Wednesday 15 July 2015

A Little Taste of Heaven on Earth at De Librije

Spinhuisplein 1, 8011 ZZ Zwolle, Netherlands
+31 38 421 2083

Tastiness Factor: 10/10

Atmosphere: 6/5 (yes, better than perfection)

Service: 5/5

Locavore Approved?  Overwhelmingly YES- Chef Jonnie Boer grew up near Zwolle and his fondness for the ingredients produced here is clearly manifested in his food.  He uses produce from local farmers, as well as local beef and lamb that can be seen freely roaming the fields on the train ride in from Amsterdam.  On a walk before dinner, we even discovered a mini-garden at the back of the kitchen, growing herbs and a few vegetables of his own.  Chef Boer is a very experienced locavore, who latched onto the “trend” long before it became fashionable to do so, and he truly has mastered his craft.



After dining at our first 3-Michelin Star restaurant last year (Arpege in Paris), I was beyond excited to  visit another 3-star on this year's trip to Amsterdam.  After doing extensive research, Hubby and I finally settled on Dr Librije, located just outside of Amsterdam in Zwolle.  While I knew that De Librije would be great, I could never in a million years have dreamed how magical an experience it would be.  

Zwolle is a very pleasant hour and a half train ride away from downtown Amsterdam, through farmer's fields and a few small towns.  It is the most charming little town you will ever find yourself in, and it is worth spending a day or two leisurely strolling though to take in a few historic sites (including some of the most famous churches in the Netherlands) and doing a bit of shopping in the chic shopping area.

When you get off the train, De Librije can be a bit difficult to find on foot (we found that out the hard way) so I suggest taking a cab or, better yet, ask in advance for De Librije's amazing butler Karime  to pick you up (he was nice enough to drive us back to the train on our departure day).

De Librije is a very impressive building with a history almost as rich and exciting as the food it offers (I repeat, almost!).  As we were told by Karime the butler when we arrived, Dr. Librije was built as a women’s prison in the 1700’s, and continued to be used as such until the mid-1990’s at which time it was transformed into temporary lodging for refugees.  In the mid-2000’s, it was sold to Chef Boer and his partner Therese, who initially encountered some challenges along the way when it was discovered to be an archeological site, causing construction to grind to a halt for a period of time.   Fortunately, they are now on the other side, and have succeeded in creating an awe-inspiring transformation, making it feel sinfully luxurious, while still retaining some of its “jail features”, such as bars across the windows, a few cell doors and some aspects of the hotel room layout.  Every room offers something new to discover, from the brightly decorated reception area, where you will enjoy a little nibble when you arrive to the narrow halls leading back to the restaurant with its eclectic artwork, including a caricature of the Boer husband and wife team as jailbirds.



The guest rooms are also full of character, and named after different edible plants and herbs (in Dutch).  The personal IPad in each guestroom displays  a picture of your room's plant on its home screen.  Our room was modernly decorated, with a black and white animal print duvet on the king size adjustable bed and a very snazzy bathroom with a large walk-in shower.  Karime gave us a “tour” of our room when we arrived, showing us how all of the appliances worked and filling us in on all of the building's amenities.  As he was leaving, he presented the  “fruit de mer” on our desk, an edible display of handmade chocolate “shellfish”.  Talk about bells and whistles!


Just when we thought things could not get any better, we discovered the dining room which is one of the most spectacular dining spaces I have ever seen.  This courtyard dining room is the newest piece of De Librije, which opened a few short months ago in January 2015.  The room, with its glass-covered ceiling, treats guests to a different experience depending on the season and the time of day.  I recommend dining at a time when you can experience both light and dark, if the time of year allows you to do so.  The large space, with its mix of white tablecloths and rustic accents, allows a lot of space between tables so that you can have an intimate experience with your dining companion(s).

To end the tour, there are a few other rooms worth noting.  Prior to dinner, we were welcomed into a lavishly decorated room for aperitifs (this night called for champagne!) and a few amuse bouche before dinner.  We also received a tea made from red cabbage that, as we were told, would “stimulate the digestive system”.  I was already feeling like royalty!  There is also the breakfast room that once again has its own flair, all dressed up in red, black and gold.  Lastly, you will not want to leave without paying a visit to the De Librije shop which sells housemate preserves, sauces, jams and condiments so you can bring a piece of this magical experience back home.






