Restaurant Week (The Netherlands)

[yunnermeier]

Hoi!

Reservations for Restaurant Week started at 10a.m. today. A 3-course menu is only 25 euro (35 euro at restaurants with Michelin stars). I had a very good dinner last year at Villa Sonsbeek.

I thought it'd be nice if those who are participating could post pictures and reviews!

Anyone going this year? I have so far reserved a table at a restaurant (I'm in the Gelderland region) and will probably reserve another if a table at a Michelin star place opens up (all fully booked now!).

Edited August 7, 2008 by yunnermeier (log)

[Chufi]

thanks for the heads up.. as usual, I forgot about restaurant week and now I'm too late for the big ones.

But, I've made reservations at 2 places I've been wanting to try:

lunch at The College Hotel (a restaurant & hotel that are part of a school for the food and hotel business, both resto and hotel are a training ground for the pupils, which (if reviews are to be believed) can lead to funny and sometimes erratic service, but, the chef is supposed to do innovative Dutch food so I want to try that!)

and dinner at Umoja, 'sustainable, fair trade, organic' restaurant.

I'll be sure to report back.. restaurant week is from 25 august, so not for another couple of weeks.

[yunnermeier]

The College Hotel sounds very interesting!

I was told today that restaurants taking part could pre-reserve other restaurants and American Express cardholders were also given a head start so it's difficult to get a table at a starred restaurant. I'm crossing my fingers anyway.

I think it's a wonderful event and maybe the list of restaurants taking part in Gelderland will be longer soon...

p/s: made reservations for De Watermolen in Velp

Edited August 7, 2008 by yunnermeier (log)

[Knoopjelos]

I will be going to De Lindehof (so the one in Nuenen, not Giethoorn) on Monday, Kok & De Bruin on Wednesday and Kasteel Maurick on Friday. That will be all for this edition. Maybe next restaurantweek, we'll try to go all the way and make it 7 out of 7.

I have to say it's quite disappointing to see most Michelin places were fully booked already as soon as the website for this edition opened. Has to do with the fact that readers of the Delicious magazine and Amex card holders got some sort of 'sneak preview'. Does undermine the idea of the concept a bit, this unnecessary inequality.

[yunnermeier]

Dinner at de Watermolen was not as good as expected. I would probably give the food 6 out of 10 due to a very boring menu which tasted okay but not particularly good. The restaurant itself was lovely though!

First course:

Salmon tartare with lemon mayo sauce. Boring

Main:

Rack of lamb with rosemary sauce (this was a bit of a pity. I love lamb and I like my meat pink or even just seared with uncooked middles). This one however was almost completely uncooked except for the skin (very very thin brown layer or for all I know, it could possibly be the brown sauce). It was extremely tender but not tasty. I like the gaminess of lamb. If I wanted tasteless meat, I'd have chewed on flour balls. Again, not very interesting.

Dessert:

creme brulee. This tasted okay but again, I was expecting something a little 'different'.

No amuses except tapenade with some toasted bruschetta bread (like the ones you get from the supermarket) and olives

[Knoopjelos]

Similar experiences here, at Kasteel Maurick. Boring food (also salmon tartare coincidentally, with a very bland piccalilly sauce) and a combination of veal and foie gras with duxelles of mushrooms, which was topped with the toughest piece of lardo I've ever seen. Not a particularly pretty sight or taste by any means. Only the dessert was quite properly executed.

Never seen a more insulted chef by the way, when I posted these comments in my review. Obviously it was all my fault, my personal taste just did not match his exquisite cuisine

There's something very sad about chefs that think this highly of themselves, convinced that they work on a Michelin star level, but come up with food of such poor quality.

Not a place I'd visit again.

Edited September 2, 2008 by Knoopjelos (log)

[markemorse]

I myself didn't make it out during Restaurant Week, so thanks for the reviews guys! Glad someone's on the ball here...

Edited September 3, 2008 by markemorse (log)

[Chufi]

I had several reservations but had to cancel all of them.

over the years I've heard many disappointed reviews about restaurant week. Could it be, might it be, that restaurant week is not the best week to go out to dinner.. could it be that chefs think that restaurant week guests are a notch below their regulars, people who want to eat cheaply, could it be that they try less hard...

[Knoopjelos]

I had several reservations but had to cancel all of them.

over the years I've heard many disappointed reviews about restaurant week. Could it be, might it be, that restaurant week is not the best week to go out to dinner.. could it be that chefs think that restaurant week guests are a notch below their regulars, people who want to eat cheaply, could it be that they try less hard...

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They just might...and that's exactly what the problem is. If they'd consider it promotion, this way reaching a new 'target audience' which might help to fill the tables in the future, their focus should increase rather than decrease.

But from what I've seen, both types of chef/restaurant exist so it should filter out eventually.

Edited September 3, 2008 by Knoopjelos (log)

[yunnermeier]

Yes, that is a pity.

I had a wonderful dinner (esp considering the price!) at Villa Sonsbeek / Restaurant "van Heeckeren" for restaurant week earlier this year and had high expectations this year. I also know that Restaurant Sophia (Ron Blaauw restaurant in Amsterdam) for example is not making any money and is possibly making a loss for restaurant week (not including drinks).

I would definitely go back to Villa Sonsbeek (paying full price of course!) and already have plans to take friends and parents there when they come.

As mentioned, De Watermolen was not completely terrible but I would classify it as a '3-gangen for 20 euro ' sort of place (I think they normally charge 50 euro for a 3-course meal). I have no problems with spending hundreds of euros (obviously not anymore beginning this month..ik ben student:( ) but the food better be good!

Edited to add: nice website, Knoopjelos

Edited September 3, 2008 by yunnermeier (log)

[Knoopjelos]

Edited to add: nice website, Knoopjelos

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Thanks, we're pretty happy with it as well

[yunnermeier]

Heads up!

Reservations have started and scored a one-star restaurant ('t SchultenHues in Zutphen) this time:) Will also try to reserve De Steenen Tafel but only weekdays left so not sure if it'll work with my schedule.

[Knoopjelos]

So how did you like 't Schulten Hues?

It happens to be one of my favorite restaurants in Holland. Modern cuisine with the best regional produce, innovative without becoming too complex. In my opinion on their way to a second Michelin star.

[yunnermeier]

Enjoyed the food very much and the normal menu is surprisingly very reasonable. Too bad the service wasn't great.