Terrace Café Rotterdam offers panoramic view of the skyline and the Maas

30-6-2015

Café Rotterdam was already an icon on the Maas, but is lifted to a higher level after a major renovation. With the reopening of Café Rotterdam directly above the Cruise Terminal, the ‘Wilhelminapier’ gets a real boulevard look.

Terraces with panoramic views are popular

We already know for a while that rooftop terraces have become very popular worldwide. Paris, New York, Istanbul, every metropolis is graced with (roof)terraces with beautiful views. In Amsterdam we have some pretty roof terraces with great views, such as the Skylounge at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and the roof terrace ‘s at the former oil rig at the REM Island which is now a restaurant. The terrace of Café Rotterdam, at the same level of the Erasmus Bridge and the Cruise Terminal, offers a unique panorama of the Maas and the skyline. A new hotspot in Rotterdam this summer!

Café Rotterdam

The interior of Café Rotterdam breathes Pre-war Rotterdam class: large windows that offer plenty of light, high ceilings and modern details. The Chef Merijn Sips (formerly Librije’s Zusje ** in Amsterdam) serves a Mediterranean cuisine with international appeal. A business lunch, a delicious Sunday brunch or a romantic dinner, it’s all there. Apart from the restaurant area, there is a long bar where you can enjoy a cocktail, Gin & Tonic, authentic Schiedam Jenever, beer or a glass of wine with the Dutch delicacy ‘bitterballen’ (small round croquettes). The new Café Rotterdam is the youngest member of the Dudok Group which is a leading company in the hospitality and event industry since 1991.

Restaurant Wynwood will soon open in Eindhoven

28-5-2015

Star Chef Wouter van Laarhoven (former chef of restaurant De Molen*) and Eveline Wu will open restaurant Wynwood in Eindhoven in the beginning of July. The restaurant has an international profile with food and drinks at top level and at attractive prices.

The restaurant, named after the art and fashion district Wynwood in Miami, is located in the district Strijp-S, the creative, cultural and technological center of Eindhoven. The restaurant is 650 sqm with over 100 seats.

Wouter van Laarhoven about his Wynwood

Wouter van Laarhoven starts Wynwood with business partner Eveline Wu, who owns several catering companies. Van Laarhoven: “Wynwood is a sexy restaurant with an international flair and a global appeal. This is reflected in delicious high quality food at a very attractive price, perfect service, contemporary décor and a stylish international atmosphere. We serve a four-course meal for around thirty euro made with top-quality ingredients, being presented at luxury tableware and with linen napkins. Guests will experience luxury in all facets but without the associated financial consequences. Guests can visit for a (business) appointment, a good cup of coffee with freshly made pastries, lunch, dinner and at the bar for a cocktail or glass of wine with barbites. In short Wynwood will be buzzing all day. At Wynwood you can eat fantastic food and great drinks for the same price as in a coffee shop or brasserie. Despite the high level I have no ambition to earn a Michelin star with Wynwood.”

Bar and Terrace at Wynwood

The restaurant features a bar area where bartenders serve special cocktails and wines together with barbites. The bar is also open for just a drink in the evenings. Outside is a large terrace and adjacent Wynwood, a fully separated takeaway will be realized where fish and chips is sold in a fancy manner.

We follow the developments of restaurant Wynwood through Facebook where they are keeping their audience informed about all the developments. The exact opening date will be notified here as well. If past results are a guarantee for the future, even if he isn’t pursuing a Michelin rating, then Eindhoven has a new gourmet restaurant in town! And maybe Wouter will be serving his nut bread to accompany a cheese platter!

The Burger Club – Brings burgers to life through thoughtful ingredients.

17-2-2015

At the Burger Club at the Nieuwe Binnenweg in Rotterdam you can choose between three types of meat for all the burger they serve; MRIJ (Dutch) beef, USA Wagyu beef and Iberico pork. Difficult to choose.

