1 Week in Sweden - Part 3 - Visited 6/30/2018 - 7/8/2018 3.5 - 4 Forks

Kafe Hoga Nord Kyrkogatan 13, 411 15 Göteborg, Sweden                                                        4 Forks

After 3 days in Stockholm, we were ready for something different in Sweden.  When I told most locals that we were going to Gothenburg, they looked horrified.  So I was scared that we made the wrong choice but I actually thought it was a nice "long weekend" kind of destination.  I guess it's kind of like the rivalry between New York and Boston - most New Yorkers could care less about Boston but if someone was visiting from another country, I could see why there is some appeal there. 

Gothenburg is quaint city that's also surrounded by water with a fun downtown area that has lots of shops and restaurants.  The NY Times had just done a 36 Hours in Gothenburg, so we visited one of their recommended restaurants, which, surprisingly was also very vegetarian friendly. 

The cafe is hidden behind an alley way and nestled in between a champagne shop and a record shop.  It's a hipster's dream but it started as a record store and then expanded to a cafe.  The cafe itself is tiny but they have a few outdoors seats in the courtyard which makes for a really pleasant lunch during the summer time.  What I liked about Gothenburg was that it was a bit more local in that most menu didn't have English translations but obviously everyone speaks perfect English there, so the guy behind the counter was more than happy to help us out.   The menu is mostly soups and smorrebrod (open-faced sandwich).  I got the gazpacho soup and Lav got the cauliflower soup and then we each got a different kind of smorrebrod - one had ricotta, cherry tomatoes and artichokes and I can't remember the other one but it had a lot of dill on it.  

The soups alone are a major reason to come here.  They were out of this world.  I know, who thinks vegetarian soup can be mind blowing but they were.  They were clean, fresh tasting and really hit the spot.  We were both shocked at how delicious they were.  The smorrebrod were also tasty yet very traditional tasting.  If you're looking for something healthy, hip and tasty, definitely check this place out.  I just wouldn't say it's the most filling meal but you won't regret it.   Total bill:  $33 USD for two with tax and tip

Puta Madra  Magasinsgatan 3, 411 18 Göteborg, Sweden                                                         3.5 Forks

When you think of Sweden, you don't really think of Mexican food right?  But I guess since this is a university town, there are more diverse food options.  We were feeling a bit tired of the forged/veggie food scene, so when we saw that there was a Mexican restaurant in the heart of downtown, we figured why not? 

The decor and setting of the restaurant is beautiful.  We got to sit up on the rooftop and it was a super fun and lively scene.  The menu is pretty traditional Mexican (not authentic though) - tacos, tostada, ceviche, and empanadas.  We started with the guacamole, a side of black beans and I got the fish tacos.  While I preferred grilled fish tacos, a good beer batter fish tacos always hits the spot too.  Unfortunately, these were a little funky.  They were covered in this weird orange sauce that I couldn't place, a huge helping of pickled onions and then a literal bunch of cilantro (they clearly didn't bother to cut it).  While it was plenty of food, it felt like it was missing some more flavor and toppings.  Instead of the onion, I would have preferred the traditional use of cabbage and while we're at it, freaking sirracha aioli (I know, it's not very authentic but when it comes to beer batter fish tacos, I do love that combination).   The guac and beans were fine - nothing really anything to note.

Although one can't have too high of an expectation for Mexican food in Sweden, it was a bit of a let down.  But I would still recommend it as a place to go as it was packed with young locals and the vibe was really fun.  Total bill: $61 USD/pp with tax, tip and drinks

Saluhallen Kungstorget, 411 17 Göteborg, Sweden                                                                     4 Forks

Yes, I finally had Swedish meatballs.  I had been in Sweden for over 5 days and had yet to have the famous Swedish meatballs.  It's not that I was opposed to it but I honestly wasn't dying to have it and it wasn't really served in a lot of the places I went to.  I assumed it was just a touristy thing and while it probably is, it's still served up in a bunch of more casual places. 

For those of you who know me, you know that I love a good food hall.  I love the smells, sounds and feel of being surrounded by such variety and choices.  This place was no exception.  It's smack in the middle of town and Lav and I decided to grab something to eat before our 3 hour train ride back to Stockholm.  While the hall isn't overwhelming, I still had a hard time deciding what to get and finally caved and decided to get the meatballs.  There are a few stalls that have them and I picked one that seemed to have the most people around.  I got it straight up traditional style with white gravy, mashed potatoes and lingonberry sauce.  The meatballs were enormous and delicious.  I don't know what kind of meat they used but it was very moist.  Not that you really needed it since it was covered in gravy and then with the combination of buttery mashed potatoes and sauce, there was no way each bite wouldn't be yummy.  I guess since Sweden is cold 8 months of the year they need super hearty comfort food like this.  It reminded me of Thanksgiving food but with a small twist.  

