Complete and Creative

Are Belgian Waffles Really That Good?

In short, the answer is yes.

Cuban cigars, Swiss chocolate, Russia vodka, American…uh…burgers, British…um…let’s just leave the list at that.

Many countries in the world have food and beverage items for which they are famous (I know cigars technically aren’t food, but you’ve heard of Cuban cigars, right?). Whereas the Swiss have something as sexy as chocolate and the Russians have something as essential to parties as vodka, Belgians have…waffles.

Some guy sinking his teeth into a Belgian waffle in Downtown Brussels.

But they’re such good waffles! Let me make this clear: I am not a fan of waffles. A grand American breakfast can include any and all of the following: eggs, bacon, sausage links or patties, omelets, pancakes, muffins, bagels, and…waffles. I’m more of a cereal kind of guy. I don’t prefer sweets in general, and waffles, with their maple syrup, chocolate fudge, powdered sugar, and strawberry or blueberry toppings, are pretty damn sweet. I mean, just look at and listen to the word: “waffles.” Say it real fast, inflecting on the initial syllable and emphasizing the double “f”’s in the middle. “Waffles.” Doesn’t it sound like something you wouldn’t take seriously?

But, oh man, you’ve got to take these waffles seriously. All my fellow international students and I fell victim to their deceptive sweetness and delicate texture. You don’t really need to order anything extra on top. The syrup is built-in (when you get it at the right stand). Allow me to repeat: the syrup is built-in. As in, when you bite into it, the juicy goodness just oozes into your mouth. Normally, something like this would be overbearing for me. As I said, I don’t generally like sweets. But this is almost a pure and innocent kind of sweetness that you don’t find in most American foods. I approve.

Now, where to find a decent Belgian waffle?

Belgium, of course.

I haven’t found anything even close to it anywhere in America or even Europe. (I had a “Belgian waffle” at a festival in Sweden once, and it was utter crap.) If you’re really craving one, though, and you happen to live in Southern California, make a trip to Santa Barbara County to a small Danish town called Solvang. There’s a restaurant named “The Belgian Cafe” on Copenhagen Drive that serves acceptable Belgian waffles. You can’t miss it. Solvang is only about four blocks wide. Note: I merely said “acceptable.”

Downtown Brussels was where I had my first taste of the Belgian waffle. It was a somewhat hole-in-the-wall type stand on the main street leading down to La Grand Place (sorry for not being more specific, but I was a little busy eating, okay?). If you can, I recommend getting one of those Belgian waffles at a stand on the street instead of at a restaurant.

So…yes.

“Waffles.”