As I have already alluded to, the service at De Librije is second to none, well deserving of its Chateau and Relais designation.  We were pampered from start to finish, from the ever-gracious butler Karime, to the front desk staff, to all of the dining staff for both dinner and breakfast.   During our pre-dinner aperitif, the Chef himself came around to ask if we had any particular food restrictions, intolerances or dislikes and his wife Therese was bustling around the room the whole night ensuring that everything was running smoothly.  Our sommelier was also outstanding, spending ample time describing each of the carefully selected wines from all over the world (even one from near our neck of the woods in Washington State).  While we certainly had every need attended to, all the staff at De Librije were also very genuine and easy to chat with, leaving us feeling relaxed and at ease so we could truly enjoy ourselves.  They have managed to discover the ideal service sweet spot.

My recommendation for a first visit to De Librije would certainly be the "Eat-Sleep-Dine" package, which includes a welcome reception with tea and a nibble, a pre-dinner aperitif, a 7 course lunch or dinner, a one night stay and a signed copy of the Chef’s new book "Eating, Drinking, Sleeping".  It is offered from Tuesday-Thursday and is almost 100 euros cheaper/person than staying on the weekend and, at the end of the day, pretty good value considering all that is included.

Now for the star of the De Librije experience- the food!  There are a number of different menus available, including a la carte and the 7 course tasting menu that we enjoyed as part of our package.
There is also the “Librije Mini-Menu”, where dishes are created around a number of local ingredients chosen by the guest.  Chef Boer's cooking style is supposedly French-influenced, but interestingly there were a number of Asian and East Indian flavours throughout the meal, such as lemongrass, curry and cumin.  Additionally, the chef seems to be a fan of tea, serving up a lovely lemongrass and chili tea at the reception when we arrived and then incorporating it multiple courses that evening (who knew kombucha could be made to taste so good!).

We had high expectations of Chef Boer's 3-Michelin-rated meal and fortunately, our dinner turned out to be everything we could have hoped for.  The presentation of the dishes was breathtaking, with the generous use of edible flowers and herbs and the playful plating (we cannot stop talking about the course "plated" on the back of our hands!).  Every component of the dish was prepared to perfection and each ingredients complemented the other.  Compared to other Michelin Star meals, this one was certainly smaller than most at only 7 small courses so we were certainly not feeling stuffed at the end, but after the last few extra sweet goodies at the end, we left the table feeling just satisfied.

Here is a glimpse into this oh-so memorable evening:

Oyster with shaved liver, crispy fish skin, cod bites


Beef tartare/roasted eggplant with oyster cream (yes, they actually prepare it on your hand, and they give you a how-to guide to how to prepare it at home!)


Brioche balls with bacon, dusted with mushroom powder


Diced foie gras and cabbage leaf


Raw fish/shrimp preparation with tomato (pescatarian substitution)



Langoustine with pea puree


Bread with goat butter


Trout with fennel and foam


Monkfish tail with blueberry 


24-hour slow cooked lamb shoulder with green strawberries


Baked cauliflower with Madras curry  (pescatarian substitution)


Pre-dessert 


Dessert 1- beetroot with sorbet


Dessert 2- coffee ice cream


Espresso and handmade chocolates 




Waffle sandwich cookie 




And back in our room waiting for us, in true Netherlands style- an “edible joint” made of hemp oil and white chocolate!



Suffice it to say, after that amazing meal (with generous wine pairings!) and the ultra-luxurious bed in our room, we slept like babies that night.  We woke up the next morning, dismayed at the reality that we would soon be leaving this magical haven, but excited for one last hoorah at breakfast before saying our goodbyes.  It is a good thing we were not stuffed by dinner a few short hours before, as this was one impressive spread!  Our breakfast included:

Assortment of juices- apricot, peach, rhubarb, orange
Espresso and tea
Cheese stuffed brioche balls 
Brioche with smoked salmon
Homemade bread
Homemade jam, chocolate spread and peanut butter
Selection of cheese and meat
Egg (poached, basked or crispy with hollandaise
Mini-burgers (beef/vegetarian)
Croissant
Sweet pastries
Muesli and yogurt
Field berry soufflé with white chocolate







This was certainly quite the lavish way to start the day, and there was no way we could possible finish it all!  Fortunately, they very cleverly packaged some items up to go prior to setting them on the table so that we could take them with us to keep us fuelled for our long journey back to Canada!

And with that, it was time to bid farewell to my dear De Librije with full tummies and heavy hearts.  As we were pulling away, I vowed that I would return to this surreal piece of heaven someday.

