Check out the interview with our very own Chef Kate Baltren in The List, Are You On It’s exclusive Chef's Column,  to see how Kate's rise to "pastry prominence" has added new glitter to the DC area's star-filled lineup of talented pastry chefs. You'll get a taste of what it's like to swallow your fears, quit your comfortable desk job, and pursue your culinary dreams.

Check out Chef Wiedmaier’s Pan-Roasted Veal Chops with Cabernet Sauce recipe in the December 2009 issue of Food & Wine Magazine.

Washington Post Magazine names the Butcher’s Block a ‘Best Bets: Sandwich Shops.’

Politico highlights BRABO’s Robert Wiedmaier as one of the top chefs involved in the “Chefs Move to School” program.  Local "Top Chef" contestants Carla Hall (of Alchemy Caterers) and Bryan Voltaggio of (Volt) were in attendance as well as promine Washington Chefs Robert Wiedmaier (Marcels, Brasserie Beck, Brabo), Cathal Armstrong (Restaurant Eve) and Todd Gray (Equinox).

Washingtonian magazine recommends BRABO Tasting Room as a prime spot to take mom on mother’s day saying “Sip wine and share a charcuterie/cheese platter in the Tasting Room at the Belgian restaurant BRABO.  They are also fond of the mushroom-bacon—and-walnut tart and a hefty sandwich of slow-roasted beef with Chimay cheese and caramelized onions.

Washington Post Express suggests the Butcher’s Block for lawn-perfect nibbles suitable for the outdoor performance venue, Wolf Trap. “Wolf Trap does not allow grills on the grounds, so fill your basket with gourmet salads and sandwiches from the Butcher’s Block."

“Alexandria In the Bag: Gourmet Goods,” a round-up of Old Town culinary delights in the Washington Post Express highlights the Butcher’s Block saying “this European-style grocery  carries a mix of gourmet nibbles and sips — fresh-baked bread, homemade pates, handpicked artisanal wines — ideal for grabbing for a party or picnic.”

Greg Kitsock from the Washington Post’s ‘All We Can Eat” provides a fun review on Beverage and Wine Director Leah Dedmon’s ‘Beer vs. Wine Dinner’ with her fiancé Thor Cheston, Beer Director at Brasserie Beck.

Fortified Wines and Food Pairing a big hit at Brabo.

Fortified Wine and Food Pairing at Brabo is a big Hit!

They know their menus, their chefs, their purveyors of fine foods, but they don’t take themselves too seriously like some other places make the mistake of doing.  No guest at Brabo ever feels out of place or uncomfortable.  Wiedmaier creates establishments for guests, not royal palaces for celebrity chefs to hold court with wait staffs running around holding their noses up in the air. 

The lamb was absolutely divinely tender and moist and bright pink in color. The white bean puree was silky smooth yet starchy tasting, like a parsnip puree or thin mashed potatoes; even I didn't notice the difference. The madeira sauce was deliciously rich and was perfect with the lamb. The ratatouille that was served on the side was the very best that I have had. The ratatouille was a combination of tenderly cooked diced eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes and onion.

Robert Wiedmaier is determined to bring Belgium to the Beltway. With the opening of Brabo in Old Town, the man behind Marcel’s and Brasserie Beck flexes his mussels, frites and ales across the Potomac.

Flatbreads, cooked in the wood-burning oven and brushed with garlic-and-chili oil, are scattered with such terrific toppings as duck confit, its richness cut with bitter radicchio, or mussels with béchamel.

As with all his other ventures, Wiedmaier is attentive to the details that make a good restaurant great, and a great restaurant exceptional. The bread is crusty, the butter sweet, and the salt international. The presentation is graceful but restrained, enhancing rather than distracting.

The Bottom Line:  BRABO offers innovative Belgian cuisine in a contemporary setting. The menu is creative and includes a nice variety of dishes. Prices and portion sizes are reasonable. This restaurant makes a nice addition to the Old Town Alexandria dining scene.

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