The Soupwoman and the Inhouse Food Critic got tired of cold and rainy Blighty and switched it to cold and rainy Netherlands for a few days. The plan was to unwind and enjoy some sightseeing (canal cruise, flower market, Anne Frank Huis, check), culture (lunch concert in Concertgebouw, Rijksmuseum, van Gogh Museum, check) and culinary delights (check).
A selection of Indonesian dishes – for two
Rijstafel
We dined in Sama Sebo, one of the many Indonesian restaurants in Amsterdam, and despite it being recommended in guidebooks, it was pretty good. Having not tried Indonesian food before I had nothing to compare it with, but we thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Granted, some of the dishes were merely nice, but the interesting ones and the scrumptious ones ensured it was a tasty experience.
Want some fries with that?
Patat
Another thing we just had to try were the Dutch style fries that were sold all over town. They were a welcome snack, as delicious as deep fried potatoes can be – fluffy on the inside, crispy on the outside – and surprisingly filling, especially with a good dollop of mayonnaise. Not perhaps the best option for those who are watching their diet, but one does not care when one is on holiday.
From a Dutch treat...
Pannekoeken
The menu in the pancake house we went to – the name escapes me but it was one of those on a narrow street close to Historisch Museum and Dam Square – was long, and the variety of fillings, both sweet and savoury, was staggering. However, both of us chose to keep it simple. We were served one huge pancake each, too thick for a crepe, too thin for an American style pancake, then we poured a little bit of syrup, or stroop, on top – but not too much, mind you, we didn’t want the pancake go all soggy and lose the crispness. A cup of good strong Dutch koffie was a perfect accompaniment indeed. And it is black coffee, of course, coffee with milk is koffie verkeerd or ‘wrong coffee’.
Genever
We did our best to sample Dutch specialities in a liquid form as well. We thoroughly enjoyed Dutch beers, such as dark, strong bokbier and Dutch pils, served in a small glass (a little less than half a pint) to ensure it remains cold to the last drop, but we found courage to try something stronger as well. A genever glass is filled to the brim, and you are supposed to slurp the top off first. Not too difficult after a little practice. At least we thought we eventually got the hang of it!
The Original Soupwoman 