I loved everything about it but I also didn't think I needed to load up on more meatballs on my trip.  The one nice thing about this meal was that it was probably one of the cheapest and most filling meals of the trip.  Total bill:  $7.80 

Photo Credit:  https://eatandtheworld.wordpress.com/2014/10/09/goteborg/

1 Week in Sweden - Part 2 - Visited 6/30/2018 - 7/8/2018 3 - 3.5 Forks

Sandhamns Värdshus AB  Sandhamn 101, 130 39 Sandhamn, Sweden                                   3.5 Forks

One of the must-dos while you're in Sweden (especially during the summer months) is to take a boat ride out to the archipelago - there are hundreds of tiny islands within a few short hours from Stockholm.  Apparently this is where most Swedes spend their summer time, it's like their version of the Hudson Valley or something like that.

We decided to check out the more populated island of Sandhamn - it's the furtherest island to the east and is about 2 hours away.  I envisioned adorable small red farm houses, local bakeries, lots of greenery but with a twist of Girl with a Dragon Tattoo edge.  Unfortunately, the day we went it was pretty cold and rainy, so it made for kind of a bummer of a trip but it did have cute small houses, local bakeries and a scary empty forrest.   

By the time we got off the boat, we were starving.  You dock basically at the most populated part of the island and there are maybe 4 restaurants tops on the entire island.  We went for the one that most people seem headed to and that had a nice outdoor view even though it was drizzling. 

This cute restaurant is attached to a small hotel if you want to stay there overnight.  The menu is very traditional Swedish food - shrimp sandwiches, herring, fish stew, etc.  I opted to get a small shrimp sandwich as well as the fried herring dish.  They both felt like very traditional dishes I had to get while in Sweden.  The shrimp sandwich was delightful.  It was an open face sandwich with small peeled shrimp, egg, dill, thinly sliced cucumbers, lettuce and some micro greens.  I knew after tasting 1 bite that I should have gotten the large one instead.  But I still had a full plate of herring with mashed potatoes and lingonberries coming up.    While I love fish, I don't love fish bones even though I have no problems pulling them out while I eat.  Unfortunately these bones were so small, it was impossible to pull out and every time I swallowed one, I just felt gross.  The flip side is that the mashed potatoes and lingonberries were delicious.  Even though I didn't love the fish, it's herring and you can't come to Sweden without trying it.  Now I can cross it off my list.   

Even though we left the island pretty quickly, it was still worth a visit.  Just cross your fingers for sun when you're there.  Total bill:  $48/pp with tax and tip

Surfers  Regeringsgatan 8, 111 39 Stockholm, Sweden                                                             3.5 Forks

After over 2 weeks in Europe, I was craving some Asian food.  Not that the food I had been having  in Amsterdam and Stockholm were bad, but I was in need of flavor.   Surfers is a hipster Asian food chain and that was packed with people when we got there but we were willing to wait it out.   It's not really in a real brick and mortar space but more like an open pop-up tent which was kind of weird.  I wonder what they do in the winter time?

They have some pretty tasty cocktails to sip on while you wait which is nice since it ended up being quite a wait.   We finally sit down and our waiter is ridiculously attractive - he could have been another Hemsworth brother.  Obviously everyone in Sweden is gorgeous, so it should have come as no surprise when everywhere you turn,  you are surrounded by beautiful people. 

The menu is kind of like a "best of" Asian food, small plate style where everything is 98 SEK ($10 USD).  We got the eggplant with cumin, dan dan noodles, fried tofu and I got the bang bang chicken.  Let's be honest, it's Asian food in Sweden, so it wasn't authentic or traditional but it got the job done for the most part.  The dan dan noodles were drenched in red chili oil which was a bit of a turn off.  We left room for dessert and got the mango mouse dessert which was actually pretty tasty and a nice palate cleanser to the oil and spice of the food.  We also got these small cute chocolate truffles which paired well with the mango.  

