WASHINGTONIAN  September 2010

Robert Wiedmaier’s new beer-and-mussel house has the dark wood, tin ceiling, and conversational din of a Brussels drinking hall. The food nods to Belgium, but it’s also globally hip:pizza-like wood-fired tarts with crisp crusts; spicy Berkshire pork cooked doner kebab style and tucked into flatbread with pickled cucumbers and onions; a stellar lobster roll sprinkled with Old Bay.Big pots of mussels are perfect for sharing, and fries come with house-made mayo for dipping. The no-reservations policy can mean long waits. 7262 Woodmont Ave.; 301-215-7817. Entrees $15 to $28

Exercise Your Mussels

Chef Robert Wiedmaier Flexes His Belgian Talents in Bethesda, Maryland

What the world needs now is not another burger joint – but isn’t it high time for a good mussel dive? Ok, not so much a dive, since the one leading this DC trend is none other than Robert Wiedmaier, of Marcel’s fame.  And while he is not alone, he’s certainly one of the first to ‘muscle’ the craze and honor his Belgian roots with a new and inviting establishment serving seriously good, yet inexpensive, Flemish fare.

This confident new move bringing the savory mollusks to the forefront of his own gastro-pub is the latest venture of DC’s master of Belgian cuisine, who already serves them to great acclaim at Brasserie Beck, the more casual side-kick of his formal French flagship, Marcel’s.  Mussel Bar, dedicated to mussels and other Flemish favorites, will open on Bethesda’s lively Woodmont Avenue this July.

In fact, the inspiration for Robert Wiedmaier’s Mussel Bar is an old-world Belgian roadhouse serving Bière, Moules & Frites, the kind of place where Chef in his youth would head late night to unwind with kitchen colleagues.  To achieve the look, he’s collaborated with CORE architecture + design [who were also responsible for the smart vintage appeal of Brasserie Beck's interior,] making the atmosphere match the vision, with contemporary touches here and there to keep it fresh.  It will have vintage-inspired wooden booths and wood wainscoted walls hung with vintage Belgian beer signs.  Polished concrete floors and  pressed tin ceiling are definitely “no-frills beer hall,” and the central bar with a distressed wooden surface, rusticated metal hanging units, and chalkboard menus add to the air of authenticty.  Those looking closely will note that the concrete tops of the standing bollard tables surrounding the bar are cleverly embedded with crushed mussel shells.  But the real focal point is the massive 16′ long “Beer Tower” of wood and glass, with three refrigerated illuminated glass cases.    The open kitchen is seen through a tower of rusticated metal mussel bowls on a counter inspired by vintage beer barrels.  Handmade tables of reclaimed pine and weathered wooden chairs form the seating in the main dining room, grouped communally under a custom light fixture of – what else? – beer bottles!  The undulating amber soffit surrounding this whimsical feature keeps the atmosphere comfortably modern.   And a  monumental antique Belgian train clock becomes a Robert Wiedmaier signature furnishing,  linking this new interior to that of Brasserie Beck.

The mussels at Mussel Bar will be the finest that Prince Edward Island has to offer, prepared to please all tastes, including “Classic” with Sauvignon Blanc, Roasted Garlic and Parsley; “Spicy  Green Curry Thai;” “Delirium” with Fennel, Lemon and Stilton Cheese; “Provencale” with Tomato, Garlic, Capers, and Basil; and “Wild-shroom,” with Pancetta, Parmesan, and Truffle Cream.  Tasty as they are, they’ll be even better with a side of frites with a trio of mayonnaises…

In addition to the main attraction, Mussel Bar will also feature döner kebabs, a marinated chicken delicacy popularized in Belgium by the immigrant Turkish residents; savory wood-fired tarts flavored with elegant combinations from wild mushrooms and bacon to truffled ham and organic poached eggs; seasonal soups, salads, and sandwiches; and authentic Belgian custard with house-made toppings like Roasted Pineapple and Summer Bing Cherry.  In keeping with its culinary theme, Mussel Bar will offer forty Belgian beers, eight of which are on tap, including Antigoon by Robert Wiedmaier.  It will have a wine list limited to fewer than a dozen red and white wines, and a classic martini menu, as well.

Mussel Bar will be open Tuesday through Sunday from 11am-11:30pm, with plans to be open on Mondays, as well, come fall.  It will accommodate 125 inside and 50 outside: be sure to work out your timing to come claim your seat for the fine moules frites!

