Petite Abeille – Monks Make the Beers, Patrick Makes the Logos

Petite Abeille
http://www.petiteabeille.com/
134 West Broadway
New York, NY 10013-3328

THE CONQUEST
Meet my friend Patrick. Originally from Ohio, he is a great dude who now lives in Brooklyn. He is into food, biking Belgian beers and my cousin-in-law Jen. In fact they’re engaged and that makes Patrick about to not just be “my friend.” By day, Patrick is a graphic designer who owns his own company, Patrick M. Design. Does the name ring a bell? Patrick is the guy who designed this;

Yup, he is the man behind the Official Burger Conquest logo. Pat also did the logo for my day job, Yeah! Management;

When he offered to help me with my logo needs, I offered to take him out for a burger and beers as a thank you. Patrick is a really talented artist and practically nailed both designs from the first attempt. I was really blown away by his work. When my wife Cara got the call from Jen that Patrick had popped “the question” to Jen, I knew it was time to return the favor.

Patrick and Jen suggested we hit the financial district location of Petite Abeille. It’s pronounced “puh–teet a-bay” and it’s Belgian for “Little Bee,” a popular 1970s children’s book. It’s a cute little bistro that has a nice homey feel to it. The entire menu is based on popular and traditional Belgian dishes including more than 50 different Belgian beers. If you love Belgian food or are a displaced Belgian living in NYC, this place is the real deal. The menu includes mussels, waffles, frites, stoemp, stew, haddock, chicken and what has been called “the best burger” by the Village Voice.

THE BURGER
Both Patrick and I ordered the restaurant’s signature burger, the “Petite Abeille;” a 9 oz patty made of fresh beef, grilled and served with bacon, lettuce, tomato and cheddar. It comes on a toasted brioche that is coated with the restaurant’s signature sauce. You do not have to worry about this at Petite Abeille. The brioche, already a sturdy bread option, when toasted provides quite the protective shell on what is a decent sized burger. This is good to keep it on one piece and in your hands. A crumbling sandwich and soggy bun can often detract from the joy that is a hamburger. While some people won’t eat a burger without bacon and cheese, I don’t find it necessary. In this case however, I would absolutely suggest you the burger with both. The mature flavor of the cheddar and the saltiness of the bacon danced around they were having a full on mardi gras style party on my sandwich. The beef was rich, flavorful, juicy and my favorite part…cooked to a perfect medium rare. While I wouldn’t normally suggest red onions, they absolutely blended just perfectly with the tangy yet subtle special sauce. It’s a mixture that tastes like mayonnaise, ketchup and BBQ sauce. Just the right amount is used to as to not over power, just accent.

The burgers all come with large Belgian frites, or as we might call them, fries. They were good but the star of the sides was the Stoemp. It’s a traditional Belgian dish that combines mashed potatoes and other vegetables or spices. In this case, we had ours with sliced carrots. While it sounds like a simple idea, it’s got big flavor and makes for a great side to the delicious burger. I opted out of the mussels but everyone else at the table claimed them to be pretty damn good.

8 out of 10 ounces
-Rev Ciancio

The passion for good food at Petite Abeille is matched only by their passion for good Belgian beer. With a menu with 50+ Belgian ales, you could practically play Russian roulette with the choices and never take a bullet. For more details on our Belgian Beer Adventure, check out out sister sites, One Barrel Bar.

Congrats to Patrick and Jen! Cara and I could not be more excited for you two!!!