John Brunton tries out a quartet of restaurants in the Dutch capital.
OLD
D’VIJFF VLIEGHEN (THE FIVE FLIES)
Open since 1939, this landmark restaurant rightly describes itself as a culinary museum – no understatement as the nine cosy dining rooms stretch across five 16th-century canal houses. The décor resembles a museum, too, with original Rembrandt etchings, antique glassware and exquisite Delft tiles. The cuisine is a surprisingly contemporary take on traditional Dutch cooking, with dishes including tender pork cheeks braised in beer with pan-fried langoustine and roasted beetroot, and cod served with black pudding and an apple and sage compote. The Five Flies is also the place to try out Holland’s famed genever gin, with 150 to choose from. Main courses are quite expensive but the four-course tasting menu for €45.50 is good value.
- Open daily 6pm-10pm
- Spuistraat 24
- tel +31 205 304 060
- thefiveflies.com
NEW
RESTAURANT ANNA
The chic Restaurant Anna opened early last year and is a symbol of the developments going on in De Wallen, the notorious red-light district. Though the sex shops and “windows” are never quite going to disappear, this historical neighbourhood is now attracting designer boutiques, hip hotels and sleek bars and restaurants.
Anna is discreet from the outside, while inside is a long, minimalist dining room decorated in muted pastel colours. The chef prepares visually stunning dishes such as a crispy cylinder of black and white sesame seeds stuffed with tuna tartare on a bed of wasabi cream cheese, and a daring white chocolate macaron paired with a black cardamom crumble and lavender jelly. There is a long list of tempting dishes proposed à la carte, but the best deal is the four-course tasting menu (e47.50).
- Open Mon-Fri 12.30pm-22.30pm, Sat 6pm-10.30pm
- Waarmoesstraat 111
- tel +31 204 281 111
- restaurantanna.nl
BORROWED
EVERYTHING ON A STICK
Everyone is talking about street food these days, but Vietnamese chef Tuan Nguyen has taken it to a whole new level by serving gourmet Asian-inspired skewers in a funky canalside setting, with a DJ on the weekend and a killer list of creative cocktails. The menu is a mix of subtle Asian flavours – such as fish steamed in banana leaves and cilantro chicken with a spicy mango salsa – and Tuan’s take on local cuisine – thick bacon-wrapped scallops and grilled lamb smothered with onions and a sweet ketjap sauce. Most diners opt for the e26 all-you-can-eat offer.
- Open Tues, Wed, Sun 6pm-11pm; Thurs, Fri, Sat 6pm-12am
- Prinsengracht 478
- tel +31 206 261 874
- eoas.nl
VIEW
REM EILAND
In the heart of the docklands, right in the middle of the Ij river, REM Eiland is one of the city’s most unusual dining spots. Towering out of the water is what looks like a three-storey red and white metallic oil rig. It is actually an offshore platform that was once used by a pirate radio and TV station and was turned into a restaurant in 2011 by young entrepreneur Hilly Engels. Diners cross a metal bridge and instead of climbing up the rickety-looking staircase, are whisked up to the top-floor bar and dining room by a modern lift. The 360-degree views, stretching from the port across to the city centre, are stunning day and night. The menu veers from modern Mediterranean – roasted pumpkin risotto, frittata with chorizo – to Dutch classics such as beef croquettes. Book in advance to get a window table, and take a taxi.
- Open daily for lunch from 12pm and dinner from 6pm
- Haparandadam 50
- tel +31 206 885 501
- remeiland.com