Mussel Bar

7262 Woodmont Avenue

Bethesda, MD 20814

301-215-7817

www.musselbar.com

facebook.com/musselbar

twitter.com/musselbar

Belgium is a country with a dual-identity, and to the uninitiated, its cuisine can be downright confusing.  Is it French?  It it Flemish?  And what on earth is waterzooie??

There is probably no one better to sort it out for us than Chef Robert Wiedmaier, born in Germany to a Belgian father and American mother [who happened to be an excellent cook.] He was raised in Germany and Belgium, began his culinary training in The Netherlands, and fine-tuned his technique in Brussels.  He is a saucier at heart, and takes pride in the labor-intensive, classic techniques of drawing the most flavor from every bit of an animal, to enhance dishes with the very essence of its ingredients; an avid hunter and fisherman, his relationship to those ingredients is truly ‘full-circle.’  Now one of the most celebrated chefs in the nation’s capital [of the United States, that is,] Wiedmaier is known for his Flemish flair.

It shows up in subtle traces at Marcel’s, his flagship restaurant serving the most refined French cuisine; and it is the reason he opened Brasserie Beck, a showcase for the heartier, less elegant, deeply flavorful fare of the north of Belgium.  His trio of establishments in Old Town Alexandria, Brabo, The Market, and The Tasting Room by Robert Wiedmaier, are similarly Belgian in spirit.

He explains the distinct characteristics of food that might legitimately claim to be Belgian. “In the south of Belgium, you have the Wallonians.  They speak a dialect of French, and are typically a more elegant people, with the highly refined taste of the French.  Their food is essentially French.  In the northern part of Belgium,” he continues, “what is known loosely as Flanders, the people speak Flemish, and are close in culture to the Dutch peasantry of the neighboring Netherlands.  Their food is very close to the earth, much more hearty, and less refined.  Root vegetables are a staple.  I went to culinary school in The Netherlands, but when I got out and moved to Brussels, every single restaurant I worked in was French.  No one ever thought to present Flemish cuisine to the public in a serious way.”

At elegant Marcel’s, sure enough, there is a boudin blanc on the menu, and the filet mignon is served with a grain mustard cream; turnips, beets, onions and carrots appear in force, puréed, fricasséed, or in their natural state.

Brasserie Beck, on the other hand, proclaims its Flemish-ness from its soaring rafters, the interior modeled on a cool, bustling Belgian train station dating from the turn of the last century.  They go through 1,000 pounds of mussels a week, and because this is a Belgian delicacy, that computes to mountains of frites and luscious mayonnaise accompaniments.   The Beef “Carbonnade” Stew, a heavy dish deeply flavored with bacon and enhanced with Kasteel beer, is on the menu year-round – by popular demand.  Germanic Alsatian touches appear in couple of house-made sausages and in dishes like the Choucroute en Croûte and the Toasted Baguette with Poached Egg, Fricassée of Mushrooms and Spätzle.  Waterzooie, the classic stew of Flanders [from the Dutch zooien, 'to boil,'] is a hearty seafood feast in a bowl, with croutons and hearty aioli.  The sides at Brasserie Beck are Belgian to the core, from the Frites with a Mayonnaise Trio, to the Sautéed Brussels Sprouts, the Gratin of Endive or Cauliflower, to the Stompe, a root vegetable purée that is a mainstay of Flemish cooking.  The desserts at this casual brasserie are naturally homey, modest, and again – Belgian.  The top favorites are the Pear Tarte Tatin and the Belgian Bread Pudding, laced with chocolate and with cherries cooked in beer.

Speaking of beer, Brasserie Beck enjoys the distinction of offering the greatest variety of Belgian brews in the Washington metropolitan area – over 100 – including ten on tap at the sidewalk seating area alone, and Antigoon, which is custom brewed for Robert Wiedmaier.

Wiedmaier’s newest venture, Mussel Bar, takes the humble Flemish simplicity a step further, to a rustic extreme.  It was inspired by the cheap old-world roadhouses in Brussels where he and      his fellow cooks used to go to kick back and relax, “eating mussels, drinking beer, and listening to rock and roll into all hours, before we had to head back to the kitchen,” he reminisces fondly.  “People enjoy that.  It’s good reasonable everyday food. It’s comfortable.  It’s not Marcel’s – and  that is nice to have variety, wouldn’t you agree?”

For more information:

Simone Rathlé -703.534.8100

www.simonesez.com

Polly Wiedmaier

polly@marcelsdc.com