When I heard there was a Belgian restaurant in town earlier this year, I literally grabbed my purse, ran out the door, got in my car and headed for Trente-Cinq. See, I lived in Belgium for a year and I miss everything about Belgium terribly (except the weather). The thought that there could be a little piece of Belgium in Phoenix...well, to say the least ,it got me a little excited. That being said, my expectations going in were high.\n\nMy first Trente-Cinq experience only ended up being dessert and coffee. I had the mousse au chocolat. Mon dieu! It made me weak in the knees. I savored every little bite, making the mousse last as long as I possibly could. My friend had the cafe liegeois. It was also good, but nothing compared to my mousse.\n\nThe next time I went with my family to expose them to Belgian cuisine. I ate the waterzooi, a traditional Flemish dish. It did not disappoint in all its creamy deliciousness. My dad had the lamb shank. He said the meat just fell off the bone. Thumbs up! My brother opted for the boulettes (mini meatballs) and was underwhelmed. We also ordered a salad (I forget which one) that did not impress. Overall, the fam gave the resto a mixed review.\n\nTo be honest, I wish Trente-Cinq was something other than what it is. The dining area is simple and feels like it is trying to fit in with downtown Phoenix trendy. I suppose I wanted it to be more like a Belgian eatery would be- more cozy, more traditional, more intimate. Really, maybe I wanted it to be more like the Belgium I experienced as an underpaid au pair who did not see the more upscale side of life. To be fair, there are some things Trente-Cinq really gets right...like that mousse! As for a piece of \"my\" Belgium in Phoenix...it's still only in my head.
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