Mussels for Two :: Hopleaf, Andersonville, Chicago

Frites :: Hopleaf, Andersonville, Chicago

Duck Confit Crepes :: Hopleaf, Andersonville, Chicago

On Friday I had all sorts of plans up in the air and in the end we decided to head on up to Hopleaf, a place we’d been really wanting to go for a very long time. I’d heard so much about the food there and also about their extensive beer list.

Hopleaf has a Belgian menu but is known for their frites and mussels, so that’s what we got. Twice. Dallas, Allison and I split mussels for two. When Ed came we split it again, but with Ed and Dallas eating the most and Allison and I just stealing their frites. Allison and I also tried the duck confit crepes (pulled duck leg confit with savory crepes, house-made pickles, scallions, butter lettuce, and rice wine vinaigrette).

The crepes were good, but the mussels were delicious. Really good. We opted for the version that is steamed in white wine with garlic, wild mushrooms, tomatoes, lemon zest, thyme, bay leaves & chives. There’s also a version that’s steamed in Wittekerke white ale with sliced shallots, celery, thyme & bay leaf. At the end we were all dipping our bread into the sauce to sop it up.. we wanted to ask for more bread to finish the job, it was so delicious. And don’t get me started on the frites. They’re served with a sidecar of garlic aioli, which is basically garlic mayonnaise. Loved them. They reminded me of the pomme frites places in New York that we used to go to… where all they serve is frites and about 20 different kinds of aioli.

Later on Chris, Mario and Greg joined us. Chris had the sausage plate (a variety of sausages with bourbon pancetta white beans) and Mario had the brisket sandwich (Montreal rub, slow roasted, briefly smoked; with house-made dill pickle & frites). They also split the macaroni and Stilton cheese. Greg had the toasted Nueske ham sandwich (on pumpernickel with Gruyere cheese & apple tarragon coleslaw, served with frites). I think everyone liked what they got. I know everyone enjoyed trying all the Belgian beers…. more on that soon!