Amsterdam Restaurants

Amsterdam Restaurant Reviews

Until a decade or two ago, it seemed that eating in Amsterdam was tinged more with the flavor of Calvinism than with any culinary influence. All too often the filling yet unenlightened fare of charred fish or meat, overboiled potatoes, and limp vegetables remained the standard. Today, happily, things have changed.

Many of the city's former industrial- and harbor-related buildings are being transformed into distinctive dining establishments. The term "New Dutch Cuisine," thanks to the emergence of young chefs who are finding their inspiration from around the globe, means exotic foamy-textured pea soup with chanterelles and pancetta; cod smothered in a sauce based on chorizo and fennel; or turbot and truffle wrapped in potato spaghetti, stewed chard, and veal sauce. International urban eating trends make it highly probable that you'll encounter sushi shacks, soup shops, noodle joints, and organic bakeries selling hearty Mediterranean breads.

Although traditionally hearty Dutch food really shines only in the winter months, there are a few imported-but-typically-Dutch culinary trips that cannot be missed: the Indonesian rijsttafel (rice table), where dozens of differently spiced vegetables, meats, and fish dishes are served with rice; and cheese fondue, which the Dutch appropriated from the Swiss probably because it appealed to their "one pot, many forks" sense of the democratic. And of course, one should take advantage of the ubiquitous fish stalls and stores by stopping and refueling on raw herring or some smoked delight from the sea.

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