Merry Xmas - December 2013 restaurant update Amsterdam

Gebroeders Hartering

Great expectations when the menu was explained to us. We decided to go for the 9 course dinner.

In all honesty, that was too much food. So stick with the 6 course dinner.

We didn't get a bottle of wine, excellent choices of wines were poured in with each course.

The interior upstairs is funky industrial yet cozy looking, a lot of wood. We were downstairs, where it was a lot more quiet, but the interior down there is a bit dark and gloomy, not to say depressing. 

So try to eat a 6 course dinner upstairs.

You don't get to choose. It's a fixed menu, shared dining style, which seems to be the norm in Amsterdam nowadays. 

These are the 9 courses we got to samples: (sorry in Dutch, didn't feel like translating)

1. Griet|Rammenas|Postelein|Ponzu2. Langoustine vd Grill|Piment|Peterselie3. 3x Aardpeer|Zeeduivel|Lever|Knoflookboter4. Runderwang|Doré|Wilde paddenstoelen|Jus de veau5. Porchetta|Andijvie|Prei Coulis|Gepekelde citroen6. Ribstuk|Rode kool|Germenteerde kool7. Cheddar|large adrahan|blue de chevre8. Creme brulee manderijn9. Kardemom ijs|Koffie|karamel

This is a great place for those of you who want to have their taste buds spoiled.

It's not cheap, but it's not really overpriced. Highly recommended.

www.gebrhartering.nl/‎




Hiding in Plain Sight

Tip: after dinner at Gebroeders Hartering go next door for amazing cocktails in a 30ies retro setting.

www.hpsamsterdam.com/‎

Remeiland

There is a very peculiar structure at Haparandadam (a Dam we (de Vries & van de Wiel) made by the way). It's REM Eiland. It was constructed in Cork and placed by Heerema cranes in the North Sea 9km out of the coast near Noordwijk.

The platform in the sea was used by Reclame Exploitatie Maatschappij to broadcast commercial tv in Holland, which was illegal in 1963. Illegal commercial broadcasts had to take place from ships (like the Veronica ship, which is now moored at NDSM-werf, or platforms in international waters).

3 months after broadcasting began the Dutch Government seized the platform after they altered legislation and Rijkswaterstaat used it as a measuring station in 1974.

In 2006 the platform was demolished and transported to Flushing by DEME's floating crane Rambiz. 

The building is spectacular, so are the views over the city, the Houthaven, the IJ and the Port of Amsterdam. It's a good vantage point to see DEME's (de Vries & van de Wiel) land reclamation works in the Houthaven.

The interior is well done, industrial robust setting, a lot of wood, steel and aluminum is used. Because of all the lights, it's very light and bright. A very comfortable place to be. In summer there is also a roof terrace. My plan is to return in summer or spring and enjoy a sunset over Amsterdam dinner.

REM Eiland serves lunch, it's Dutch lunch, so don't expect an elaborate menu. However they do have a sea fruit platter, which we sampled. It's a cold Normandy style platter with a variety sea food, some mussels, crab legs, langoustine, 2 oysters, a variety of clams. It tasted fresh and good. A decent sauvignon blanc was served alongside.

http://www.remeiland.com/

Dutch & Co

Didn't feel like cooking or ordering in, so we decided to head out in the neighborhood and score a dinner at Dutch & Co. This New York style international restaurant compares itself with the Standard Grill and Felix in NYC with added Amsterdam 'Gezelligheid'. They shouldn't. There isn't that much Amsterdam 'Gezelligheid' at Dutch & Co and they definitely don't live up to the standards set by Standard Grill and Felix. But true enough, it's obvious that they copied the interior style of the Standard Grill.

When we entered we were given a table, but weren't told there was a huge Xmas party going on in the same room right next to our table, with people giving speeches through microphones and amps. A lot of running around, a lot of cheering. It would have been polite of the staff to warn us at least for this. After quite a wait we were given menus and after an even longer wait our orders were taken.   

We went for steak, one medium rare, one rare. While we waited for our food to arrive plates and dishes were transferred from the kitchen into the dining area above our heads and coats, because the party had blocked the stairs leading from the kitchen into the dining area. 

The interior is indeed stylish, cosmopolitan looking, but the acoustics are horrible. When our food finally arrived a dog, brought in by another diner, came to visit our table. This is also something you wouldn't get at the Standard Grill, or any New York restaurant. Back to the food. The steak was nothing spectacular, not seasoned in a way good NYC steak houses would do, it wasn't cooked perfectly either, half my steak was well done, the other half was medium rare, because of the hectic environment and because we wanted to get out of there asap we decided not to make a fuss. The quality of the steak was not mind blowing either. The steak came with a mediocre salad and OK french fries.

Doggie visiting our table at Dutch & Co.

Because of the crowd, the atmosphere, the mediocre food, the dog ...we decided not to get deserts. We got the check, paid around 50 € for 2 steaks 2 wines and some water and headed out. 

The golden rule we thought was to avoid places who flaunt Dutchness or have Dutch in the name of their business.

http://www.thedutchco.nl/

Hugo's Bar & Kitchen

There is a new hotspot in West, very near the Jordaan on Hugo de Groot plein.

A very modern, big city chic interiour, hip people, good service, waiters who know their stuff. All good things. There is a big city feel about the place for sure.

We went for the 4 course menu:

Started with a steak tartare. Truly delicious.

Then we had very tender beef.

But the plat de resistance was definitely the game, with an amazing duck sauce!

All the food was well prepared, excellent quality was used. The chef definately used his creativity to spice up the dishes and used seasonal ingredients in a very clever way.

