Well, it's been a few weeks and I know I've been a very bad blogger. I was busy livin it up during my last week of freedom and gettin back on the wagon. That's right folks... I got a j-o-b. I'm pretty happy about it all things considered. It's a job I think I will like a lot, find interesting, challenging and that should be a good fit for my introverted and timid personality.
I am a little sad that there will be no more marathon sessions of watching reruns of No Reservations or anything on the Travel Channel for that matter (have you seen Dhani Tackles the Globe??? YUMMMM) and I am seriously contemplating setting the DVR to record Ellen so I can watch it at night but Dana has expressly forbidden me from doing so.
There's a big debate going on about whether or not I will keep up with all the blathering, I mean blogging now that I'm a working girl once again and my response to all you doubters is... don't be so quick to judge just because I abandon every other project the moment I get way too wrapped up in my career aspirations. This time will be different! But seriously... it's not like I'm gonna stop eating so as long as I can carve out a little time to post flicks we should be good. Maybe the result will be much shorter posts and everyone will win!
I arrived at around 7:30 AM on a Wednesday and by the time I got to Amsterdam Central, Dana had already left for work so I dropped off my bags (I slept the whole way from Boston and was pretty well rested) brushed my teeth and went looking for nourishment. I ended up grabbing a Dutch breakfast in the heavily touristy area just off the Damrak and reading a book for a while with this furry little guy... You know they'd have the board of health shuttering this place in minutes in the U.S.
Most Memorable Meal Award
Anyway, I wanted to get part two of the Amsterdam post up lest I rob anyone of some perfectly amazing photos of food and drink. If you haven't read part one, I highly recommend it (photos of cute kitty) but then again, I'm a little biased.
In case you're wondering about that sandwich up at the top, I'm not going to talk much about it but it did photograph well. It looks better than it tasted. They were trying to do too much with it and the bread was a bit hard. When these people put cheese on something they go all the way so it had about a 4 ounces of goat cheese, walnuts, roasted eggplant, eggs, olives, plus all the stuff you can identify. Good in theory, a little hectic in practice.
In case you're wondering about that sandwich up at the top, I'm not going to talk much about it but it did photograph well. It looks better than it tasted. They were trying to do too much with it and the bread was a bit hard. When these people put cheese on something they go all the way so it had about a 4 ounces of goat cheese, walnuts, roasted eggplant, eggs, olives, plus all the stuff you can identify. Good in theory, a little hectic in practice.
So without further verbal amuse bouche - on with the show!
Day 1. A Proper Dutch Breakfast.
I arrived at around 7:30 AM on a Wednesday and by the time I got to Amsterdam Central, Dana had already left for work so I dropped off my bags (I slept the whole way from Boston and was pretty well rested) brushed my teeth and went looking for nourishment. I ended up grabbing a Dutch breakfast in the heavily touristy area just off the Damrak and reading a book for a while with this furry little guy... You know they'd have the board of health shuttering this place in minutes in the U.S.
Dutch Kitty Cat
Most Memorable Meal Award
Our first dinner in Amsterdam was by far the most memorable. We ate at a cozy little place on a canal in the Jordaan called Proeverij 274 Restaurant that served really great "continental cuisine" (i.e. anything not indigenous) with a focus on fresh ingredients, delectable cuts of beef (they seemed to only serve wagyu) and creative seafood preparations.
We really lucked out because we just stumbled upon this place and ended up having an incredible meal. Proeverij, I learned, is the the Dutch word for "tasting" and this lovely little restaurant didn't disappoint. We started out with a thick potato soup which we shared and then moved on to the main event.
I had an AMAZING codfish fillet served with mussels and wagyucetta (basically a thin sliced wagyu almost like prosciutto) in a white bean and tomato stew. I can't describe how good this dish was. It was simple but really hearty without being heavy. I make a Brazilian inspired fish stew with cod, coconut milk, scallions, tomatoes and cilantro and it's simillarly wholesome in that it stands on it's own without a lot of spices. Just the commingling of ingredients is a taste explosion.
Dana went for the straight up wagyu fillet with some kind of potato cake which I didn't photograph until he had eaten most of it. I probably gross people out with these pictures of half eaten meals... I'll try to stop doing that.
Creature of Bad Habits
As I have mentioned before, I tend to find places I like and quickly become a regular. This was the case with the great little cafe on the corner outside the hotel where I ate breakfast (if that's what you call your first meal of the day even if it's at 2PM) pretty much every day. I snapped the gloomy photo below on my way to the airport when it was raining but it's a bright, sunny little spot that serves breakfast all day, a wide variety of delicious sandwiches and croissants, amazing coffee and Dutch pancakes.
