The best burgers in Auderghem?

Two weeks ago, I really needed a good address in Auderghem and I think I ended up finding the best burgers ever. That day, I had been checking restaurants and opening hours and couldn't find a good match. I didn't feel like eating a pizza nor Asian but I had heard that Le Saint Paul had a new menu mainly focused on burgers and that sounded nice...However Le Saint Paul that I remembered wasn't that good, but since this restaurant had new tenants, I gave them a chance...

So on Tuesday night, around 8:30 PM, I ended up at Le Saint Paul located in Auderghem on one of the corners of the Boulevard du Souverain. Upon passing the front door, I was greeted by a dark interior, Latin music and the sight of a crowded room (note that the pictures below were taken right before closing^^'). My first thought was that the restaurant looked bigger in the picture. Almost immediately, a waiter came to show me to my table and brought the menu.

Le Saint Paul Bar - Ordinary Brussels -

Le Saint Paul Deco - Ordinary Brussels -

I looked around to analyze my surroundings and assess the changes since my last visit a few years ago. The room had seen some major changes with a brick wall, dark paint around the bar, black tufted leather benches and a clear floor. The final look is rather modern and fun, especially a decoration made of music instruments fixed to the ceiling. The place was a bit noisy because everyone was chatting happily but overall I had a first good impression.

I then looked at the menu and a huge internal debate started: what am I going to order? I quickly forgot the recto of the menu because I could see on every table a burger, so I skipped everything else and I checked the burger section...Which makes half of the menu in fact. I can honestly say that anyone can find a burger that they will like or should be able to customize one to their liking. The diversity of choice amazed me but eventually I settled on The Pepper Burger. I had still some hesitations but the waiter, who happens to be one of the two tenants, helped me a bit. I removed a portion of cheese, added red onions and got confirmation that the pepper sauce was the tastiest compared to aïoli and barbecue! (you can try the sauce if you ask!)

Burger Menu at Le Saint Paul - Ordinary

The menu at Le Saint Paul - Ordinary Bru

During this little chat, I learned that all the sauces are homemade and that the meat and bread are sourced in Belgium to try as much as possible to use local products. Same for the cheese which mainly comes from Belgian abbeys. It's a concept that immediately appealed to me, especially their attempt at building an all Auderghem "produced" burger by sourcing products only in Auderghem. Seems like a decent challenge that would bring to light initiatives from the neighborhood.

With that in mind, I eagerly waited for my burger, chatting some more from time to time with the tenant. I learned that he and his brother were associated and managing the place and that they are sons of restaurateur. Not only that but they got elected on the neighborhood merchants committee and have plans to make Auderghem a better place > more dynamic and bringing everyone closer together. A first project is actually taking place on Christmas Eve with the organisation of a soup kitchen for the most disadvantaged. An initiative I fully support.

Additionally both tenants seem to have a keen interest for mixology as well as coffee and creation. I didn't try the cocktails nor the coffee but I swore to come back for a decadent afternoon of desserts and treats...

By the time we stopped chatting, my burger arrived, huge and delicious. Considering the prices I saw on the menu, I didn't expect all burgers to be huge. I mean, I saw what other people were eating but I thought maybe there are different sizes...I was mistaken, "BIG" is the only size you get! But for the price on the menu I was a bit skeptical about the quality...And again...I was mistaken because the quality was there!

A typical burger at Le Saint Paul is big for a few reasons: the amount of ingredients, the meat but also the the bread. It all starts with 2 thick but delicious layers of bread. The top part is very crispy and has a "cross" mark in the dough to easily cut the burger in 4. The next layer is made of melted cheese and bacon, and then comes the meat which is juicy and finally the veggies with some more cheese. Your sauce will be dripping from all sides to complete the picture... I really loved the crispy bread and how the meat remained juicy. The sauce wasn't too heavy which made the experience even better. Surprisingly, the bottom layer of the bread wasn't too soaked or mushy despite the meat juice and sauce.

I didn't manage to finish my burger but I did my best to not waste too much food. I enjoyed every bite of it and cannot remember a day or place where the burgers tasted better. I checked with the waiter what made the taste of this burger different and it could be due to the homemade sauce or the fact that the bread and meat are sourced in Manage (close to Mons)? Not sure to be honest but my burger was awesome and everyone on the web seems to think the same. I can hardly find bad comments about burgers from Le Saint Paul, so did I really find the best burgers in Auderghem? I definitely think so!

Aside from the burgers, a bunch of desserts are homemade and the coffee is very intriguing too. One of the tenants has passed a barista class and can serve decent coffee with a twist > pop corn/apple pie milk foam. However the foam isn't as typical as you'd expect, they make it soft and extra silky. I was baffled when I got to try some of this foam and how crazy it tasted and looked! It seems that to get to that result, they use bartender tools...I can only image how it would taste layered on a cappuccino... I got to try the pop corn version and damn it tasted funny and sweet.

The other dessert that I tried was the crême brulée. It was good but there a was a bit too much sugar on it and it burned a little. The real fun though came with the beer! Le Saint Paul proposes 2 beers from Africa which is not something I often see in a restaurant! We tried the Simba and Tembo, it was a first and it made the dinner even better, full of discoveries.

All in all, I had a really good time at Le Saint Paul and confirmed that the new tenants are much better than those I remembered. The concept is good and the menu is interesting plus the staff is extra friendly and honest. I called them later to ask if they could sell me a few bottles of the African beers and they actually told me where they purchase their bottles. So yes, they're nice and honest and don't especially try to make easy money off of you. I was surprised one more time and will come back for sure.

Have you tried the burgers from Le Saint Paul? Share your thoughts below....