It was a nice reprieve to finally eat something with spice and flavor to it.  The vibe was pretty cool - full of young, hip, locals - so for that reason I would say it's a fun place to go.  But it's not a major culinary destination if you're looking for a foodie restaurant.  Total bill: $94 for 2 people with tax and tip

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Rutabaga 

Södra Blasieholmshamnen 6 

111 48 Stockholm, 

Sweden                                            3 Forks

Rutabaga was our one fancy pants meal of the trip.  It's by famed Swedish chef 

Mathias Dahlgren who has won the Bocuse D'Or and has several Michelin stars to his name.  So we were obviously very excited for our meal.  

You can tell when you walk in that it'll be a very elevated dining experience.  The one "catch" to eating here is that it's 100% vegetarian.  It was shockingly easy for Lav to get around Sweden food wise but we hadn't yet been to a place that was 100% veggie friendly. 

The menu here is broken down into 2 pre-fixe options:  small or large.  The small is $55 USD with 4 dishes and a small snack while the large is $89 USD with 6 dishes, also with a small snack.  We figured we came all the way here, might as well go big.  They don't really have an extensive wine (the wine pairing was an additional $70-$129 USD) and their virgin drinks were $12 USD, so we didn't really have the full-on experience of a food and wine here. 

The "snacks" were plentiful and could have easily been a full meal on its own - we got yummy bread with yogurt, steamed cucumbers, fried beans wrapped in a thin pancake, and tomato consume.  This was all before the actual meal which was carrots, tartar of beefsteak tomatoes, truffle pizza, 63 degree egg in yuzu broth, cherry sorbet and rhubarb with vanilla ice cream.  Despite the fact that everything was vegetarian, I didn't really miss meat.  But the whole meal did kind of taste like it was forged out of a Scandinavian forrest in this very hipster manner.  While I appreciated the artistry of everything and it was very clean tasting, it felt like it was missing some heat or flavor to it.  I felt like this was something Goop would recommend but not Anthony Bourdain (RIP).  In any case, it's a beautiful setting and a very thoughtful meal but I wasn't fell a bit short to me.  Plus I didn't think the value was really there - spending over $100 but with only 1 glass of wine.  Total price:  $112/pp with tax and tip

1 Week in Sweden - Part 1 - Visited 6/30/2018 - 7/8/2018 4 - 4.5 Forks

Rolf Kok Tegnérgatan 41, 111 61 Stockholm, Sweden                                                                4 Forks

After 2 weeks in Amsterdam for work, I jetted off to Sweden for a vacation I had planned before I took this new job.  While it sounds super glamorous and I'm not complaining at all, it was a bit tiring being away from home for that amount of time.  But luckily Sweden is such a lovely place that it made it pretty easy to relax.  I had been wanting to check out Sweden ever since I went to Denmark and Norway a few years ago and absolutely fell in love with Scandinavian culture and life. 

While it doesn't quite have the same culinary reputation as Denmark, Swedish food was quite surprising.  Almost every meal I had was pretty good and despite it being famous for Swedish meatballs, it was a very veggie friendly place to travel to as well.

Our first stop was to stay in Stockholm for 4 days, which is plenty of time.  Stockholm isn't a huge city and honestly most people leave the city during July, so it was pretty quiet.  One place that had gotten tons of good reviews was this Rolf Kok - which translates to Rolf's Kitchen.  While I can't say I know exactly what Swedish food is, the menu gave off a very Scandinavian vibe.   Lav and I split the kale salad and I got the braised ox cheeks (265 SEK = $29.57 USD).   Maybe it was something lost in translation but the kale was really much more like a lettuce based salad but none the less, it was a fine salad.  The ox cheeks were braised in red wine came with really buttery mashed potatoes - what's not to love?  The cheeks were perfectly moist and tender to the touch.   My only complaint would be that the dish is quite heavy.  For dessert we got the strawberries/champagne dessert with ice cream and a chocolate pudding (65 SEK) - both excellent but I preferred the refreshing strawberries one. 

This was a very pleasant intro to food in Sweden and price-wise, it was pretty on point with what to expect.  Sweden is not a cheap place to vacation at all, so don't be surprised when almost every meal runs you between $70+ per person.  Total bill here:  684 SEK ($76 USD)/pp with tax and tip

Photo Credit: Yelp

Rosendals Tradgard  Rosendalsterrassen 12, 115 21 Stockholm, Sweden                                4.5 Forks

I know the term Farm to Table concept is so cliched and overly used but the food here is literally straight from the farm you're sitting in to your plate.  Ok, it's not really a farm, it's a greenhouse but all the veggie and ingredients are grown onsite so you know it's fresh and delicious. 