I did my best to sample everything on the menu which included things like a fried egg sandwich served on french bread with cheese and lots of mayo. Very healthy and quite yummy. The first morning I woke up in Amsterdam, it wasn't morning at all. I somehow slept until 1PM even though we were in bed by 12:30 after going out in Leidesplein to the Alto Jazz Cafe to see some music.
It was a very tame night so I don't know why I was so sleepy but I decided to go for the spicy chicken sandwich for breakfast and I wasn't disappointed. Rather than a grilled chicken breast, it was shaved chicken with a spicy sauce, grilled tomato and cheese on a delicious baguette.
I won't recount all the other great stuff I ate there but I will post some photos. I severely miss the enormous cup of coffee with steamed milk I came to depend on each morning and the leisurely way I was able to enjoy it but I guess that's life. It can't be spicy chicken sandwiches and giant cups of amazing coffee all the time... unless you're Anthony Bourdain. I know I have an unhealthy fixation. I'm just really envious.
Cafe Addict
If I spent my mornings eating baguettes stuffed with eggs and cheese and consuming gallons of coffee, I spent my afternoons drinking Dommelsch, snacking on pea soup and rye and reading on the terrace at the Cafe Luxembourg while watching the pedestrian traffic from within the cozy glass bubble. I spent an awful lot of time here and really appreciate the quintessential European tradition that is the grand cafe. A place where you can sit for hours, drink coffee and people watch.
It was still chilly in early March so I would usually get a coffee when I first sat down and move on to the hard stuff later. I really couldn't get enough of the nice strong coffee that is served everywhere.
Normally I would stay long enough that I'd get a beer or two and in the Netherlands, this means a Dutch pour. They primarily pour shorties which are filled over the rim and then leveled with a spatula type utensil so that the top inch or two is comprised of foam.
Italian Bread - Tapanade/Bruschetta & Valpolicella
Hot Caprese w/ Roasted Egglpant
Remainder of a Very Good Osso Buco w/ Polenta & Dana's Spaghetti Carbonara
Cool Food Hoisting Pulley
Eat, Drink, Party - Don't Ever Leave the Building
On Saturday evening we were invited out to dinner with a collegue of Dana's from Converse, a lovely British girl who is living in Amsterdam and a large group of her ex-pat friends who were from all over. We rode our bikes a ways outside central Amsterdam to meet them at a bar and then went to a dinner club called Canvas. It was one of these places where you have dinner and then at around 10:00 they pull up all the tables and it seamlessly turns into a nightclub.
They were a very nice group of people from the U.K., Australia, other parts of the Netherlands and beyond and we had a good time eating, drinking and being merry... merry enough that riding the few miles back to the hotel at 3:30 in the morning was a little scary.
A Pre-Meal High Five
We had a pre-fixe menu because our party was so large and it was entirely in Dutch which proved to be pretty funny. The guy sitting across from us while dedicated to learning Dutch, had not mastered the language so there was some guess work in translating the menu. Everyone concluded the main ingredient in what I ordered was pumpkin but I'm quite sure there was no pumpkin in it.
Salad With Goat Cheese & Pine Nuts
Many Forms of Flickering Light
We really lucked out because we just stumbled upon this place and ended up having an incredible meal. Proeverij, I learned, is the the Dutch word for "tasting" and this lovely little restaurant didn't disappoint. We started out with a thick potato soup which we shared and then moved on to the main event.
I had an AMAZING codfish fillet served with mussels and wagyucetta (basically a thin sliced wagyu almost like prosciutto) in a white bean and tomato stew. I can't describe how good this dish was. It was simple but really hearty without being heavy. I make a Brazilian inspired fish stew with cod, coconut milk, scallions, tomatoes and cilantro and it's simillarly wholesome in that it stands on it's own without a lot of spices. Just the commingling of ingredients is a taste explosion.
Fish Stew Bonanza
Dana went for the straight up wagyu fillet with some kind of potato cake which I didn't photograph until he had eaten most of it. I probably gross people out with these pictures of half eaten meals... I'll try to stop doing that.
Dana's Wagyu Fillet
Creature of Bad Habits
As I have mentioned before, I tend to find places I like and quickly become a regular. This was the case with the great little cafe on the corner outside the hotel where I ate breakfast (if that's what you call your first meal of the day even if it's at 2PM) pretty much every day. I snapped the gloomy photo below on my way to the airport when it was raining but it's a bright, sunny little spot that serves breakfast all day, a wide variety of delicious sandwiches and croissants, amazing coffee and Dutch pancakes.