Until the next time De Librije!

















































Tuesday 7 July 2015

Way Too Much Attitude at Amsterdam's Yamazato

Ferdinand Bolstraat 333, 1072 LH 
Amsterdam, Netherlands
+31 20 678 8351

Tastiness Factor: 6/10 for complete meal  (9/10 for sushi specifically)

Atmosphere: 3/5

Service: 0/5

Locavore Approved?  Not really- Yamazato focuses on authentic Japanese cuisine and therefore more on traditional Japanese ingredients then local ones.  Having said that, their fish was extremely fresh, making me think that it is caught closeby, and they do have a “Chef’s Recommendation Menu” that changes monthly .


"If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all".

Although this old adage still holds true, I feel compelled to say a few, not-so-nice words about Yamazato.

Yamazato is a one-Michelin Star Japanese restaurant located in the Hotel Okuro in Amsterdam, which also houses the swanky two-Michelin Star Ciel Bleu.  Yamazato caught my eye as I was scouting out restaurants prior to our trip as it is the only Michelin Star restaurant outside of Japan to serve "kaiseki" Japanese cuisine, a special type of Japanese dining that was served at elite tea ceremonies in earlier centuries.  It emphasizes harmony between the food, the plates on which the food is served and the surroundings.  As per the website, they strive for excellence from start to finish, from the ingredients to the presentation, at all costs.

Unfortunately, I think they lost site of something very important in their quest for excellence- some guests may actually want to have a good time.  Because at the end of the day, no matter how good your food and your plating are, what is the point if your guests feel too unwelcome and uncomfortable to enjoy it?

Our unfortunate experience at Yamazato started hours before our reservation time.   We were out for a walk around Amsterdam and happened to find ourselves in the neighbourhood so we decided to stop in to check it out and confirm our seating time.  As we approached the entrance of the restaurant, the women at the front desk glared at Hubby disapprovingly and tersely told him that the restaurant had a dress code and that he was “ not to show up like that tonight” (meaning in shorts).  Hubby was quite taken aback by her uncalled for scolding (we were out for a walk for Pete's sake!) and this really left him with a bad taste in his mouth heading into the evening.

Unfortunately, things only went downhill from there.

The service blunders continued again just seconds after we were seated.  A server who was present for Hubby's "scolding" earlier in the day just happened to walk by our table, took a look a Hubby's attire (a suit, with tie) and gave him a thumbs-up as if to say "OK, we now you make the cut".  As if we really needed to be reminded once again of the disgraceful earlier episode.  We then noticed the sign on the table, showing a phone with a line across it, indicating that we were not to have cell phones out at all during the meal.  I felt as though I was in grade school again.  The snobbery just kept on coming, with stone-faced men in suits (? managers) pacing around the room staring at guests and ensuring that cell phones were out of sight and keeping the noise level at an acceptable level.  I felt as though I needed to sit up pin straight and whisper the entire time.  I have had few experiences when I have felt that uncomfortable and uneasy.  Lastly, there was the issue with the actual food service, when Hubby requested a chicken appetizer which he wanted served before his sushi.  Our server denied his request, saying that cold food needed to be served before hot food.  Sorry, who is the paying customer here? There are other smaller beefs that I could bring up, but I think this will suffice as it makes me too cranky to spend more time thinking about it.

So as you can probably tell, the service ruined our night and I don't think that even the best food in the world could have resurrected it.  With the exception of the Omakase sushi which Hubby considered well above average (it should be considering it was 45 euros for a dozen pieces of simple nigiri), the meal was nothing to write home about.  Although I did quite enjoy the seaweed salad (Kaiso Avocado Salad) with its many varieties of seaweed, my eggplant with bamboo shoots (Naso Takenoko Hasami-yaki) tasted like something I could get at a nice Japanese restaurant in Vancouver for a quarter of the price (boring).  Hubby's deep fried marinated chicken from the appetizer menu (Tori Tatsuta Age) was also a real flop- 20 euros for plain dry deep-fried chicken with no sauce to save it.  There was also the 7 euros for the teeny-tiny bowl of miso soup we had to start.  Hubby and I certainly do not mind paying for Michelin Star meals but we expect quality that usually comes with it!

Overall Verdict? 
As you can probably guess, we will NEVER be back.  I cannot comprehend how such an stiff and pretentious experience could appeal to anyone and frankly, even the food did not impress us all that much.  This is BY FAR the worst Michelin Star experience Hubby and I have had, and unless you enjoy sitting through uncomfortable and unpleasant meals, I would advise you to skip Yamazato on your next trip to Amsterdam.