I considered starting an “Eating and Drinking in Amsterdam” thread, but it just seems pointless given Blake’s annual musings. To that end, here are some highlights from my visit this past week. Will break up the posts so I don’t risk losing content.
Hotel: Pulitzer Amsterdam
Loved the location one block south of the Anne Frank House, two and a half blocks from Cafe de Klepel and walkable to just about everywhere else. Hotel itself was solid, but clear that their cleaning crews get a late start because of noon check-out times, with a late checkout for AmEx Plat. We got a great deal, grabbing a “third day” free package and bundling it with a $150 credit. Other note is that the hotel bar is one of the better cocktail bars in the city, but was a little too wankerish for me….
Bar Kamer
Stellar. Best meal of the trip, and that included the Paris leg. Kamer is new on the scene and was a recommendation from a local buddy that’s a foodie, who described it as a “neighborhood natty wine bar with phenomenal tapas-style plates.” Pretty much nailed it. The dishes were very creative, although the “hide stuff under veggies and leave leaves” approach sucked for pictures. Much of the menu had grilled elements, which was 100% in my wheelhouse. Yes, we went CAM-style and ordered every dish on the menu.
Couple of high-level thoughts:
My wife was obsessed with the smoked butter. They make their own liquid smoke (effectively), whip it with butter and then serve a massive portion.
The mackerel dish was a play on textures. It was good, but I don’t have the same level of excitement that the serger had about it.
I would never have thought of adding raspberries to a tomato and triple cream cheese. This is likely why I am not a chef. Really came together.
Shellfish toast was delicious. You’d probably guess that from the picture.
Sweetbread dish was not my favorite dish, even more so after eating at Septime 24 hrs before. The sweetbreads were deep fried and on the chewy side. My wife enjoyed them and I thought they were ok… but Septime’s version went to eleven and I just couldn’t get it out of my mind.
That quail though. It was coated in a mussel-lacquer that is hard to describe. Slightly sweet, a little smoke and an umami bomb. We discussed ordering another plate, with me noting we were averaging 20k+ steps a day and in desperate need of nourishment.
Let’s be honest - “canele + caviar + sour cream” sounds gross. See note above regarding me buying the food instead of cooking it in a restaurant. The candle was heavily caramelized on the bottom, the caviar added a little salinity and luxurious texture and somehow the sour cream pulled it together. I could have eaten 10 of these.
Cafe de Klepel
I have been going to Cafe de Klepel for over a decade now… and it has always been on point. The food is classic upscale-bistro food, although you really go for the wine list and the vibe. Klepel is one of those places that always feels like home; that neighborhood gem that gets the #iykyk tag from the wine crowd. Their by the glass program is fantastic and sucks you in after that first bottle… We poured:
I told Nik (Somm/owner) we were struggling with picking a bottle from the list, as my wife loves Pinot Noir and I’m a Northern Rhone guy (and had previously done some damage to their Rostaing La Landonne stash. He came back with a recommendation for a 2023 Pautel and I struggled, if we’re being honest, as his list is filled with Instagram-worthy library wines. We went with the Pautel and damned if it didn’t make both of us happy.
The last dish was a Dutch yogurt dish - “hanging yogurt” iirc.
That said, remember I said this place is also about the vibe. We sat outside and ended up having dinner over the course of 4 hours, making new friends with a local couple (who approved of posting the pic). Had a great time and reminded me of the infamous 5 hr lunch with @Michel_Abood and I at Les Enfants.
Finally, a couple of random pages from their wine list, in the event you’re one of those people that likes to sit there for an hour reading through 50 pages of wines
Funny story - as we were walking home from Bar Kamer, my wife decided to stop into a store that normally closed at 7:00 but was open at 9;45. After pillaging my credit cards for a week at great restaurants, I wasn’t about to say no to some gifts for our kids. I noticed there was a piano in the store with a sign that read “play something, get somebody to clap, get a 10% discount.”
I am inherently cheap and banged out a grammar school rendition of Fur Elise and prompted my wife to clap for the 10% discount. It was truly awful, and that’s me being kind. Amsterdam being Amsterdam… a guy was randomly walking by, heard the music and conversation and said “I think we can do better.” We got an impromptu concert from the Amsterdam Classical Music festival closer, Stefano Arena, on a rickety old piano. Crazy and no, she did not give in to my ask for 20%, given the free show.
It really is my favorite city. One more restaurant to come, but I’m about to go wheels up again.
I’m up to the task Andrew. Mikael and I talked about going there last night when we dined out with Dennis Repkes while enjoying many terrific wines we all brought to share at a great, wine centric restaurant in the Pijp, called Badcuyp. Notes forthcoming.
Last post! Apologies for the lag. Another highly recommended place from a local buddy - Weinlokal Stern. Food was solid and the wine list was deep with German/French wines.
First dish was a potato pancake with trout roe. Delicious.
I was a little surprised by the schnitzel, as it was a lightly pounded, bone-in pork chop. I’ve had quite a bit of schnitzel across Berlin and Munich, so I was surprised at the thickness on this; but it was still good.