My Favorite Breakfast Spot
I did my best to sample everything on the menu which included things like a fried egg sandwich served on french bread with cheese and lots of mayo. Very healthy and quite yummy. The first morning I woke up in Amsterdam, it wasn't morning at all. I somehow slept until 1PM even though we were in bed by 12:30 after going out in Leidesplein to the Alto Jazz Cafe to see some music.It was a very tame night so I don't know why I was so sleepy but I decided to go for the spicy chicken sandwich for breakfast and I wasn't disappointed. Rather than a grilled chicken breast, it was shaved chicken with a spicy sauce, grilled tomato and cheese on a delicious baguette.
Spicy Chicken - It's What's For Breakfast
I won't recount all the other great stuff I ate there but I will post some photos. I severely miss the enormous cup of coffee with steamed milk I came to depend on each morning and the leisurely way I was able to enjoy it but I guess that's life. It can't be spicy chicken sandwiches and giant cups of amazing coffee all the time... unless you're Anthony Bourdain. I know I have an unhealthy fixation. I'm just really envious.
Egg Sandwich on Croissant
Scrambled Eggs on Toast with Cheese & Ham
Cafe Addict
If I spent my mornings eating baguettes stuffed with eggs and cheese and consuming gallons of coffee, I spent my afternoons drinking Dommelsch, snacking on pea soup and rye and reading on the terrace at the Cafe Luxembourg while watching the pedestrian traffic from within the cozy glass bubble. I spent an awful lot of time here and really appreciate the quintessential European tradition that is the grand cafe. A place where you can sit for hours, drink coffee and people watch.
It was still chilly in early March so I would usually get a coffee when I first sat down and move on to the hard stuff later. I really couldn't get enough of the nice strong coffee that is served everywhere.
First Course
Normally I would stay long enough that I'd get a beer or two and in the Netherlands, this means a Dutch pour. They primarily pour shorties which are filled over the rim and then leveled with a spatula type utensil so that the top inch or two is comprised of foam.
Proper Dutch Pour
If I got hungry, I would snack on some soup or a sweet and on the Sunday afternoon that Dana and I spent an hour lingering over our beers, we sampled a local treat of bitterballen. Snert is a very thick split-pea soup that includes sausage and is served with roggebrood (rye bread) and pork. Bitterballen is a yummy little meat-based snack that's made of chopped beef, beef broth, flour and butter, parsley, salt and pepper and then battered in a breadcrumb, milk and egg mixture and deep-fried. They're served with mustard for dipping and are a great bar snack.
Bitterballen
Snack Attack
As I have said, I did a lot of walking or cycling around on my own and would occasionally stop for a snack, less because I was hungry and more just to kill some time. I sampled local cheeses, tried the various beers brewed in Holland and Belgium and had some lovely indigenous chocolate, but my trip wouldn't have been complete without a stop for some Vlammase Frittes.
There are lots of stands and take away shops that exclusively serve french fries, the primary condiment being mayonnaise. I like to mix ketchup and mayo but this stand also had curry which was hard to pass up. Frittes are a staple in The Netherlands and it's hard to find a place that doesn't serve them which is alright by me. I remember when I took the photo below the fritte stand guy thought I was seriously deranged... like, this poor girl on holiday alone is so pathetic she's taking photos of her fries.
Fritte Stand OptionsErwtensoep or "Snert"
Bitterballen 
Snack Attack
As I have said, I did a lot of walking or cycling around on my own and would occasionally stop for a snack, less because I was hungry and more just to kill some time. I sampled local cheeses, tried the various beers brewed in Holland and Belgium and had some lovely indigenous chocolate, but my trip wouldn't have been complete without a stop for some Vlammase Frittes.
There are lots of stands and take away shops that exclusively serve french fries, the primary condiment being mayonnaise. I like to mix ketchup and mayo but this stand also had curry which was hard to pass up. Frittes are a staple in The Netherlands and it's hard to find a place that doesn't serve them which is alright by me. I remember when I took the photo below the fritte stand guy thought I was seriously deranged... like, this poor girl on holiday alone is so pathetic she's taking photos of her fries.
Cone of Frittes
Good Old Fashioned Cocktails
The weekend Dana and I had together was really nice because we spent the time liesurely cycling around, shopping and stopping for drinks. He took me to a place his coworkers had taken him and it was just my kind of spot. An old fashioned cocktail bar called Harry's where the barmen are dressed in crisp white jackets and have on hand the fresh ingredients to mix just about any kind of cocktail. It was lovely. I had a fresh lime gimlet (which is making it ever more difficult for me to drink one with Rose's) followed by a bellini. When you're in Amsterdam and get sick of light tasting beers and fruity Belgian's... go to Harry's.
