Some people skip over specialties like moules frites (Belgium's national dish) or bypass the inky black mussels ... and the reason why mussels are accompanied by broth or sauce.

these mussels are tasty, and the broth is great for dipping. Unlike some places, where you get a big bowl of shells and have to go searching for their tiny rubbery inhabitants, the Black Lab's ...

Transfer mussels to a large bowl using a slotted spoon, discarding any mussels that do not open. Drain broth in Dutch oven through a fine wire-mesh strainer (to catch any grit) into a bowl.

Unless you know how fresh they are, always eat mussels on the same day you buy them. Carefully place the blue-black mussels into a sinkful of cold water and discard any that stay open when tapped.