresh batter while several styles of shakes, sundaes and beverages round out the well-culled but substantial menu offerings.
Still raining at this point, the decision to dine in rather than taking items to the street carrying a surcharge while the restaurant also refuses to serve water from the tap, it was moments after seating that the lone server greeted each diner and quickly deciding to go all-in with one of each waffle the kitchen is equally expeditious, the Brussels version arriving crisp and perfect with slowly melting housemade icecream and whipped topping while the Liege version was hot, sticky and well pocketed with melting sugar crystals topped in dark chocolate and even more Chantilly.
Settling the tab, surely more pricey than places like Waffle Factory, Le Funambule or other grab n’ gos but still inexpensive for such a snack, it was downstairs to the shop that browsing continued, a young lady at the counter telling me a more comprehensive collection was available at the original location and thus leading to a short walk.
At this point around 16h00, dinner plans at 19h30, it was to warm smiles that entry was made to the rustic looking shop on Rue au Beurre and greeted by a pair of clerks with samples a taste of the Pain a la Grecque was quick to sell customers hook, line and sinker, the rest of the cookies and confections no less compelling and charged by weight likely to lead most to an order exceeding €20.
With nowhere to sit in the narrow shop and atelier it was with three bags packed that options were taken to the car and opting to enjoy the items in conjunction with chocolates back at the hotel one would be hard pressed to name any cookie that was less than excellent the sables like crispy dollops of butter while brioche, Palmiers and Feuilletine reached high standards set by the French, each style of Speculoos as good as the last with a best bite found in the original topped by a tablet of Laurent Gerbaud’s Dark Chocolate.
www.maisondandoy.com