3-Star in Holland

[cabrales]

In the 2002 Guide, Michelin conferred three stars on a Rotterdam restaurant called Restaurant Parkheuvel, Heuvellaan 21 (00 31 10 43 60 766). The chef there is Cees Helder. Do members have input on this restaurant?

[robert brown]

Are you sure it's not a typo? I would ask my Dutch gourmands if there were such a thing. (But I'll ask anyway.)

[cabrales]

I read it in Figaro over the weekend, and checked the Michelin website before posting. (Interestingly, the restaurant is the only restaurant with any stars in Rotterdam itself.)

A rough translation of the restaurant's Michelin annotations follows. Specialties named are (1) Pan-fried sole with morels and "molten" goose liver (March -- May), (2) Grilled turbot with anchovy cream and basil, and (3) Saddle of rabit with thyme and a small piece of the side with the "royale" preparation (October 20-December 30).  Michelin notes: "An ingenious and creative cuisine awaits you in this semi-circular, modern pavillion. Choose seating on the side of the terrace to benefit from the view of maritime traffic. A treat!"  ;)

[FriedaL]

Indeed, Parkheuvel won its 3rd star in the 2002 guide. Why would this be a typo, Robert?  It's a classic cuisine with a rigorous Chef who has worked at his trade for many years. Interesting that the first 3-star in the Netherlands went to Rotterdam, a hard-working city with the largest port in the world and not much of a night life -- as far as I'm concerned -- rather than frivolous Amsterdam or Burgundian Maastricht (plenty of good restaurants there).

Frieda

[robert brown]

Because I was joking around about Dutch food.

[cabrales]

I'd appreciate hearing from any members who have dined at Parkheuvel.  

[Artusi]

Not only have I heard of Cees Helder, I had the honor to work with him, as a dutch guy we have been waiting for the 3 star rating to hit the Netherlands. Personally I would have been happier with my old chef Kranenborg, formerly of the Amstel Hotelt restaurant La Rive, but Mr Helder has definetly earned his stars. An excellent restaurant totally in line with the earlier description of Rotterdam, honest, hard working and direct. His cuisine is superb and if anyone has doubts about the potential in The Netherlands, I will be pleased to give you some pointers where to go.

[cabrales]

Not only have I heard of Cees Helder, I had the honor to work with him, as a dutch guy we have been waiting for the 3 star rating to hit the Netherlands. Personally I would have been happier with my old chef Kranenborg, formerly of the Amstel Hotelt restaurant La Rive, but Mr Helder has definetly earned his stars.

Artusi -- Welcome to the board    It's helpful to our community when new members can fill in potential little holes in our collective geographic coverage to date.

When you have a chance (there is no time sensitivity, of course), please consider describing the cuisine at Parkheuval (e.g., examples of dishes on menu; style of cuisine; use of special local ingredients; existence of prix fixe menus).  My impression is that news coverage in the English language of that restaurant has been somewhat limited to date.  

Also, if it is not too burdensome for you, please consider comparing the cuisines of chefs Helder and Kranenborg.  

[Artusi]

Cabrales, I never knew there the dutch cuisine was a potential hole in the collective knowledge of this site, i am glad to be of assistance.

Parkheuvel's cuisine is very fish and seafood oriented, and beef as a welcome additive. Favorite ingredients are basicly all native fish and seafood, with emphasis on lobster from zeeland, a small coastal province in the south west of holland and turbot. And beef from Scotland, he was one of the first who was promoting Scotish beef after the BSE disaster. Of course truffles are a favorite too, this goes for basicly all dutch haute cuisine chefs, they are easily available when they are in season.

Some of my favorites out of his recntly published cooking book, unfortunaly only available in dutch, are:

Cucumber cream with raw marinated scallops and caviar.

Very new dutch is: Cold soup of herring, marinated salmon, beets and chicory.

Mille Feuille terrine of stewed flank steak, gooseliver and celeria over a carpaccio of prime rib with a truffle tapenade.

Poached veal tenderloin with cassoulet of variuos beans, cornichons and bacon, served with marrow.

As far as a comparison betwen the two chefs.

Kranenborg is more sober in presentation, minmial almost, but more advanterous with combinations, with the best sauces I have ever seen. Helder is more classical and honest in his cusine. Both chefs have an absolute love for seafood and truffles, and understand these ingredients very well

It has been a while since I worked with both chefs, but they have, with a small group of collegues, been consistently pushing the bar when it comes to dutch cuisine, and it is an award for the total cuisine of holland that the three stars are awarded. The dutch cuisine has, with some exceptions,  always been a weak imitation of the french, but in the last 10 years it seems that local chefs have found there own identity, protestan rule and the two wars have put a serious dent in the, once, proud local cuisine, and these guys are bringing back the old recipes and using their new skills to modernize them, which is very exciting to see. Every time I go back, about twice a year,  there is a strong buzz, and all my old collegues seem to be inspired by these events.