Obligatory Gimlet ShotThe weekend Dana and I had together was really nice because we spent the time liesurely cycling around, shopping and stopping for drinks. He took me to a place his coworkers had taken him and it was just my kind of spot. An old fashioned cocktail bar called Harry's where the barmen are dressed in crisp white jackets and have on hand the fresh ingredients to mix just about any kind of cocktail. It was lovely. I had a fresh lime gimlet (which is making it ever more difficult for me to drink one with Rose's) followed by a bellini. When you're in Amsterdam and get sick of light tasting beers and fruity Belgian's... go to Harry's.
Saftey First - Continental Dining Abroad
Sometimes when travelling in Europe to places that aren't Spain, Italy, Portugal or France, you might be tempted to opt for Continental cuisine if you haven't had a lot of experience with the local fare. I mean, there aren't a whole lot of Dutch dining options in the U.S. and in all fairness this isn't stuff you'd want to eat every day. Lots of mashed veggies, sausage and other hearty but somewhat bland options.
However, there are also an abundance of great Thai, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Indian options in most Western European cities that influence the choice to select one of these cuisines and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. We were staying right along the Prins Hendrikkade which is a veritable culinary melting pot with a million different cultures represented. It's also a pretty little area with shops and bars and it was nice to stroll down the street and decide what kind of food we wanted. We chose The Little Thai Prince one night and a Malaysian Restaurant on our last night there. Both meals were very good but I'm a sucker for these cuisines. Just add curry or coconut milk and I'm happy. We also had a great Italian meal at Casa Di David that was a pleasant surprise.
Chicken Masaman Curry
Fried Bananas w/ Coconut Ice Cream
Sometimes when travelling in Europe to places that aren't Spain, Italy, Portugal or France, you might be tempted to opt for Continental cuisine if you haven't had a lot of experience with the local fare. I mean, there aren't a whole lot of Dutch dining options in the U.S. and in all fairness this isn't stuff you'd want to eat every day. Lots of mashed veggies, sausage and other hearty but somewhat bland options.
However, there are also an abundance of great Thai, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Indian options in most Western European cities that influence the choice to select one of these cuisines and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. We were staying right along the Prins Hendrikkade which is a veritable culinary melting pot with a million different cultures represented. It's also a pretty little area with shops and bars and it was nice to stroll down the street and decide what kind of food we wanted. We chose The Little Thai Prince one night and a Malaysian Restaurant on our last night there. Both meals were very good but I'm a sucker for these cuisines. Just add curry or coconut milk and I'm happy. We also had a great Italian meal at Casa Di David that was a pleasant surprise.
Thai Chicken Cooked in Banana Leaves
The Remants of Pad Thai & a Spicy Chicken Dish
Malaysian Chicken Rendang
Chicken Masaman Curry
Fried Bananas w/ Coconut Ice Cream
Italian Bread - Tapanade/Bruschetta & Valpolicella
Hot Caprese w/ Roasted Egglpant
Remainder of a Very Good Osso Buco w/ Polenta & Dana's Spaghetti Carbonara
Cool Food Hoisting Pulley
Eat, Drink, Party - Don't Ever Leave the Building
On Saturday evening we were invited out to dinner with a collegue of Dana's from Converse, a lovely British girl who is living in Amsterdam and a large group of her ex-pat friends who were from all over. We rode our bikes a ways outside central Amsterdam to meet them at a bar and then went to a dinner club called Canvas. It was one of these places where you have dinner and then at around 10:00 they pull up all the tables and it seamlessly turns into a nightclub.
The Scene During Dinner
They were a very nice group of people from the U.K., Australia, other parts of the Netherlands and beyond and we had a good time eating, drinking and being merry... merry enough that riding the few miles back to the hotel at 3:30 in the morning was a little scary.A Pre-Meal High Five
We had a pre-fixe menu because our party was so large and it was entirely in Dutch which proved to be pretty funny. The guy sitting across from us while dedicated to learning Dutch, had not mastered the language so there was some guess work in translating the menu. Everyone concluded the main ingredient in what I ordered was pumpkin but I'm quite sure there was no pumpkin in it.
