Leslie Knope, one of my favourite TV characters exclaimed famously in the popular American sitcom Parks and Recreation, "Why would anyone eat anything other than breakfast food?" And that line resonated with me. Her boss Ron Swanson, another iconic television figure, and a fellow lover of breakfast food had said in the show, "There has never been a sadness that can't be cured by breakfast food." Seems a little farfetched? I thought so too. But my recent experience at the newly launched Bruxie, Ambience Mall, Gurgaon, proved me wrong. There is something absolutely divine about breakfast food - especially when it involves waffles and fried chicken.
For Indians, waffles with chicken does sound like an odd combination to have in the morning. The savoury texture of waffles with the meaty crunch of fried chicken - how do they gel together? But traditionally, American waffles were served with butter and maple syrup, as they would be on a breakfast table, with chicken on the side. This has been a typical American soul food beloved by millions of people since the 1800s. The inclusion of the chicken on the side would turn it into a proper meal, ideal for a brunch or even an early dinner. So this way, they made the breakfast meal more wholesome, enriched with protein and whole lot of fun.
I had searched for long the best waffles in Delhi. I had heard from my friends and cousins in California about this specialty restaurant, Bruxie, which served the most delightful Belgian waffles with chicken. The fun-casual concept restaurant would have waffles that would be crunchy and light on the outside, with a juicy, meaty, savoury filling on the inside. This was the waffle of my dreams. And after all these years, Bruxie has come to the rescue. In the heart of Delhi NCR, we have a brand new branch of Bruxie that serves Belgian waffles in the most traditional American style - with a pleasant little twist.
I had the fortune to visit Gurgaon's hot new Bruxie a day post its launch, and noticed co-founder Kelly Mullarney himself serving his novelty waffles to several intrigued customers. I was pleasantly surprised to see Kelly walk up to each and every customer to get feedback and suggestions. He even offered them drinks from the menu. I had a talk with him too and was amazed to see how excited he was to feed me all the different delicacies from his menu. Mullarney founded the first Bruxie in Orange County 10 years back before it went on to become a global phenomenon. Kelly's intention of opening Bruxie in Gurgaon is to make the fun-casual chain into a global waffle domination company.
Bruxie's USP is that their waffles aren't the usual American ones that are heavy and almost like pancakes that were served with butter and syrup. They are the fluffy, airy and light Belgian waffles, with just the right balance of crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Mullarney said that his idea was to make the waffles be held by the hands and eaten. And that's where the concept of the waffle sandwich was born. So, they deconstructed the sandwich and rebuild it on the waffle bread. Mullarney juxtaposed the Southern American concept of waffles with fried chicken with the Belgian waffle sandwich and since day 1 at the Bruxie Orange Country branch, "Fried chicken waffles was the number one selling item off the menu." This unique concept of Bruxie puts premium, hand-battered boneless fried chicken between two crisp, savoury waffles to create a one-of-a-kind sandwich.
Bruxie's menu is simple - but delicious. Every item is worth trying and it's best to come here with a group of friends so you can each enjoy your picks along with have a bite off each other's choices. My favourite was the Kickin' and The Original. a generous, boneless fried chicken breast topped with chilli honey and cider slaw, served between two waffle halves being a hit in the restaurant. Kickin' is a lot spicier with a tangy sauce and smoked rub. Both are uniquely distinct in their flavours.
On the sides, you can avail their fried crispy tenders, which goes oh-so-well with their dips. My top picks are the honey mustard and the yogurt mustard dips. By the way, Bruxie India has all their waffles with paneer options as well. Great news for vegetarians!
Exhibiting its finesse in the food industry, the brand ensures its food is prepared with high-quality ingredients the chicken is fresh. Each piece is hand-breaded and fried to each order while sauces and dips are made in-house. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk, hand-battered and fried to order with a crispy exterior crust, and juicy, tender meat. It's paired with delicious, waffles from Bruxie's proprietary recipe that are baked fresh on-site throughout the day. Sandwiched together super crispy chicken tenders, dipping sauces and savory waffles perfectly complement one another to create a unique, crave-worthy feast.
And while you're there, never forget the dessert! The Crème Brulee waffle and the Nutella-Banana waffle are the greatest food inventions of the modern world, I believe. After my bruxie experience, all I can I say is: Thank god for waffles! Bruxie has the best waffles in the Delhi NCR, hand down.