The place is a bit of a hike to get to - you have to go to through the park and then it's still a bit of a walk to get there but on a sunny day, it is 100% worth it.  The grounds are gorgeous and even if you don't want to eat the food here (not sure why you wouldn't), you can bring a picnic and lay out in the back.  

To be clear this isn't a restaurant but more like a cafe.  You wait in line in one of the greenhouses and you pick up a tray.  There are a bunch of fresh bread products and pastries in the line while you wait to get up to the counter and when you get up there, the menu is pretty limiting, but I found it to be super worth it.  I got the roasted chicken with swiss char and roasted carrots and a cinnamon roll with rose sea salt.   It's a hipster's dream. 

The food was fantastic - super fresh and even though I'm not a fan of carrots, these were incredible.  It was such a simple meal done right.  Of course, you can't come to Sweden without having a cinnamon roll and the rose salt here was a nice touch to it.  Unlike the sticky sweet buns in the US, the ones in Scandinavia are more focused on the bread with a hint of cinnamon (with no glaze).   As with any meal in Sweden,  it was a bit expensive for the amount of food, but honestly I was not bothered by it since I really thought the quality was excellent.  A must visit when you are in Stockholm.  Total bill:  $25/pp with tax and tip

Nygoret 6 116 40 Stockholm, Sweden                                                                                          4 Forks

Every article you read about Stockhom, it'll mention how the neighborhood of Sodermalm is the super hipster section of the city and it's often compared to Brooklyn.  Honestly, I don't see it or get it.  Maybe it's because we went on a Sunday and many places were closed, so it didn't really seem to have this lively feel to it but I was underwhelmed by it.  I've clearly lived in Williamsburg for too long because nothing feels as hipster as the 'Burg or Bushwick to me. 

I will say that the area did seem to have a lot of cute restaurants/cafes/bars so maybe that is where the comparison is.  I had wanted to try to Meatballs for the People but it was closed for summer vacation, so we ended up here with no reservation.  They were pretty accommodating - at first we sat outside but then it ended up being kind of chilly, so they moved us inside with no complaints.

The menu is a quite eclectic - it's got mini tacos, seared tuna, meatballs, pastas and rotisserie meats all on the same menu but yet somehow it works and everything sounded really tasty.  I started with a rhubarb negroni drink which was excellent and a nice twist on a classic.  Since everything sounded great, we split the fried halloumi burger (195 SEK) and I got the sliced steak appetizer (115 SEK), while Lav got a pasta dish (105 SEK).  The steak appetizer was delicious.  It was thinly sliced, perfectly medium rare and served with red wine vinegar sauce and topped with one of my favorite mushrooms, enoki mushrooms.   Since it was a appetizer, it was on the small side but I would have gladly gotten an entree size if they made it.  The halloumi burger was also pretty good - it was a panko crusted fried piece of halloumi cheese with avocado, harissa mayo and served on a really buttery bun.  I'm glad we split it because it was a pretty hearty "burger" on its own.  The fries that it came with were extra cripsy and divine. 

Overall, it seemed like a really nice local joint that I could see myself going to often if I lived in the area.  Total bill:  $105 USD for two people with tax and tip

2 Weeks in Amsterdam - Part 4 - Visited 6/16-6/29/2018 3.5 - 4 Forks

Pigs and Punch  Utrechtsestraat 30a, 1017 VN                                                                          3.5 Forks

Although I love BBQ, I can't say that I necessarily crave it when I'm traveling.  So I was surprised at how excited I was when a co-worker brought us to a BBQ joint in Amsterdam.  At first we were told there wasn't enough room for all of us, which made me want to go even more (the power of being told no), so when a few of us split off, we were able to snag a table downstairs for 4.  It's a pretty cool vibe inside - lots of dark wood paneling but not in an old stodgy way.  It's definitely more in a hipster way.

