Barcelona - Sagardi Argenteria - Basque Delights

 In 2022, we had the pleasure of dining here with my then boss and her husband. And thanks to them, we had a taste of Basque cuisine. I'm not sure if you can actually make reservations. However, it is worth trying because the place is packed. If the weather is nice, there are tables on the plaza outside. Only beware, there will be smokers. Inside is smoke free, however tables are small and you end up precariously perched on bar stools.

While the seating might not be so comfortable, that is quickly forgotten when you see the incredible display of pinchos on the bar. These are bite-sized creations held together with colour-coded toothpicks. You are free to help yourself to whatever pincho that attacts you. Just save the toothpicks because the color coding is linked to the per-item price and they will tally up the toothpicks in the end for your bill.

As if the pinchos were not enough, this is a carnivore's walhalla with superb cuts of dry-aged beef. And if you are able to drink alcohol  (Lucky you! I cannot due to the lack the necessary enzymes) try ordering their cider. This is served in a spectacular theatrical manner of pouring the cider from more than a meter above the glass. As I learned from my friends, this is not just for show. It is actually functional. The pouring technique will aerate the cider and reduce the bitterness. 

Note: There are several Sargardi's in Barcelona. The one we enjoyed is Sargardi Argenteria, C. de Argenteria 62. Be sure to go there with a large appetite.

PS. That's me on the left looking way too happy, pointing at the dry-aged beef in the window.

Barcelona - Lady Dumpling - Little Dragon Dumplings

I first stumbled upon this store in the alleyways of the Barrio Gotico of Barcelona in September 2022. We were just married a month ago and my husband accompanied me on a business trip to Barcelona. This small shop caught my eye because, in the window, the lady was making xiao long bao dumplings by hand. I was astounded. My husband, despite having been to mainland China when he was younger, did not know what these dumplings were. And hence I had to explain.

Xiao Long Bao 小籠包 - the three characters mean Small, Dragon, Bun or Dumpling. A good one is a very special treat. I first saw this on a televised reportage where a journalist was trying it out somewhere as street food in China. It is also a tricky dumpling. A small meatball together with some cold aspic (gelatine) is wrapped in the dough and steamed. As a result you have a dumpling with a meatball and piping hot broth. Try to nibble it, then the broth dribbles out. Try to eat one whole, you'll burn your mouth. Hence the 'dragon' in the name. Given the right utensils, you can place one in a spoon, puncture it with your chopsticks to drain the broth into the spoon, eat the dumpling and then sip the rest. No burns, no mess.

I am addicted to this dumpling. When in Tokyo, I would always go for my Xiao Long Bao fix at one of the Din Tai Fung restaurants. Unfortunately, Din Tai Fung has not yet landed in the Netherlands. So to find a fresh Xiao Long Bao shop in Europe was amazing.

2023 Update. We went back again and the quality was a bit less. Still tasty but maybe they steamed the dumplings too long, there was barely any liquid broth in the dumpling. And that is the very raison d'être of a xiao long bao. 

What we also noticed on Google maps was that there were now three Lady Dumplings in Barcelona. The lady working in the Barrio Gotico establishment was not same lady in the 2022 photo above. I have a feeling that the lady above is the founder. She is also the lady on the Lady Dumpling website. When we visited the first time, she was making the dumplings with great enthusiasm, love, skill and pide. I would like to find the store where she's making the dumplings. Or maybe due to the business expanding, she's now upper management. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaolongbao

https://www.ladydumpling.com/

Nijmegen - Makro - Gourmet food court

The Makro is a wholesale supplier for business and restaurant owners with large warehouse-like stores situated in the industrial areas of major cities in the Netherlands. As such, it is a paradise for foodies who have a Marko pass…unfortunately you must be written into the Dutch Chamber of Commerce as a business to acquire a Makro pass.

Years ago, the Makro traded in their cafeteria-like restaurant which served up simple snacks and meals for a classy shiny open kitchen in the middle of warehouse. It is a bit odd to see this island of sparkling wine glasses, shiny counters and a fully equipped kitchen just off the aisles for kitchen ware, cutlery and olive oils and in view of the bakery and refrigerated meat section.

