Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Best
Eating
No one sighs over Dutch food the way they do over, say, French fare. So we'll
just call Amsterdam's hot global eats, from Indonesian rice tables to mod Moroc-
can plates to Basque
pintxos
, our little secret. Whatever you choose, meals here
are something to linger over as the candle burns low on the tabletop.
Dutch Specialities
Traditional Dutch cuisine revolves around meat, potatoes and vegetables. Typical dishes in-
clude
stamppot
(mashed pot) - potatoes mashed with veggies (usually kale or endive) and
served with smoked sausage or strips of pork.
Erwtensoep
is a thick pea soup with smoked
sausage and bacon.
Pannenkoeken
translates as 'pancakes', although North Americans will
be in for a surprise - the Dutch variety is huge and a little stretchy, served one to a plate
and topped with sweet or savoury ingredients.
Indonesian & Surinamese Fare
The Netherlands' former colonies spice up local fare. The most famous Indonesian dish is
rijsttafel
(rice table): a dozen or more tiny dishes such as braised beef, pork satay and ribs
served with white rice. Surinamese food features curries prominently. Roti are burrito-like
flatbread wraps stuffed with curried meat or veg; they're delicious, filling and cheap.
Snacks
Vlaamse frites
are the iconic French fries smothered in mayonnaise or myriad other gooey
sauces.
Kroketten
(croquettes) are dough balls, with various fillings, that are crumbed and
deep-fried; the variety called
bitterballen
are a popular brown-cafe snack served with mus-
tard.
