The wife and I dropped the little one off at the in-laws for a night this weekend, and headed to the East Liberty in search of good food and beer.  Our destination was Point Brugge Cafe, a Belgian-inspired restaurant and bar.

First of all, take the GPS and trust it.  It may look like you are headed into a residential neighborhood, but the Cafe is there nestled among the houses.  Parking can be tight, but we snagged a street spot just a few steps from the packed restaurant.  Our wait was about 90 minutes, which was wonderful considering the great beer selection.

The Point listed this as a Golden Strong, but at 6.6% according to Belgoo it is a little weak for the style. Still a great beer.

I started with a Belgoo Magus Golden Strong, followed up by a Gouden Carolous Hopsinjoor.  Prices were a little high, but not obnoxious, with both 8% beers costing $7.50.  I definitely recommend both beers, especially the Hopsinjoor which had more hop flavor than is common in Belgians.

If you can find it, you have to try the Hopsinjoor

The food was pricey, but very good.  I had the Carbonnade Flamanade ($19), which is a traditional Belgian beef dish.  The Belgian Frites ($5) are a must try, and the mussels ($11) were excellent.  No closed shells, and no grinding bites of sand.

Back in the day, my drinking buddies and I used to do the “Friday Nighter”.  Tired of the same clubs and bars every weekend, we would pick a hole in the wall out in the burbs .  Sure there were some real busts, but also some of the best times.

I would like to add The Pines Tavern to your list of Friday Nighters.  This restaurant off of Route 8 in Pine Twp is a nice little find for the beer lover.  It is off the beaten path, so bring your GPS.

They have a huge menu and very reasonable prices.  The beer list was very respectable, with offerings from New Holland, Voodoo, and some very reasonably priced Belgians (most were $5 for a bottle).  They also hold monthly beer dinners for $35/person.  You get 3 courses, each paired with a beer.  In the summer, dishes are prepared from vegetables and herbs picked straight from the restaurant’s garden.

I had an O’Fallon 5 Day IPA and a New Holland Mad Hatter IPA.   The O’Fallon was very drinkable and clean, but lacked any real character.  The Mad Hatter was excellent, and recommended if you like IPAs.

Many thanks to Lisa, the Pines’ craft beer guru, for hanging out and talking beer with the wife and I.