Burger brought to life through thoughtful ingredients

Burgers like a Classic, BBQ, Greek, De Luxe or a juicy burger (the latter with gorgonzola in the meat) can be served with all the above types of meat. The MRIJ (Dutch) beef comes from butcher Piet van den Berg and is made from cattle grazing on the banks of the Meuse, Rhine and Ijssel rivers. For those who can’t choose, you can taste all three varieties if you order the sliders.

Owner Luis originates from Spain and you can trace back some Spanish influences in the menu. He serves a burger with chorizo and jalapeno peppers or one with Iberico ham and aioli. The fries are fried in olive oil, which clearly reflects on the taste. But they also serve a ‘Dutch Weed’-Burger, a vegetarian burger with seaweed as main ingredient. And a burger from grilled farm chicken combined with mango chutney.

Gin + Tonic at the Burger Club

Besides wine and beer the Burger Club also serves gin & tonics. Guests can choose from four types of tonics and eight varieties of gin, including Bobby’s, Hendricks and the German gin, Monkey 47.

Burger bars/restaurants are popular in the Netherlands

Hamburgers from fine quality beef remain trendy. The last couple of years we saw a rise in the number of burger bars or restaurants. If you as a restaurant owner would like to offer your guests more choice in the type of meat, check out the choice from The Frozen Butcher .

The Bustronome experience: delicious views of Paris

12-2-2015

Discover Paris on a gourmet escapade during lunch or dinner in a bus, the Bustronome experience. Just like the elegant dinners on the Parisian sightseeing boats, the Bustronome invites everybody to discover Paris aboard a double-decker bus converted into a fancy restaurant.

The Bustronome experience

The Bustronome, is a high-end double decker bus which is offering striking views across the French capital thanks to its panoramic glass roof. At the panoramic upper deck, passengers can enjoy a great lunch or dinner while enjoying Paris. A guided tour in a chic, cosy atmosphere.

Delicious meals while enjoying the view

Two of the menus they serve are ‘all inclusive’ with a selection of wine served by the glass to accompany each dish: champagne (dinner only) / white wine / red wine / mineral or sparkling water / tea or coffee. The tour takes 2h15 for lunch and 2h30 for dinner. At the moment we are writing this article, you can enjoy a Valentine’s day menu up to 14 February. Prices range from 65/85€ (for lunch) and 95/125€ (for dinner).

Bustronome offers an inventive cuisine. Specially invited grand chefs regularly offer new culinary experiences. Some examples of what they serve: Chestnuts’ “bonbonnière” / Poultry stuffed with ‘foie gras’ and season vegetables with hazelnuts sauce / Pineapple mille-feuilles / Scallops carpaccio with pistachio and grapefruit / Shoulder of lamb ‘Grand Veneur’ / Brie de Meaux cheese and caramelized apples.

Inspiration

Why don’t we do the same in Amsterdam? Only instead of preparing the food, we could also stop at a couple of those great restaurants we have in Amsterdam and pick up a dish! Imagine, starters, main courses or desserts from Librije’s Zusje (**); Ciel Bleu (**); &Samhoud Places (**), Bord d’Eau (**) Ron Gastrobar (*) and Rijks restaurant. Wouldn’t that be great? #stealmyidea ^Marjolein

Hart & Ziel competition

2-2-2015

The Mariënhof in Amersfoort (The Netherlands) challenges start-ups, entrepreneurs, everyone to come up with the ultimate hospitality concept for the conservatory and adjoining terrace. The Hart & Ziel (translated as Heart & Soul) competition is the chance to start your own company at the Mariënhof. A wine tasting concept, a tapas bar, a combination of a book store and coffee company, anything is possible. In the first two year you don’t have to pay the rent and with a starters budget it’s the chance to chase your dreams.

Competition

The competition exists out of three phases. In the first phase of the challenge the participants make a creative concept. The concept has to be a proper description of the idea and must include a moodboard to give the jury a first impression.

At the second phase the best 8 till 10 participants will be chosen. These participants will develop their concept into a complete business plan. The participants are offered two training sessions to support writing a good business plan.