The menu is pretty similar to what you would see at an American BBQ place - pork belly, chicken wings, ribs, pulled work and others yummy meat stuff.  The thing with BBQ is that it's better to share than to eat your own - so I was super happy when my friend Sophia wanted to split the Pig Out for 2 (24.50 euros).  With all this meat, I had to get something green to eat so I also got the spring pea salad which was amazing and I highly recommend.  The Pig Out platter came with a lot of food - sausage, pork cheek, pork belly and pulled pork and it was served with jalapeño and BBQ sauce as well as mustard.  While I was impressed with the amount of food and that most of it was pretty true to American style BBQ, most of it was a bit too dry for my taste, especially the pork belly.   I didn't try the ribs but my co-workers mentioned that they were pretty good.   Obviously one doesn't come to Amsterdam for BBQ and while I wouldn't say this should be on your must-eat list if you're only in Amsterdam for a few days, but if you're here for an extended period of time, it's worth checking out. Plus at 24.50 euros for 2 people, it's a steal.

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Cafe Lotje  Johannes Vermeerstraat 52, 1071                                                                               4 Forks

This place was also recommended by a local co-worker and it was super packed with locals - so that's always a good sign.  In case you couldn't tell from my picture, the menu is primarily focused on steak, steak and more steak.  Be prepared to really have your heart stop and while they do have salads here, it's not a place if you're looking to be healthy.   But it is a keto dieter's dream with meat soaking in butter.

When in Amsterdam, you have to start with an order of bitterballs (5.25 euros) - these are a classic Dutch staple and deliciously addictive.  It's essentially a fried ball filled with meat and roux - it's very similar to a croquette in texture and flavor.  You can easily sit around and pop a bunch of them in your mouth while you wait for your food.  And wait you will here.  As my friend mentioned to me, Amsterdam is not known for its service.  It's not what you would call a hospitality focused country - our waiters were a bit surly, inattentive and generally annoyed with us (although I don't really blame them when it's a table of 10 people).  I didn't really know the difference in all the steak variations (and looking at the menu again, I'm still not sure), all I know is that I got a regular piece of steak done medium rare (18.95 euros).   When you get your steak, unlike in the US where they give you a sauce on the side, this one is soaking in it.  Like fully drenched in butter gravy.  You can feel your arteries clogging with every bite you take but it does keep the meat very moist and juicy.  We also split the beef carpaccio (11.25 euros) which came with arugula and truffle mayo.  It was thinly sliced with good flavor and after having that, I wished I got that as my main dish instead of a steak soaked in sauce.

Overall, it was a fun environment because it was full of lively locals and the food, while isn't life changing, is tasty, albeit a bit on the heavy side.  It's away from the city center, so it's a nice detour if you're looking for something different.

Photo Credit: Yelp

2 Weeks in Amsterdam - Part 3 - Visited 6/16-6/29/2018 2-4 Forks

The Commons  Wibautstraat 131 A, 1091 GL                                                                              3 Forks

Unfortunately, I didn't book my own hotel for my first trip to Amsterdam which was a super bummer because I ended up spending 2 weeks at a place called The Student Hotel.  At first I mis-read it as a student hostel and almost passed out but it wasn't too far from it.  Not to sound like a total snob but I feel that at this point in my life, I deserve to stay at places that are slightly nicer than a student hotel when I travel for work, but alas my company has a pretty low hotel cap rate.

I had just gotten back late from a weekend jaunt in Berlin and there was nothing really open in the hood.  Since this was a place catered more to kids, there was no room service.  I had to beg the restaurant to let me eat there since it was 10pm on a Sunday and they were very nice about it and let me order.  I quickly made a decision on the veggie pizza (9 euros) to speed up my order.  It said that their crust is made with sourdough so at least that was something interesting and different - and you know, it was!  The crust was thin and tasty and the veggie toppings were eggplant, olives and chili - not my favorite but at that hour I didn't really care.  There wasn't enough cheese to it which made it less of a good pizza experience for me.  It was fairly big pizza and you could definitely share it with someone else if you wanted to.

In the end, the meal was fine for someone who was tired and just wanted something quick to eat.  I would most definitely not rate this as a destination restaurant but if you're staying there, it's a fine on- site choice and because it's catered to students, the price is definitely very affordable.  Although your best option is to take a 5 min walk and try to get a seat at Rijsel - the only good thing about staying at this hotel.  Total bill: 12 euros

Photo Credit:  The Fork

Cafe Dauphin  Prins Bernhardplein 175 1097 BL                                                                     2.5 Forks

