PANNENKOEKEN AND POFFERTJES
Dutch pancakes,
pannenkoeken
, are thicker than crepes but much
larger (up to 12 inches across) and thinner than their American
counterparts. They can be sweet or savory, with fillings that
range from mushrooms and bacon to Gouda cheese and apple
slices. They can also be enjoyed plain with butter and syrup.
NIEUWE HARING
Stop by one of the city’s many herring carts, or
haringhandels
,
for whole soused herring that has been soaked in salt brine. Most
commonly served as a snack, either plain or with chopped
onions, the fish itself has a soft texture and a salty taste. If you
feel squeamish about eating the whole fish alone, opt for a
broodje haring
, served in a bun with pickles and chopped onions.
Or dive in and eat it the way the locals do, by grasping a whole
herring by the tail, tipping your head back, and lowering the fish
head-first into your mouth.
KAAS
The Netherlands exports millions of tons of cheese, or
kaas
, a year
— gouda, edam, and leyden are some of the country’s most
famous varieties. Here, cheeses are categorized by how long they
have been aged —
jong
(one month),
belegen
(four months),
oud
(ten months), or
overjarig
(one year or longer).
Be sure to stop by a Dutch cheese shop, where you can taste
and learn about the different varieties available. Even if you don’t
want to buy a large block of cheese, you can still order a baguette
with cheese. Or if you’re dining out, order
kaasblokjes
(cheese
cubes served with a mustard dipping sauce) at a bar or
kaasplank
(a cheese board) with your meal at any Dutch restaurant.
STAMPPOT
Similar to the British bubble and squeak, this Dutch comfort food is
the perfect cold-weather dish.
Stamppot
combines potatoes mashed
together with other vegetables, which can include kale, spinach,
turnip greens, sauerkraut, or endive. Usually served as a main meal,
it’s commonly accompanied by a big, juicy rookworst, a type of
smoked pork sausage. One of the most popular varieties of stamppot
is
hutspot
, made with boiled potato, carrots, and onions, and served
with a piece of braised beef.
BRUIN CAFÉ
For a sense of authentic Amsterdam culture, plan a stop at a
bruin
café
(literally, brown café), a traditional Dutch pub. Named “brown”
for the look of their well-worn, dark-wood interiors, the local café is
considered to be a cozy and laid-back place to go for local and
regional beers. Open from early in the morning until 2am, they
feature a relaxed atmosphere where regulars can come for breakfast,
lunch, or dinner, and linger for hours.
The famous Café Hoppe on Spuistraat, opened in 1670, still
retains many of its historic trappings and is popular with locals and
tourists alike. While you’re there, be sure to try
jenever
, the juniper-
flavored national liquor of the Netherlands, and get an order of the
quintessential Dutch pub snack,
bitterballen
— crispy, deep-fried
breaded meatballs served with mustard.
/
Named for one of the greatest Dutch painters, Johannes Vermeer, and
housed in four 17th-century town-house buildings at the NH Barbizon
Palace hotel, the Michelin-starred Restaurant Vermeer surprises with
local, seasonal ingredients such as white asparagus, beetroot, and
Dutch prawns. For a rich variety of Northern European and regional
tastes with wine pairings, opt for the four-course or seven-course
degustation menu.
µ
25
enVoyage
ā
FINE DINING: RESTAURANT VERMEER
ā
EVA AIR FLIES TAIPEI–AMSTERDAM
THREE TIMES A WEEK.
