chic geek

Just to clear the air, since it was my experience… I think you misinterpreted what I said. I do not believe I was being ‘gouged’ … the overstatement on the bill was so ridiculous for a table of 2 that it was definitely an error -- nobody in their right mind would have paid it -- I really don’t believe it was intentional. Regarding the service, it was slower & more frazzled than I’ve grown to expect in most Amsterdam cafes and restaurants. But for a full restaurant, there were only 2 servers, so I can understand it to some degree, as staffing appeared to be too light for the crowd. When you live here and crave Eggs Benedict, unfortunately there just aren’t a lot of choices… so it’s about weighing the options: have someone make you eggs benedict and maybe wait a while for it, make it at home, or have something else... besides, the benedict was good - it deserves a second chance. So no, I’m not kidding – I would go back.

I also JUST recently heard good things about Vesper ... definitely going to check it out soon! WOW, Vesper is a real treasure! It's a very cozy spot, well decorated. The staff was very friendly and knew exactly what each cocktail tasted like. The bartender was happy to explain (in depth) the ingredients of each cocktail and even adjust it to your liking. At 9EUR each, the cocktails are maybe 1 or 2EUR more than you'd pay for a mojito at a normal cafe (when they make them), but I thought it was money well spent. Nice music, happy group of people present enjoying freshly made cocktails. And you know it's a good sign when the bartender is cutting the fruit to order... it may take a few minutes more, but worth it! Will definitely go back.

Have you guys try Cafe George on Leisesgracht? I heard they have pretty good breakfast and also they have egg benedits on the menu. I just discovered Cafe George serves breakfast -- I'm going to check it out this week at some point ... will report back Cafe George .... went for breakfast this weekend -- really nice Eggs Benedict and Eggs Norwegian (benedict with smoked salmon)... really yummy Hollandaise sauce... and while the food was very good, the plates were a bit sparse, so if you like a hearty breakfast you should plan to order a side of something else... maybe a side of spinach or frites. (i also noticed that the girls sitting next to us who ordered scrambled eggs probably received 1.5 scrambled eggs each and 2 slices of toast cut in half) They do have a bloody mary on the menu, but it was vodka w/ a wedge of lemon over ice served with a small bottle of spiced tomato juice, and then loose bottles of worchestershire, tabasco, black pepper... no horseradish to be found and no vegetable garnish (not even a celery stalk). Service left a lot to be desired- very slow - and when we received our bill it was overstated by around 35EUR ... we let them know and they tried to adjust it, still over by 15EUR.. after 3 tries they finally got the bill correct. all that being said, i would still go back for a good benedict, but now that I know what i'm up against i'll be better prepared ... maybe bring my own horseradish and pickled vegetables?

I also JUST recently heard good things about Vesper ... definitely going to check it out soon!

Thanks for the tip Chufi -- it's going on my list!

Have you guys try Cafe George on Leisesgracht? I heard they have pretty good breakfast and also they have egg benedits on the menu. I just discovered Cafe George serves breakfast -- I'm going to check it out this week at some point ... will report back

drat!! brunch used to be my san francisco sunday indulgence... my favorite place had it all ... oysters, full bar, such nice food... mmm, i miss it http://foreigncinema.com/food/brunch.php so good! lordy, i miss that place!

a good brunch? anybody? Previously there was the LoveFood pop-up brunch and while it was nice to be able to get eggs benedict in several varieties, there wasn't a lot of consistency. That being said, the house-made sausages were delicious (when fully cooked) and there was even a Make your own Bloody Mary Bar... but alas, the LoveFood brunch is (for now, at least) a thing of the past. Does anybody have any good (or even great!) brunch / breakfast dining out suggestions? Not looking for the tourist "Full English" or "Full Irish" ... preferably something that shows some creativity and quality ingredients, well prepared. I know, I'm asking for a lot. Thanks!

Not dining, but coffee related. I'm not sure if any of you have been yet or not, but there is a pop-up outpost of Portland's famous Stumptown Coffee located at Albert Cuypstraat 101 in the Sid Lee building ... they are open from 7:00 - 19:00 mon - saturday Seriously good lattes! These kids know what they are doing. http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/locations/amsterdam

Hi Chufi, I'm glad to hear you enjoyed Tomatillo -- we had beers when we were there - they had a few kinds of Mexican beer in the refrigerator (directly behind your back as you are paying) ... we had Negro Modelo .. but I think they also had Corona and Dos Equis :-) Has anyone tried My Burrito yet? (Kinkerstraat) www.myburrito.nl - I haven't had time to check it out yet, but I'm curious!

Being from San Francisco, I am always missing mission-style burritos... the perfect no hassle to-go meal. I've been to the Taco Shop on Tolstraat a couple of times, and while decent, was nowhere close to hitting the mark... I was recently tipped off by a friend about a place on Overtoom 261 called Tomatillo ... she told me it was "nothing like the Taco Shop" and promised black beans and even Carnitas! No further persuasion necessary! Even though today was cold and grey, I had a nice warm feeling in my stomach. This place is great! Super friendly guy behind the counter, who I assume is one of the owners ( i didn't ask ). They have burritos, tostadas, tacos, and salads.... the chicken and pork meat is biologische & free range (and delicious!)-- the black beans are prepared in a vegetarian manner, in case you're not a meat eater. They also have 5 different salsas to choose from -- I had the tomatillo chipotle and J had the pico de gallo ... both were tangy and tasty - everything was super fresh ... and nothing was prepared in a magnetron! (a feat in itself for fast food in Amsterdam). My only complaint was the cheese -- they use a mixture of cheddar and jong belegen -- if they could just get some monterey jack, it would be perfect -- or even a tangy goat cheese would be great... but other than that, awesome! This totally made my day and I will definitely be going back. www.tomatillo.nl

I've always been curious about Bordewijk - i've seen mixed reviews on Iens, so I wasn't sure... good to hear some positive info about it. I've been to Blauw twice ... both times I've had the rijsttafel (once vegetarian)... I thought it was delicious -- all the dishes seemed very fresh, nicely seasoned, and I have to say that even though I'm not a huge fan of vegetarian meals generally- the vegetarian rijsttafel was exceptionally delicious... I didn't even miss the meat! (not actively, at least). If you order coffee at the end of your meal they give you a little slice of spekkoek with it, and also a tiny glass of a cinnamon tasting liqueur (which I forgot to ask about). My only complaint about Blauw is that the menus have this silly little clip-on LED light attached to them... and really, it's not dark inside... perhaps the staff notices when you turn off the lights and assume you're ready to order? The first time I went to Marqt i was really struck by how beautiful the place was... it's a really nice shopping experience ... the shelves are stocked ... there are people there to assist you... and of course their statement about selling local produce and products is also a good thing. However on returning home I noticed the garlic I purchased was from China I wrote them an e-mail about it, to which they never responded... ah well, what can you do? Still, it's a nice spot with things you cannot buy at the local AH ... also, I read they will be opening another location in Rembrantplein, this summer maybe?