Jul 27, 2014

Put the White Toasts and Wheat Bread Aside, Let's Try This New Waffle Sandwich Craze at Bruxie (Irvine, CA)

The line was insane when Bruxie first opened in Southern California. People were crazy about this waffle sandwich concept - "the bold fold," says the restaurant's tag line. 



You can read all about how this popular Belgian/American waffle sandwich started by clicking the link, for sure it'll do a better job explaining the whole stories behind. As for me, I'm here to share my first dine in experience at the Irvine branch. Just to sum it up, the food was lighter and better than expected!



Located inside the Irvine Heritage Plaza close to the 5 freeway, you won't see long lines waiting outside this branch since the initial frenzy has passed. However, Bruxie can still get quite busy during lunch and dinner rush hours. Short waiting time can be expected because all the waffle sandwiches are made to order to ensure customers get hot and crisp bites every time. 



Spacious indoor dining area; there are also a few outdoor tables overseeing the parking lot.  



I had to admit that I've been reluctantly to give waffle sandwich a try, unlike the cronut craze that got me all excited when it first started. Never a big fan of waffles, it's too heavy and makes my tummy bloated easily. However, being a foodie, shredding away all the presumptions is a must, on top of that, stereotypes. So here I am, standing in line with my other girl friend ordering not just one, but three waffle sandwiches. Might as well try more varieties all at once. 



Self-serving station -



Menu, they even have waffle cut fries!? Too bad three waffle sandwiches might already hit the lunch capacity for two Asian girls -



*Click on the image for an enlarged view.

Sundaes, shakes, floats, and other drinks -



The server delightfully took down our order and handed over a pager -



The wait wasn't too bad plus we got our drinks first. Took about 10 minutes before receiving our savory waffle sandwiches. The sweet sandwich can either be served first or can be hold till you're ready for it. Just tell any of the servers and show them the receipt. They'll start making it in the kitchen. That way you'll get freshly made hot waffles from the beginning till the end. 

Ice tea and Belgian mocha -



The Belgian mocha is blended with chocolate, you can request lighter on the chocolate if less sweetened taste is preferred.

I would say the most popular savory waffle sandwich at Bruxie is the buttermilk fried chicken dressed in chili honey and cider slaw $7.5 -



It comes with the option of adding 100% pure Vermont maple syrup for extra $1. 

My very first bite of waffle sandwich, it's all yours Bruxie.

Surprisingly light and flavorful. I thought the waffle itself was going to be a heavy with chunky load of dough that'll stuck in my tummy for the rest of the day. But no, Bruxie modified the regular recipe and created burden-less and airy waffles. Even though on the website Bruxie states that the waffle is not sweet, but it does has that naturally sugary taste from the flour, and perhaps enhanced even more during the iron pressing process.



The square edges on the waffle create extra crunchiness for each bite. Chicken breast was used but not dry as regular white meat, for sure the honey dressing helps in adding moisture

Green eggs and ham $7.25 -



"Grilled ham, Tillamook cheddar, mayo, jumbo egg, arugula pesto."

This one has a more delicate flavor profile compared to the tried and true country fried chicken. The semi-cooked egg yolk is the best part, adding something comforting to this rather light waffle sandwich. Female customers might fall for this one.  

Done with the savory items, now off to sweet treat. Nutella and bananas with sweet cream $5.95 -



Who doesn't love nutella, especially when paired with ripe bananas? 



The sweet cream inside tastes like light yogurt. There's a hint of sourness, which works great in cutting down the sweetness from the nutella spread. 



Overall my first visit was a wonderful experience and the waffle itself was way better than expected. The savory items were lighter than imagined, which is not a bad thing. The sweet waffle with nutella, well, anything with nutella can never go wrong. I wouldn't mind coming back for more when craving for some comforting yet delicate lunch meal.


Cindy's rating: 7 (More like 6.5)


Bruxie (Irvine Branch)
Irvine Heritage Plaza
14376 Culver Drive
Irvine, CA 92604
(949) 556 - 4894
http://bruxie.com/

Operating hours: 
Sun - Thu from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Fri - Sat from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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