A top three will be chosen from the submitted business plans. These are the three finalists who have the chance to win. At the final day on 15 May 2015, the finalists will pitch their plans for the judges and the audience. The winner will be announced on the same day. The winner will be selected by three parties: the jury, the audience and the opinions of the people of Amersfoort.

Review

For the review of the concept there will be looked at the creativity, the promotional benefits for the Mariënhof, the connection with the core value of the Mariënhof, the addition for the City Amersfoort and the feasibility of the concept.

Location

The conservatory and the terrace of The Mariënhof are at the side entrance near ‘Kleine Haag’. The conservatory is offering approximately 35 seats and the terrace offers around 45 seats, both depending on the concept. The winner can use the wine cellar as well if it fits the concept. The wine cellar could have another 30 seats.

Participation

Anyone can participate from the age of 18. A starter who just came out of school, someone with years (hospitality) experience and a dream, The Mariënhof is open to anyone with a good concept.

By participating in the contest it is important to bring the necessary permits/documents into which are needed to start a business. The winner is expected to provide this by his / herself.

The concept can be submitted until 17:00 on February 6, 2015.

New York meets Brabant in café ‘De Vooruitgang’

23-1-2015

City café ‘De Vooruitgang’ (re)opened the doors in Eindhoven (The Netherlands) on 8 January 2015. A fire in the kitchen in April 2013 almost completely burned down the monumental building. Now the monumental façade is restored and the interior and layout are completely renewed.

City café ‘De Vooruitgang’

The new layout creates a lot of light in the building. This makes the café suitable for every moment of the day. The interior is based on urban influences from New York combined with the domesticity of Brabant (The Netherlands). This is created through the stairs behind the bar and the Dutch design prints at the kitchen wall. Other interior design elements: Persian carpets at the wall and there is a wall of plants with over 2.000 plants.

Eat, drink, read, meet, talk and listen

In city Café De Vooruitgang everybody should feel at home. In the middle of the big open kitchen there is a specially designed BBQ grill where the chef prepares his dishes. On the new menu of the café there will be dishes from the grill like burgers with bacon, steak and their specialty: chicken. Besides that, you can go to the café for a pasta or fish. The bar offers a range of specialty beers and wine.
During the lunch at café ‘De Vooruitgang’ there will be wraps, croques and sandwiches with salmon, cheese or a home-made meatball.

Dancing in the café

Every Friday and Saturday the café is opened till late. There will be DJ’s to create an ambiance to dance after dinner. Every Thursday night the DJ-wannabe’s can show their talent during the ‘Spin-inn’.

Piazza Duomo at Harrods

9-1-2015

Since September 2014 , Harrods welcomes five of Italy’s best restaurants in their pop-up concept #Stelle di Stelle. This month the three-Michelin-starred restaurant ‘Piazza Duomo’ by Enrico Crippa takes the lead

Piazza Duomo

Enrico Crippa is famous among the young generation of Italian chefs. Crippa has worked with Europe’s most famous chefs like Ferran Adrià, Michel Bras en Antoine Westermann. In 2005 Crippa opened Ristorante Piazza Duomo in Alba, Italy. Piazza Duomo serves raw ingredients selected from the restaurant’s own vegetable garden that encompasses 5 acres of land.

Piazza Duomo five-course menu at Harrods will feature:

– Veal in tuna sauce
– Alta Langa potato cream with quail egg and Lapsang Souchong
– Agnolotti del Plin stuffed with three roasts, served with roast meat juices
– Fassona beef braised with Barolo and polenta
– ‘Relanghe’ hazelnut cake and cold zabaglione with Moscato wine

There will be a lunch and a dinner round each day. The menu is priced at £ 65 for lunch (a reduced version of the menu), or £ 115 for the whole menu. You can make a reservation till 31 January.

