You know what sucks about living in Olney? There aren't a lot of great restaurants around. As a modest suburb, it's no surprise that there isn't a whole lot of exciting dining options. Most of the restaurants around here are pretty standard. But who would have ever guessed that there would be a Belgian restaurant here?
Mannequin Pis is named after the "iconic" statue of a little boy peeing into a fountain in Brussels. I quoted iconic because I've been told that it's very small, easy to miss, and thus overrated. And just like the statue, it's a small restaurant tucked away in small and hidden corner on the busy intersection of Georgia Ave and 108. However, this place is underrated. And interestingly named.
Speaking of making my mouth water, this is place is known primarily for one thing: mussels. Which makes sense, as the national dish of Belgium is moules frites (mussels with fries). Here, there are a whole variety of styles the mussels cooked in, ranging from the traditional marinière to the unusual Jamaican Isle and Hawaiian. Each order contain 1 kilo of mussels in broth with the standard aromatics of celery, onions, thyme, and basil. It's the European version of a clambake. Oh, there are also fries with some homemade mayonnaise sauce. I'm not much of a fry eater, so I'm a little biased here. But you are into that stuff, go for it. I just don't think there is anything special about it. But what is special is the large amount of veggies in each pot. So not only is it delicious, it's good for you.
Since there were too many pots decide from and I wasn't sure of what else to order, I let the waiter provide recommendations. So here it goes.
Moules Snob
This pot contains lobster bisque and a splash of brandy. This is by far the most luxurious mussel pot. You also kill two birds with one stone as you have a soup and entree or appetizer. The bisque in the bottom is creamy and intensely flavored from the brandy.
Moules Bruxelles
This one includes bacon, garlic, leeks, goat cheese, and beer. Bacon is the key word here as it the main aroma of the dish and the main flavor of the broth underneath. The broth is beer based and has a strong bacon flavor. Beer and bacon: who would not want that?
Mushroom Ragout
This is thick dish of portobello and shiitake mushrooms slow cooked in its own sauce with some cream. It also has lamb sausage and escargot, which is all served on top of toasted bread. The mushroom flavor is just absolutely incredible. Add some sausage with a bite and there is some intensity to this dish. So intense that even the leeks and chives won't be able to soften the blow. It also helps fill you up if the mussels couldn't.
Chocolate Terrine
Other than mussels, here's something else Belgian cuisine is known for: chocolate. This is very different from any chocolate dessert I've had before. It's semi sweet, slightly bitter, and served over a tart raspberry sauce. So it's bittersweet and sour. Now that I've had this, I must say that I prefer chocolate desserts to taste like this. It's quite subtle in flavor and not too filling. In my mind, ending a meal this way is preferable to feeling bloated from something like a super sweet chocolate cake with fudge and caramel topped with ice cream.
It's great to have found this restaurant right in my hometown. I don't need to drive out to Rockville or Silver Spring to dine out. This is a truly great hidden gem in an otherwise lame town. It gives me hope that there could potentially be better things to come. As there are new homes being built in the area, there is a potential to get more restaurants in the area as the amount of diners will increase. Whether they are as open-minded or adventurous as I am, that's a different story. For now, I get to enjoy myself with some mussels.
18064 Georgia Ave
Olney, MD 20832