Hope I was of assistance.

[cabrales]

Cabrales, I never knew there the dutch cuisine was a potential hole in the collective knowledge of this site, i am glad to be of assistance. . . .

Hope I was of assistance.

Artusi -- Thanks for the additional information   I used to wonder why there were no three-stars in Holland, in contrast to more than one in Belgium (not that the two countries should be equated for this purpose).

When you have a chance, what do zeeland lobsters tend to taste like? Do they resemble Brittany lobsters or other European lobsters, if a response is readily available to you? Are there special types of fish local to any lakes in Holland, like the omble chevalier or fera in France? Also, why is the Nieuwe Maatjes Herring special (if it is)?

[Artusi]

Cabrales, the zeeland lobsters are closests to brittany lobsters, with the only diference that they live in the zeeland delta which is sweet water and sea water combined, of source this influences the taste, being sweeter. They are very exclusive and even in Holland very expensive, a canadian lobster is about half the price and they are flewn in.

As for native fish we have some species that are typical dutch but they are in obscurity as even most dutch don't know them, again this is slowly changing. Popular are herring of course and eel, they are considered typical dutch. Sole, skate, turbot and bass are popular. And the obscure species are, dutch names, harder, geep, spiering to name a few.

Maatjes herring is the herring that is served freshly brined and not jarred, the best time to eat them is two weeks after Flag day, the day that the first ships return with the catch, usually in May. They are marinated perfectly after two weeks and melt on your mouth. Although the best cathes are not available, they are shipped to Japan, where japanese pay top dollar for them, again, even that is changing.

[cabrales]

Artusi -- Thank you  

[anil]

Artusi - Where would you consider going for Maatjes herring in

odd hours of the night in AMS ? Most of the occasions it takes me time to adjust to the time-lag/jet-lag and find myself wanting to go eat at odd hours - AMS allows one that luxury, unlike many other cities in Europe  

[Artusi]

Sorry Anil, but you will have to wait till morning, or better the afternoon, I don't know how you feel about raw fish for breakfast but I usually wait till after 12. The best places are the litlle shacks on the corners of bridges over the canals. Don't get you herring at the snackbars, you will get the second rate and not so fresh ones.

The wooden shacks are or flower shops or fish shops, the fish shops sell a limited amount of products, usually smoked eel and salmon, and some fried fishes, the more limited, the better, that way you know they sell plenty of herring to turn it over, if you see a group of dutch doing the ole' "holding the filet up and sliding it in" routine, you know you have a winner.

Good luck.

PS always get the onions.

[cabrales]

I'd appreciate any updates from members on Parkheuvel.

[anil]

I'd appreciate any updates from members on Parkheuvel.

It is pretty clear not many of us travel to Rotterdam for dinner

[hangli]

I ate dinner at Parkheuvel in late June, 2003, if anyone is still interested. I won't spend time writing about it now, not knowing if anyone still cares, but if anyone does, I will gladly share my experience.

[ballast_regime]

Parkheuvel is one of those fringe Michelin restaurants that I've heard of, and (probably) dismissed out-of-hand as staid, where dishes are executed within a Dutch framework but with a classic-French cream-in-everything influence. Am I wrong?

IML

b/r

[Nikolaus]

To hangli: Yes, please, do share Your experience with me: I am expected to be in Rotterdam from August 21 to August 23, and this could be a place to cheer me up in my loneliness!

[scheer]

This is the only 3 star Michelin Restaurant in the Netherlands, so you can expect 3 star Michelin food and service,.......and prices.

Regards,

Ed

[paulbrussel]

This is the only 3 star Michelin Restaurant in the Netherlands, so you can expect 3 star Michelin food and service,.......and prices.

Regards,

Ed

I have followed this restaurant from 1988 and the last time I was there was in July 2002, just a few months after it got its third star.

Food is excellent, although don't look here for a very creative cuisine.

On the contrary: service and wine list are quite poor for a restaurant of this rank...

[paulbrussel]

To hangli: Yes, please, do share Your experience with me: I am expected to be in Rotterdam from August 21 to August 23, and this could be a place to cheer me up in my loneliness!

Still it is the best restaurant of Rotterdam -I have lived there over 10 years and I do know Parkheuvel since 1988.

One of my favourites is also ZeeZout, but the quality is less stable. That is the same for La Vilette (one Michelinstar) which has an awful poor winelist...