Bruxie (Orange, CA)

Bruxie
292 N Glassell St
Orange, CA 92866
Dining date: 8/12/11

Bruxie opened late last year and quickly became one of the most popular restaurants in Orange County. The concept here is based on waffle sandwiches…think fried chicken & waffles in a sandwich form. It seems like such a logical idea I’m surprised it hasn’t inspired some large fast food chain to follow suit. As far as I know, Bruxie is the first to base a restaurant on the idea…at least in this area.

Usual suspects such as a burger and fried chicken sandwich are featured, as well as some more interesting ones like prosciutto & gruyere, smoked salmon & dill cream cheese, and a bacon/egg/cheddar. Of course, there’s a variety of sweet waffle sandwiches to go along with the savory.

I’ve been to Bruxie once (camera-less) and enjoyed that visit. An afternoon work meeting in Orange was the perfect opportunity to pay another visit. Clearly, it’s still a popular place (picture taken at 11:30).

Buttermilk Fried Chicken & Waffle Chili Honey and Cole Slaw, 100% Pure Maple Syrup

Even though the menu has a number of intriguing options, each one of us (party of four) couldn’t resist getting this one. I first tried the waffle: warm, crispy, light and airy – excellent. The chicken was fried to a nice crisp and was surprisingly moist for breast meat. If I had one complaint, I wanted just a little bit more flavor in the chicken..maybe in a brine?  The accompanying cole slaw added a subtle acidity, while the honey really stepped it up a notch for me, adding a hearty sweetness.

I’m not sure how we forgot to order the waffle fries (waffle fries…of course), but I had them in my prior visit and liked them a lot.

Liege Waffle with Caramelized Pearl Sugar Nutella

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I found the sweetness level to be right, but I wanted the exterior to be a little crispier. It may have been because the waffle sat out a little bit (all items came out at once and we ate the chicken sandwich first), getting slightly soggy.

Seasonal Créme Brulée Classic Vanilla Créme with Burnt Raw Sugar and Seasonal Fresh Fruit

The seasonal fruit in this was strawberries. Tasty. I’m not sure where the burnt sugar was, so this was sort of like a custard sandwich for me. Rich custard, light crispy waffle, and sweet strawberries. Good way to end the meal.

Bruxie offers food that is playful, comfortable and delicious. And given that everything on the menu was under $8, it was easy to see why it’s so popular. I’d come back if I am in the area again; I’d love to try more of the waffle sandwiches.