Stelle di Stelle

Stelle di Stelle works together with Identità Golose, a culinary organisation that wants to promote the traditional Italian kitchen and gastronomic delights worldwide. There has been a Stelle di Stelle at London and New York. The next edition will take place in Chicago September 2015.

Winter garden in Amsterdam

15-12-2014

How do you use your outdoor area during the cold days? Do you transform it into a cozy winter garden or do you prefer a skating rink on the roof terrace? For three months Restaurant & Bar Herengracht changes its outdoor area into a winter wonderland. With heaters, fire places and a semi-roofed terrace it is a nice place to be during these dark days.

The Winter Garden Amsterdam

The Winter Garden is open from late November till late February 2015. There will be three matching winter events, each with a cool theme.

Typical wintry

At the terrace the temperature will be a few degrees higher than on the streets. Not only the ‘heaters’ cause these higher temperatures, but also by the nose warming winter cocktails, mulled wine and hot chocolate served from the special outdoor bar. Typical wintry snacks and dishes like homemade pea soup, cheese fondue and game completes this winter concept.

Three special winter events

The winter garden will set the stage for three events at Restaurant & Bar ‘Herengracht’, which is located near the ‘Koningsplein’ in Amsterdam. The first event will be hosted in Christmas spheres on 20 December, the second event highlights the theme ‘let’s go wild’ on 24 January with wild boar on the spit, the final special is a huge cheese fondue party.

Men’s Day at restaurant De Wits

17-11-2014

Last Sunday the 16th restaurant de Wits was a temporary gentlemen club for the afternoon. With this Men’s Day in Movember the restaurant anticipates to public issues. This original approach can be an example for other restaurant owners.

Men’s Day

The theme of the Men’s Day at Club de Wits in Rijswijk (NL) was ‘Let your beard grow’. During the event the guests could enjoy real men-things. A barber from the local ‘Headz for Hair’ barbershop was cutting beards, ‘Intermezzo Mode’ provided style and clothing advice, wine- and whiskyspecialist ‘van der Boog’ brought a selection of whisky and tabacco store ‘Van Renssen’ provided sigars. The activities were completed with a training for drafting beer, leaving the training glasses of course for the men to drink, and additional snacks. Completely in line with the theme restaurant De Wits donated 10% of the entrance fee to the Movember foundation.

Themes and workshops

This Sunday was not an isolated event, regularly the restaurant organizes events for its loyal guests by the name of ‘Club De Wits’. In 2012 we wrote about a member event by Club De Wits with a pasta workshop, wine and oyster tasting and a pre-tasting of the new menu.

Issue calendar

Men’s Day is worldwide celebrated on 19 November. To have an overview of the days specific public issues are addressed worldwide, check the ‘IssueCalendar’.

Central Park by Ron Blaauw

23-10-2014

Restaurant and boutique hotel Savelberg will be transformed into Central Park by Ron Blaauw. The hotel and restaurant is located in the historic building ‘Vreugd en Rust’ (Joy and Peace), in the green area of Den Haag-Voorburg. With the arrival of Ron Blaauw as chef they chose for a new culinary formula. The restaurant concept is inspired by the accessible formula of his successful Gastrobar (*) in Amsterdam.

Central Park by Ron Blaauw

Culinary entrepreneur Carsten Klint is the new owner of the historic building. Along with Ron Blaauw he turns it into an affordable, culinary meeting spot: “from Picnic to Château Petrus.” The new name devised Carsten Klint with Perry Valkenburg, President Europe and COO International TBWA Worldwide, and this name emphasizes the new concept and its focus points: surprising, innovative and international. Currently the building is thoroughly restyled and adapted to today’s spirit, but with respect for the monumental details. Early November the doors of Central Park by Ron Blaauw will be opened.

Last summer we experienced in Napa Valley in California, how much fun it is to combine wine tastings, small dishes and picnics. Several wineries offer this option in their gardens. Great that a ‘culinary responsible’ picnic will be possible next year in Central Park by Ron Blaauw. We wish Carsten Klint and Ron Blaauw success with their new business! ^Marjolein