I'm sad to report that this was the worst meal of the trip.  I know it's hard finding a place within budget for a large team of people (there were about 20+ of us) and I don't know Amsterdam very well, so I certainly feel bad shitty on my co-worker who suggested it, but the meal was just bad.  Since it was a large party, we had a pre-fixe meal where you had to choose 1 of 3 entrees.  I can't remember what they were but the fact that I chose to get a hamburger in Europe, should be pretty indicative of how desperate I was.  I'll make this quick and say the burger was terrible and it's not because I'm being an American snob.  It was clearly a pre-grilled burger, which in of itself, isn't bad but the bun was so dry and inedible it made the whole thing taste bad.  The fries, which Amsterdam is known for, were like MacDonald fries, which are tasty but definitely nothing fancy.  Sadly everyone else was also not super into their food.  Again, even though I love food, I would hate to take on the responsibility to organize a large dinner with a tight budget so I'll give this place the benefit of the doubt that maybe if you just came on your own that it would be better?

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Tokyo Ramen Takeichi  Vijzelstraat 135, 1017 HJ                                                                       4 Forks

Apparently ramen is now making its rounds in Amsterdam and a few co-workers mentioned that this was the best one in town.  It was only about a 5 min walk from the office and it was a nice break from the cafeteria food.  The place is pretty small but it was easy to get a seat, even at lunch time. 

Obviously the menu is all ramen here but what was most surprising is that all the ramen was chicken based - no pork on the menu at all.  That made me a bit weary if this was truly a good Japanese place but I have seen a few chicken ramen dishes before and I guess it's technically healthier for you.  They have all the same flavors of pork ramen:  shoyu, shio, miso, and spicy.   They also have 2 vegetarian versions which is nice.  I got the recommend nouko shoyu chicken ramen with an egg (14.70 euros) and the chicken karage (4.80 euro) which is essentially fried chicken.   The fried chicken dish came with 3 pieces, which was the perfect size for me.  They were super juicy, dark meat pieces and served with a garlic mayo-like sauce.   As for the chicken ramen, it was rich and creamy as advertised.   The broth and noodles were both delicious and while I still prefer a pork broth, this was pretty darn good.  It even felt a bit less saltier - so maybe it is good for me!  It's definitely worth a try if you have time or are just craving something that isn't related to french fries.   Total bill:  21 euros

Photo Credit: Yelp

24 hours in Berlin Visited 6/23/2018 4 Forks

Huftgold  Neue Bahnhofstr. 29

In between my 2 weeks in Amsterdam, I figured it would be fun to take a quick jaunt over to Berlin to see my friend Jill.  She was about to move from Berlin to London soon, so I figured now was the time to go otherwise, I probably make the trek over.  To be honest, even though most people rave about Berlin it was just never top on my list to check out.  It kind of reminded me of being a grey and stern city - and that is exactly what I got when I visited.  No knock to the city and I'm sure I didn't get to see even half of it while I was there, but I didn't get the warm and fuzzies when I went to visit.

Luckily, the one fun thing that was going on while I was there was that it was the World Cup and Germany was playing while I was there.  Jill and I met up with one of her friends at a local bar/restaurant where they were showing the game outside.  It wasn't a huge space but they hung a large TV outside and you could still order drinks and food while you watched the game.  Since I was in Germany, I felt like it was my duty to get wiener schnitzel while I was in town.  For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a very thin veal cutlet that's breaded and pan fried.  It was served with buttery mashed potatoes, a mushroom sauce and a salad.   Everytime I eat veal, I feel super guilty but it was delicious and paired with the mashed potatoes and a squeeze of lemon, it was German food heaven.  The place seemed like a fun local place to hang out - I didn't see a ton of tourists, so if you're in that part of town and looking for a casual place to hang out, I'd definitely recommend this place.  Unfortunately I can't remember how much our bill was but it was quite affordable and the nice waiter even gave us a free shot at the end.

Photo Credit:  Yelp

2 Weeks in Amsterdam - Part 2 - Visited 6/16-6/29/2018 4.5-5 Forks

The Seafood Bar  Van Baerlestraat 5, 1071                                                                               4.5 Forks

Everyone kept telling me how the food in Amsterdam is meh but most of my meals so far had been pretty great and this next round of food really blew me away.  I knew that they were more well known for fries and heartier food so when a colleague told me about Seafood Bar, I was super excited to eat something healthier. 

To set expectations, even if you you have a reservation, you're going to wait a long time here.  Luckily, Sophia and I weren't starving but don't go hungry because you'll get angry and cranky very quickly.  The service in general in Amsterdam is much slower in the US, so you'll have to temper your expectations a ton.  But once we were seated everything was fine.

