Rick’s is located on the prestigious Avenue Louise and was easy to find. We were there before the evening dinner crowd. The bar was filled with men and women in business attire enjoying an after-work drink. There was a large outdoor patio, but it was closed because of not-so-nice weather.

The best description of the menu at Ricks would be eclectic. To our delight and surprise, we recognized almost everything on the menu. Rick’s Jail House Chili with onions and cheese sounded very normal to us, but it was served with a fried egg (must be a Flemish thing). There was also El Jefe’s Tex-Mex Fajitas, Chimichangas, and Shrimp Fajitas (yea! that’s my kind of eat’n).

Burgers are Rick’s specialty, and as we scanned down the long list of burgers, sure enough--there it was--the Melted Blue-Larry’s Original, named after our friend. Hubby and I certainly get enough Tex-Mex and burgers at home, and usually we would have opted for more local cuisine, BUT a promise is a promise.

As we say here in Texas, "they must be real proud of their burgers"--the price was about US$11 for a plain hamburger. But, a promise IS a promise. We had burgers; fries were extra, at US$2.50, and a small Coke was US$2.50.

The bar menu and wine list were as long and varied as the food menu, ranging from a dozen or so kinds of beers to aperitifs and drinks such as margaritas, Long Island iced tea, and tequila sunrise. Drinks range from $4 to $9. Desserts include cheesecake, chocolate cake, ice cream, and dessert coffees ($6 to $8).

The atmosphere was relaxing and fun, but, as with most restaurants in Europe, very smoky. The walls were decorated with vintage Hollywood posters and black-and-white photos and there was a large fireplace in the main dining area. Since we were the only guests actually eating, we received great service.

We left the restaurant bellies full--wallet empty--but a PROMISE IS A PROMISE.