Swaffle? Wandwich? Bruxie!

Fried Chicken Bruxie

“Chicken and waffles” – it’s no new thing. In fact, according to those time-honored historians of Wikipedia, it’s a dish that may have roots going back to Thomas Jefferson. Mmmm … tastes forefathery. You would think that this clever concoction couldn’t be improved upon, but I was recently turned on to a little outdoor restaurant in Orange that has given this dish, as well as the humble waffle, not just a makeover, but the culinary equivalent of a nip, tuck, and boob job; sure, it might not be natural, but that doesn’t mean it’s not really, really good.

Bruxie specializes in waffle sandwiches (called “bruxies”), both sweet and savory. Items on the menu include; the s’mores bruxie, the fried chicken bruxie (with an option to buy a side of maple syrup), the bruxie burger, and even a smoked salmon bruxie with fresh dill and cream cheese. When my friend told me about this place I had the reaction that any normal human being would have when presented with such a stroke of genius, I piddled myself with excitement. After a quick change of undies, I made plans to go there with my sister and brother-in-law, and a couple days later, I drove up to Orange.

Cream Soda

We ordered three bruxies and split them so that we could get a little sampling of the menu. Obviously, we got the chicken with maple, then the prosciutto with gruyere, and for dessert, lemon cream and berries. We also got their cane sugar sodas and waffle fries. After ordering we found a table, and a couple of minutes later, they came out with our sodas and fries. The cream soda was kind of like liquid cotton candy, only not overly sweet. It’s the kind of drink you want on a really hot day at the beach. The waffle fries were also very good, sprinkled with coarse salt and very slightly crunchy. Then the bruxies were served. We started with the prosciutto and gruyere. The cheese was melted on top of the salty cured ham, and it was topped off with fresh chives and Dijon mustard. This was the favorite bruxie of the meal. Next we had the chicken bruxie. I loved it. The chicken breast is buttermilk battered and fried, then drizzled with a little honey-chili sauce. The combination of the honey and maple with the big hunk of fried chicken breast immediately sent me to my happy place; it’s the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and crunchy. The dessert was also very good. The berries were fresh and sweet, and the lemon cream was slightly tart with a texture similar to hollandaise.

Berries & Lemon Cream

Bruxie is going to become one of my usual spots. The only problem is, I don’t think it’s sufficient for a really hungry person unless you order a couple (or more) of them, which could easily be done because each bruxie is in the 5-ish dollar range. That aside, it’s a great choice for a cheap, fast, and high quality meal as well as a truly unique dining experience.