Dining in The Hague, Scheveningen and area

[fifi]

I will be spending some time in The Hague and am looking for some suggestions. My previous forays have been fruitless. Any help will be appreciated.

[robert brown]

Several years ago, the Hague is where you went for rijstafel, as some of the best in the country were there. I never heard of a famous other kid of restaurant there; but the situation has probably changed. There was one famous Indonesia restaurant there, but the name escapes me. Does eGullet have any Dutch members!!!!!!!!!!

[anil]

There are quite a few good places to eat - One, indonesian that I know of is "garuda" (sp?) and a restaurant by the name of "it rains fishes " Since The Hague is a very govenmental town, lots of expensive but mediocre restaurants abound to feed diplomats and their entourage.

[paulbrussel]

I am afraid I am much too late. The best, I think, is Calla's (1 Michelin star), and second best will probably be Seinpost in Scheveningen (coast).

Nevertheless The Hague is quite poor food wise...

By the way: Garoeda is not very interesting. If you want to have Indonesian food, do visit Tampat Senang.

It rains fishes may be interesting but is more expensive.

Edited August 8, 2003 by paulbrussel (log)

[fifi]

Sorry to be so late getting back to this thread. Many thanks for your help. I will try these out. I do have to say that I have been dissappointed in the "famous" rijstafel restaurants in Amsterdam. They are ok, but I have had better Indonesian in Texas for chrisakes. I will be there for a week in September. If I discover any "finds" I will post them.

On my last trip, we ate at what I think was an Italian themed restaurant in Scheveningen. It was pretty ok. At dinner, I was telling my companions that I would like to find a cookbook on Dutch cuisine to bring back to my sister. They all broke up laughing... "You have to be kidding. There is no Dutch cuisisne." I find that hard to believe. The breakfast buffet at the hotel has some very nice and distinct cured meats.

[bekri]

Being quite new here, I hope I´m doing right. Pfff. On the The Hague, Netherlands thing:

I was born there. Now, other than elsewhere, the suburbs are still independent! So, Wassenaar, Rijswijk, Voorburg do not belong to The Hague. Now, Rijswijk has Paul van Waarden (*). And ´+t Ganzennest, not to be overseeen. Voorburg however, offers Savelberg in the Castle Vreugd en Rust. A must

! (Michelin starred, this famous chef of course).

[fifi]

I will be in The Hague for the next couple of weeks or so and will be repeating this process on a somewhat regular basis through the summer. I will likely choose to stay in Scheveningen for several reasons.

Any recommendations for good casual dining? I am particularly interested in breakfast opportunities in Scheveningen.

[paulbrussel]

The best restaurant in Scheveningen is Seinpost - seafood, right on the beach.

Le bon mangeur is good too.

Cap Ouest I found quite disappointing.

The dinner buffet restaurant in the famous Kurhaus is horrible.

In the Hague the best restaurant is Calla's - the most modern one.

Marc Smeets (Hotel Corona) is reasonably good as well.

Then Koesveld should be nice too.

About breakfast I know nothing at all.

[fifi]

Reporting back. I found nothing remarkable. I really wasn't into going out to the top rated restaurants. I think I ate at Seinpost and enjoyed it. (Sorry to seem so vague but I was still under the influence of jet lag at the time.)

I ended up just sticking with the breakfast buffet at the hotel (Carlton Beach) and it was only ok. (Can't these people figure out how to serve eggs hot?) I so enjoy the "cold cuts" though. The seasoning is quite unique. Then I would have a big lunch at the company cafeteria that actually had really good stuff for such a venue. They actually had the best Indonesian that I had for the whole trip. I would pile on the chile paste to try to get a bit of a buzz but even that could be eaten with a spoon.

A group of us went to this Tepanyaki Grill place just about across from Kurhaus and it was really pretty good and entertaining. I wouldn't call it great but it was fun.

When traveling on work assignment, I really prefer to tank up on breakfast and lunch and snack in the evening. I did find this place in the Promenade Center where there was a really good bakery, a grocery and a deli. I would get off at that tram stop and hit the bakery or deli and bring stuff back to my room.

Slightly off-topic...

There is a relatively new museum in Den Haag Centraal that is devoted to Escher. I spent about four glorious hours there getting totally confused by impossible staircases and waterfalls.

Keukenhoff gardens were spectacular. After all... What do you expect from seven million bulbs in bloom.

OH... I forgot to mention the truly magnificent fish and frites from the pavillion on the beach promenade. Ask for the curry mayonaise.

There is not a bad fried potato in the whole country and you need to open your mind and dip into mayo.