A Salad With Smoked Chicken & Pesto
Salad With Goat Cheese & Pine Nuts
Dana's Beef Filet
A Sea Bass - I Think
My Mystery Meal - Spinach, Pastry, Cheese, Pesto - No Pumpkin
My Mystery Meal - Spinach, Pastry, Cheese, Pesto - No Pumpkin
It was a fun night but like most European nightclubs, the music was all electronic which these days I have a hard time getting into. We stayed pretty late nonetheless and really liked everyone we met including a hysterical girl from New Zealand I couldn't help but grill about Flight of the Choncords.
Shop Till You Run Outta Cash!
There is some GREAT shopping in Amsterdam and I was happy to have the time to explore the shops and find some really great independently owned stores and boutiques. There are great second hand and vintage stores where you can find high end labels and classic pieces in good shape for cheap. I bought three vintage handbags, one from the 50's in absolute mint condition and two clutches from a bit later but also in great shape.
I also bought a great pair of shoes (below) made by United Nude which was started by Dutch architect Rem D Koolhaas and shoe manufacturer Galahad Clark. They are made out of the same stuff as Crocs I think so they're very light and comfortable which I appreciate now that I have to navigate the cobble-y walkways in Fanueil Hall every day.
Another cool purchase was a very special pair of denim from Denham, a custom jeanmaker. They make some standard styles in a few different washes - I got the waister - but they will also custom make you a pair and you can pick the wash, the hardware, etc. It's like getting a suit tailored only they're jeans. I might do this when I get back to Amsterdam because it's a worthwhile investment. The standard issue jeans are also an investment at over $200 a pop but they fit great and the denim is super soft. Dana got a raw denim which isn't so soft but that's his jam.
You should check out the blog which has photos of the shop because it's very cool. The retail space is very clean and the way they merchandise is really special. There were a few shops that did a great job merchandising. I also liked 290 Square Meters which is more of an urban clothing and footware retailer that carries both men's and women's lines. Concrete which was sort of the same deal and carried the Maharishi women's line which I had never seen before. And Droog a Dutch housewares and high end concept store/gallery that has other outposts but the Amsterdam location is its flagship and the space is extra cool.
By and large, shopping in Amsterdam is a great experience. Lots of independent retailers, lots of cool concept stores, plenty of creative Dutch and Nordic housewares. The exchange rate doesn't exactly work in our favor but you can find special things that will last are worth the investment.
Last Week of Freedom
Shop Till You Run Outta Cash!
There is some GREAT shopping in Amsterdam and I was happy to have the time to explore the shops and find some really great independently owned stores and boutiques. There are great second hand and vintage stores where you can find high end labels and classic pieces in good shape for cheap. I bought three vintage handbags, one from the 50's in absolute mint condition and two clutches from a bit later but also in great shape.
I also bought a great pair of shoes (below) made by United Nude which was started by Dutch architect Rem D Koolhaas and shoe manufacturer Galahad Clark. They are made out of the same stuff as Crocs I think so they're very light and comfortable which I appreciate now that I have to navigate the cobble-y walkways in Fanueil Hall every day.
The Mono Jane
Another cool purchase was a very special pair of denim from Denham, a custom jeanmaker. They make some standard styles in a few different washes - I got the waister - but they will also custom make you a pair and you can pick the wash, the hardware, etc. It's like getting a suit tailored only they're jeans. I might do this when I get back to Amsterdam because it's a worthwhile investment. The standard issue jeans are also an investment at over $200 a pop but they fit great and the denim is super soft. Dana got a raw denim which isn't so soft but that's his jam.You should check out the blog which has photos of the shop because it's very cool. The retail space is very clean and the way they merchandise is really special. There were a few shops that did a great job merchandising. I also liked 290 Square Meters which is more of an urban clothing and footware retailer that carries both men's and women's lines. Concrete which was sort of the same deal and carried the Maharishi women's line which I had never seen before. And Droog a Dutch housewares and high end concept store/gallery that has other outposts but the Amsterdam location is its flagship and the space is extra cool.
By and large, shopping in Amsterdam is a great experience. Lots of independent retailers, lots of cool concept stores, plenty of creative Dutch and Nordic housewares. The exchange rate doesn't exactly work in our favor but you can find special things that will last are worth the investment.
Last Week of Freedom
Well... I did live it up quite a bit during my last week of unemployment (Southie St. Patty's Day parade, Celtics game in the Converse box, dinner at Hammersley's, drinks at Beacon Street, etc.) so I'll get that post up soon and I still owe the world some photos of an awesome pupuseria and a superb dumpling house in Chinatown. I'll get on that at some point. I know, I know. You'll believe it when you see it.
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