Podium onder de Dom is a restaurant in Utrecht (half an hour south-east of Amsterdam) that is located right under the city’s main landmark, the Dom (cathedral) tower. They do not have a Michelin star (yet) — but it seems … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Podium onder de Dom
Every year we celebrate our anniversary at Librije, our favorite restaurant in the Netherlands and one of our favorite restaurants in the world. The restaurant run by chef Jonnie Boer (no relation) and his wife and sommelier/maitre Thérèse is located … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Librije*** (2016)
We have two restaurants with three Michelin stars in the Netherlands, the Librije and De Leest. This was our third visit and the second that I am writing about on the blog; click here to read about my previous experience … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: De Leest*** (2016)
De Kruidfabriek is the new restaurant by Peter Lute, known as one of the judges of the Dutch version of MasterChef. The name is a pun that works in Dutch only, because the restaurant is housed in a former gunpowder factory … Continue reading Dining near Amsterdam: De Kruidfabriek by Lute
You may have noticed that over the last year, I’ve been blogging a bit less frequently and lately there have been more posts about wine. The reason for both is the same: I’ve been studying the become a vinologist (which … Continue reading Condrieu: the Best Viognier in the World
The last winery we visit in Spain is Gramona in Sant’ Sadurni d’Anoia, the capital of cava in which 93% of all cava is produced. DO Cava is allowed to be produced in many regions all over Spain, but most … Continue reading Gramona: Cava and Still Wines in Penedès
El Celler de Can Roca is the restaurant in Girona (Spain) of three Catalan brothers: Joan (chef and inventor of sous-vide cooking), Jordi (pastry chef), and Josep (sommelier). It is difficult to get a reservation. You can only make a reservation … Continue reading Dining in Spain: El Celler de Can Roca*** (2016)
We pass more DOs (Denominaciónes de Origen) on our tour of Spain than we can visit. (This is also supposed to be a vacation for Kees, after all 🙂 ) And so choices have to be made. I decided to … Continue reading Estancia Piedra: Full-blooded Red Wines from Toro
Our discovery of Spanish wines continues in the denominación de origen Valdeorras, a bit more inland but still influenced by the Atlantic. The climate is between Atlantic and Mediterranean with significant vintage variation. Wet vintages such as 2014 are called “atlantic”, … Continue reading Valdesil: benchmark Godello and Mencía from Valdeorras
Rias Baixas is a wine region in the north-western corner of Spain in the autonomous region of Galicia, north of Portugal. The rias are inlets of the Atlantic that are a bit like shallow fjords. Rias Baixas, which should be … Continue reading Wines of Rias Baixas
The first winery we visited in Rioja is a very new one: Nivarius. The first vintage produced was only in 2012. It is unique in Rioja because it is the first and only winery in Rioja that only produces white … Continue reading Nivarius: Rare White Wines from Rioja
Rioja is the oldest and most famous wine production area of Spain. It has been famous for centuries, and in 1991 it was the first (and for quite some time the only) production area with the highest rank in Spanish … Continue reading Wines of Rioja
Azurmendi is a restaurant in a futuristic building by the freeway near Bilbao in the Basque country in Spain. The restaurant of chef Eneko Atxa has three Michelin stars and ranks highly on the World’s 50 best restaurants and Opinionated … Continue reading Dining in Spain: Azurmendi***
The Spanish wine region of Navarra is famous for its moscatel de grano menudo, and the benchmark producer of moscatel is Bodegas de Camilo Castilla in the town of Corella. Navarra is on the northeast of Rioja in the North … Continue reading Moscatel from Navarra: Bodegas Camilo Castilla
Frantzén in the old town of Stockholm is a small restaurant that seats only about 20. It has two Michelin stars and ranks 31 on the World’s 50 best restaurants or 16 on Opiniated About Dining. There are a few … Continue reading Dining in Stockholm: Frantzén**
Sinne is a small restaurant in the Pijp neighborhood of Amsterdam that was awarded a Michelin star in 2014. So it was about time I went to check it out. The cuisine is a mixture of Mediterranean and Oriental influences. You … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Sinne*
The reason I’ve not blogged for a week is that I was away on a study trip to France. This trip is part of the wine training I’m taking at the Dutch wine academy (Wijnacademie) to become a registered vinologist … Continue reading Wine Study Trip to Loire and Bordeaux
De Librije is our favorite restaurant in the Netherlands and we go there every year for our anniversary. We celebrate two anniversaries each year, and after 10 years of celebrating our wedding anniversary at the Librije in June, we decided … Continue reading Dining in the Netherlands: Librije*** (2015)
Almost two years have passed since our last visit to Bord’eau, the two-star restaurant in Hotel de l’Europe, and so it was time to check the new developments on our home turf. Also because I was curious to compare it … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Bord’eau** (2015)
For our final night in Italy we went to another famous trattoria with 3 gamberi from Gambero Rosso: Locanda delle Grazie in Curtatone, on the border of the Parco del Mincio. The Mincio is the river that changes into a … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Locanda delle Grazie
Le Calandre of chef Massimiliano Alajmo is one of Italy’s most famous restaurants, has three Michelin stars and is listed as number 34 on the World’s 50 best restaurants. It is located just outside of Padova. There are three tasting menus … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Le Calandre***
During our travels in Italy, we always try to include as many trattorie with 3 gamberi from Gambero Rosso as possible. Each year, leading gourmet magazine Gambero Rosso publishes a restaurant guide and there are only 18 trattorie in all … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Ai Cacciatori
It is always a joy to meet fellow food bloggers. Marina of Le Ricette di Baccos and I have been following each other’s food blogs for almost two years now. Since we were visiting her home town of Udine as … Continue reading Food Blogging International: Le Ricette di Baccos
Agli Amici is a two-star restaurant in the village of Godia, just outside of Udine in the Italian region Friuli. It is run by a brother a sister: he is the chef, she is the sommelier and maitre. When we … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Agli Amici**
We are in Slovenia and Croatia for a few days before heading back to Italy. Porec is a nice little seatown on the coast of Istria, and there we had dinner at seafood restaurant Ulixes. The restaurant has a nice … Continue reading Dining in Croatia: Ulixes
We had been looking forward to going back to Laite again, because we had good memories of our first dinner there in 2010. It is located in Sappada, a mountain town in the far North East of Veneto in the … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Laite*
Aga is a new restaurant of chef couple Oliver Piras and Alessandra Del Favero, located inside a hotel near Cortina d’Ampezzo in the Dolomiti. We decided to give it a try because Oliver Piras has been awarded chef emergente (upcoming chef) … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Aga
In Italy a distinction is made between ristoranti, more formal restaurants, and trattorie, more informal restaurants with rustic food like grandma used to prepare it. The Gambero Rosso guide awards 1, 2 or 3 forks (forchette) to the best restaurants, … Continue reading Dining in Italy: Pretzhof
Daalder is located on Lindengracht in the Jordaan neighborhood in Amsterdam. It has nice outside seating, perfect for dinner on a (rare) warm summer night. Inside the tables are small and a bit close together. Daalder doesn’t have a menu. … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Daalder
I use two rules for distinguishing a good Italian restaurant from a tourist trap. The rule in Italy is that the menu should have local dishes from the region (e.g. spaghetti alla carbonara is a good sign in Rome but … Continue reading Dining in Amsterdam: Eatmosfera
