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• Brugge Brasserie

Duck sandwich with fries at Brugge Brasserie in Broad Ripple. (Steve Healey for The Star)

Belgian-style veal and pork meatloaf sandwich with fries at Brugge Brasserie. (Steve Healey for The Star)

Grilled chicken crepe with fries at Brugge Brasserie in Broad Ripple. (Steve Healey for The Star)

As clichéd as it might be, in the case of Broad Ripple's Brugge Brasserie, good things really do come in small packages.

I visited this cozy upscale gastro-pub briefly upon its 2005 opening, but hadn't returned until recently. One of my husband's colleagues makes it a habit to lunch here with his wife every Saturday, and after hearing him rave about the experience, I decided it was time to take another look.

So it was on a recent Saturday that the four of us met up for a midafternoon meal. Pete and I arrived early and waited in the small bar, perched near the vast vats inside the brewery where the fresh, handcrafted Belgian-style beers are born.

Soon, Bob and Debra entered, and we took a table in the adjoining dining room. As in the bar, the tabletops are a thick, hammered copper, with small round holes in the top to hold the ubiquitous V-shaped baskets of savory pommes frites ordered by hungry guests.

One of the specialties here are the moules frites, Prince Edward Island mussels served in one of seven sauces. Bob highly recommends these, and the sauces (beurre blanc, saffron, red curry) did tempt, but we decided to save our appetites for the entrees to come.

The crepes were calling my name, although I needed a few minutes to choose among the nine varieties. Filling options ranged from caviar and portobello mushrooms to roasted pork tenderloin with goat cheese; I finally decided on the grilled chicken option ($11.95).

Special sandwiches

The crepe was large (no small pancake size, this), filled with strips of juicy grilled chicken accented by Roquefort crumbles (nicely gooey, thanks to the meat's heat), spinach and endive. Drizzled over the top was a garlic aioli. The simple ingredients complemented each other nicely, proving that a dish needn't be complicated to be effective.

Pete chose one of the mitrailettes, Belgian-style sandwiches incorporating fresh ingredients and accents piled on baguettes. His veal and pork meatloaf version ($10.95) arrived with fillings hot and temptingly seasoned, accented with more Roquefort. Definitely an upscale version of the traditional meatloaf option, it won much praise from Pete for its rich flavor.

Bob and Debra decided to split their favorite Brugge offering, the duck confit mitrailette ($10.95). After sampling a forkful of the filling, I totally understand why Bob describes this as one of his five all-time favorite duck sandwiches in Indiana.

A combination of perfectly cooked, pulled duck and crisp fried leeks mixes with a dried cherry and lambic compote and a hint of horseradish for a memorable meal. I'm definitely ordering this one on a future visit.

Both of the mitrailettes were served with Brugge's trademark pommes frites, crisp-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside fries served with a choice of two dipping sauces. My crepe was not similarly accompanied, so I order a small side of frites ($3.95).

Fresh sauces

The 11 dipping sauces range from the common (mayonnaise, house-made ketchup, horseradish) to the more unusual (sea salt and sherry vinegar, poplar syrup and French Dijon mustard, herb pesto). Among the four of us, we sampled blue cheese, sweet chili, roasted garlic aioli and (my personal favorite) hot curry. All tasted freshly prepared and, when teamed with the hot frites, made for good snacking.

There are other tempting offerings on Brugge's menu, from Carbonnade Flamande (a Belgian stew made with beef, Belgian ale and onions) to the Brugge charcuterie board, with its pairings of sausages and boutique mustards. And the Belgian ale on its own shouldn't be underestimated. The Black version on tap during our visit was especially nice, with deep, chocolaty undertones and a smooth texture.

Scoring a table here can be rough during busy hours, thanks to the combination of a creative menu and a small dining room.

Brugge does offer call-ahead seating to help ease the on-site wait. You should find it well worth the effort, though. If, like me, you haven't made yourself a regular here, venture in the next time you're near Broad Ripple. Soon, you may be weekly customers like Bob and Debra.

Taste Test

Entrees:

• Grilled chicken crepe, $11.95.

• Veal and pork meatloaf mitrailette, $10.95.

• Duck confit mitrailette, $10.95.

Side:

• Small frites, $3.95.

- By Julie Cope Saetre / Indy.com correspondent