Hugo's also makes pretty decent cocktails, we didn't sample them yet. Next time we visit Hugo's we'll not go on a schoolnight! A cool gem in Amsterdam West near Jordaan.

https://www.facebook.com/hugosbarandkitchen



Wilde Zwijnen

The nearest culinary hotspot to our project Sluiseiland Zeeburg (sluiseilandzeeburg Facebook) is Wilde Zwijnen on Javaplein. It was a matter of days before we had dinner there, and a matter of weeks to have a lunch. It's a place that keeps surprising me with their dishes, one of the more creative chefs in Amsterdam knows how to dazzle your mind with creative local ingredients.

On the other side of the table a very spectacular and absolute delicious sauerkraut soup appeared. 

I received a wonderful venison steak tartare with a quale egg. A very clever and wonderful dish.

The appetizers were followed by the perfect ravioli on the other side of the table. I was treated by the chef to a perfectly cooked pike-perch with a sort of muffin made of parsley-root, garnished with red beets and celery. Absolutely amazing!

http://wildezwijnen.com/

Restaurant Update: November 2013: Caffe Parma | Franklin Bar | Bocinq | fa. Speijkervet

Caffe Parma

There's a new hip italian spot in town.
No cheesy wine leaves, no Mediterranean stucca, no singing waiters.
It's an urban chic place with a Provencal interior.
We went there a week after the grand opening.
Staff was friendly and had things under control.
The acoustics were nice, but there weren't a lot of people.

The menu is basic and simple. Italian classics, but there are some interesting meat dishes for us carnivores. I ordered the duck. It was actually pretty amazing. Perfectly cooked, right temperature, succulent, well seasoned, and served on a bed of mashed veggies.
It looked good, smelled good and tasted good. Top quality.
Across the table the pizza was looking good as well, and it tasted very authentic, fresh, light, a lot of flavor. Very refreshing.

 They specialize in their special pasta. You pick ingredients, the chef makes something amazing with that choice.
Must try that next time. Because we'll definately be back.

 The only thing to improve is the selection of wines. The wine list didn't really dazzle me to say the least. A hip place like that could do better in that department.

 All in all, a very useful addition to the culinary scene in de Pijp. Next to Barca and Marie.

 http://www.caffeparma.nl/

Franklin Bar & Kitchen

Franklin is a new modern big city cocktail bar with a restaurant serving seasonal food.

The place looks good, could be in any cosmopolitan city in the world.
Great cocktails, often they have famous bartenders work their magic behind the bar.

Sometimes there are society events. We were there when Esquire Magazine had their best dressed men awards in Amsterdam and the nominees were drinking cocktails before the show to get into the right mood. Always good to see a well dressed crowd.

The appetizer with the Wagyu beef was pretty amazing, expectations were rising.
However the main course didn't completely fill these expectations. The venison was fine, really fine actually, but was drowning in pumpkin sauce. There was little difference between the sauces and the puree. A shame, flavor wise it wasn't all that bad, but the texture screwed things up.
A good try though, but too many powerful flavors getting mixed up in your plate.

The staff however is amazing, very friendly, very helpful.
Great accoustics, and fine wine. Excellent value for money.

Definitely one of my new favorite hangouts in my area.

franklin.nl

Bocinq

Bocinq refurbished.
It looks stylish, chic, neat, very French setting. Very comfortable dining room, it can be a bit loud because it's popular with groups. If you want a quiet meal, book your table at Dutch dinner time (18:00-18:30), you'll be finished before most other nationalities arrive.
Staff is not only gorgeous, but very professional, attentive, but with the right amount of distance.

Shared dining is hot at the moment in Amsterdam. Choose 3 dishes per person and share, the French-Moroccan menu is amazing and very unique in Amsterdam. The quality, the scent, the flavour of the dishes are spot on. A real treat for your taste buds. Even the vietnamese spring rolls tasted and smelled like the ones I had when I lived in Vietnam. It's authentic, clever, well prepared, with the right amount of seasoning and spice. Well done! There is a large selection of wines, for any budget, my feeling is you can't go wrong.

The venison, the crab cakes and Moorish chicken are to die for.
Price/quality things are great too.

(photo's (c)bocinq)

www.bocinq.nl

fa. Speijkervet

If you like meat, you need to try out fa. Speijkervet.
It's all about meat, they get an entire animal and use all of it in their menu. (including kidney pies etc.).
The meat is also processed in the kitchen, I like that concept.
The restaurant is located in an old bakery, the main dining room is where they used to have the bread making machines. It's a artsy industrial like lit interior, a lot of tiles, big space, rough chic.

The atmosphere is hip and urban, there's a mixed crowd, a lot of hipsters, a lot beards and a lot of tattoos, but also quite a few rich babyboomers checking out what the hype's about.
It's a big restaurant and it's always full, make your reservation on time.

The food: well the food is good, but it's not all mind blowing. It also depends on what you get.
The cocquilles st. Jacques with horseradish were not impressive at all. Rather plain and not a lot of variety in taste. On the other hand, the board with meat (vleesplankje) was old school spectacular, took us back to our childhood dinners with our grandma. The red beets (Deventer Zwartblad) were a very unique dish that got it totally right. A lot of exciting flavours, well balanced and a good texture, very inventive.

We got the beast (Procureur pork) and that was ok, but that was about it. It was succulent, well prepared, well seasoned, but the dish lacked something spectacular, and the bacon was a too obvious addition to the dish. It was delicious, but not completely memorable.

The staff is friendly and well in the know of what will appear on your plate, which is mandatory I feel.
There is an interesting wine list, with reasonably priced wines.We had an Italian wine, Apollonio, it was excellent.

Price/quality wise you're very ok here, excellent value for money.
I also like the fact that the menu actually changes quite often, it keeps you coming back for more.

All in all, it's a good and cool dining experience. One that I will be revisiting often.