The menu is a seafood lovers dream.  They have everything you can think of and then some.  We had a hard time deciding what to get so we opted to get the Fruits der Mer "Seafood Bar" with the mixed grill add on which is a STEAL at 80 euros for 2 people as the Fruit der Mer is 47.50 euros on it's own and the mixed grill is 34.50 euros.  Someone in pricing didn't seem to do the math correctly on this one!  At first, we weren't sure if this was going to be enough food but it was way more food than we could even consume.  The Fruit der Mer is a two tower raw bar stacked with mussels, cockles, razor clams, periwinkles, crab, shrimp, home made salad, seaweed salad, 4 oysters, half a lobster PER PERSON, langoustines, prawns, and snow crab.  Amazing.  Then on top of everything the mixed grill platter came out with a cooked white fish fillet.  Everything tasted fresh and delicious, although the waiter forgot to give us some of the tools, so we had a bit of a hard time opening some of the shellfish.

Overall, it was an incredible deal and if you're a seafood lover, it's a definitely must in a land full of meat and french fries.  Total bill:  $52.65 USD per person with tax and tip

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Rijsel Marcusstraat 52 B, 1091 TK Amsterdam                                                                           5 Forks

OBSESSION to the extreme.  I was initially annoyed that I had to stay in this weird Student Hotel away from the city center and kind of in this random neighborhood.  But it turned out for the best because otherwise, I wouldn't have discovered this place while walking around.  When I first walked in they said they were full for the night but the owner graciously said if I was willing to come back at 9pm, I could get a seat.  This is where being near my hotel was great, I went back and took a quick disco nap and came back out for this amazing dinner for one. 

The menu is French/Flemish and while it's a small-ish menu (it changes daily), everything on there sounded awesome.   They have very well priced pre-fix meals but I opted to get just an appetizer and main which was more than enough food.  You know you're in for a treat when the amuse bouche is duck liver pate!  Yum.  For an appetizer I got the white asparagus with a perfectly poached egg and heart stopping butter sauce drizzled on top of it.  It was out of this world.  For my main, I got the spring chicken which is an entire roast chicken served with spring peas a side of crunchy potatoes (and a side of mayo - this is Amsterdam afterall) and a very fresh and simple butter lettuce salad.  The chicken was incredibly moist and if it wasn't a nice restaurant, I would have tried to gnaw at the whole thing.   Thank god for the butter lettuce salad because between the chicken and potatoes/mayo, I needed something green in my system.  

But what made this meal even more special than the fantastic food was their wine list.  They had an incredible list of delicious French wines and since I was only 1 person, they were kind enough to offer me certain wines by the glass - including an amazing glass of Gigondas.  I almost died because you hardly ever see this by the glass anywhere. 

Everything about this meal was 5 stars.  The waitstaff was super nice and attentive but not annoying.  The food was clean, simple and fantastic and the wine was simply amazing.  I highly recommend you make a reservation because this place was packed to the gills when I went and I saw a few people get turned away.  In fact, I'm already thinking about going back on my next trip.   Similar to the Seafood Bar, the price was so incredibly reasonable for the amount and high quality of food.  Total bill: $59.34 with tax, tip and 2 glasses of wine

Photo Credit:  Yelp

Van t'Spit 

De Clerqstraat 95, 

1053 AH Amsterdam                                                                  4.5 Forks

Another day, another roast chicken restaurant.  This one was recommended by some colleagues in the office and unlike Rijsel, this is more of a hipster bar/pub than it is a white table cloth restaurant.  Tom and I went on a random quiet afternoon after our orientation was over and there was literally no one in the bar.  But you could still see them roasting whole chickens in the back. 

There is only 1 thing on the menu and it's (you guessed it) roast chicken.  You can either get a half chicken or a whole chicken and then they have a few sides as well but that's it.  The nice thing about the chicken here vs. Risjel is that they cut it up for you which makes it much easier to eat.  They also have a nice array of sauces you can put on your chicken and we got some kind of spicy sauce for it.  Similar to Rijsel, it was a fabulous juicy chicken.  For sides, we got fries (I mean, what else do you get here?) and cole slaw, which was fine but nothing amazing. 

Overall, it was a really nice casual bar and the guys running it were super laid back and really nice.  If I lived in Amsterdam, it seems like it would be really fun place to catch up with friends and relax on a nice weekend.  Total price:  $52.54 USD for 2 people

Photo Credit:  Yelp