They’ve christened this the Food Court. However Food Court is a misnomer for this open kitchen. For one, I tend to associate the term ‘food court’ with the collection of fast food joints clustered into an area in the shopping mall. And that association is so far from what this food court is about. Here, the cook on duty prepares lovely dishes to order as you savor your glass of wine at the counter. And these are not just your ordinary snacks. My favorite is the large serving of freshly chopped (not ground) beef tartare topped off with a slice of fois gras and a quail egg. Other choices are duck served with risotto, venison stew with vegetables and a ribeye steak on bread. The menu varies according to season so let yourself be surprised. There’s also a catch of the day that varies and sometimes a half lobster with risotto or salad is offered. My favorite cook, Nick not only prepares the food but presents each dish with an artistic flair. It is a pleasure to see him carefully arrange the meat and the vegetables in a beautiful composition. And this is all at a price that is unbelievable. The steak on bread goes for about 10 euros and the tartare with fois gras will set you back around 17 euros.

 The reason such luxury is available for barely the cost of the ingredients is based on the fact that the Makro food court is intended as a showcase to inspire their customers to try out the food they sell. Everything served at the food court can be bought in the Makro store, from live lobsters to fois gras, exotic vegetables and mushrooms to a choice selection of cheeses. And this strategy works. So far, each time I drop by after work to see Nick and grab my dinner, I’ve ended up picking up some choice groceries…a kilo of frozen fois gras, ribeye steaks, padrone peppers and so on. If you don’t have a Makro pass, I suggest you find someone who does and tag along one day.

https://www.makro.nl/

2023 - Long overdue update. Makro downsized their food court service during the corona pandemic. And sadly, the gourmet food that I so loved is no longer available.

Nijmegen - Blonde Pater - Gorgeous pinchos, salads and sandwiches

Situated on the corner of the Houtstraat and the Lange Hezelstraat, the Blonde Pater is my favorite spot for lunch on a busy shopping day in the center of Nijmegen. They excel in sandwiches with a variety of breads ranging from toasted cornbread to crisp ciabatta. The fillings ranging from goat cheese vegetarian concoctions to a mean mouthwatering pastrami. On a paleo diet? Then go for their sumptuous salads. My favorite is the Sydney salad generously topped with large shrimp and prepared with an Asian dressing.

In accompaniment to the great dishes, the Blonde Pater has an excellent range of coffees, teas and thirst quenching fresh beverages. Personally I almost always go for their homemade fresh ginger tea in the winter and homemade ginger ale in the summer. The ginger tea featured in the photo below is on its own a treat consisting of paper thin slices of ginger, a stick of cinnamon and a wedge of lime served with honey.

For the adventurous, I recommend planning your visit on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday evening when they serve pinchos. These are culinary creations mostly stacked on small slices of bread. Ordinarily, you would be able to eat pinchos as finger food. However, their pinchos are quite formidable. The way each piece of bread is stacked with a tower of creative ingredients makes it physically impossible to take a bite without causing an avalanche down your shirt front. I’ve enjoyed their pinchos in several occasions and am surprised they have not yet run out of creative ingredient combinations. An example would be grilled eggplant with a sweet sauce topped with a dried date stuffed with cream cheese or a half egg stuffed with salmon tartare and shrimp and avocado. The pinchos go for 1.90 euros each and the end tally is made by counting the decorative toothpick that holds the tower of food in place. Note, six of these pinchos is enough to fill you up for the evening.

http://www.blondepater.nl/

Amsterdam - Small World - Foodie heaven on earth

Just a short 15 minute trot from Central Station down the Harlemmerstraat, look for the side street Binnen Oranjestraat on the left-hand side. You can’t miss the green awning that marks the corner shop ‘Small World’. A word of advice: do not get tempted by the various other cafes and bakeries in the Harlemmerstraat on the way there. For those who can resist temptation, the ultimate food reward awaits.

The shop is indeed on the small side with a shelf that serves as a counter/table along the windows with seating for about nine. When the weather is kinder, there are seats and tables on the outside. And even on colder days, the outside seating is still a necessity to accommodate the unlucky ones who spill out of the shop. However, nothing in Small World is ‘small’ when it comes to the dishes cooked up by Sean and his team. The first thing that catches one’s eye is the colorful array of cakes and pies, quiche, tortilla, oven-cooked chicken, salads and roasted veggies in the glass case. Glance to the wall on the right and there’s a list of mouth-watering sandwiches which makes it even more agonizing to come up with a decision. And there’s fresh fruit and vegetable juice to top off the gastronomic act of sin you are just about to indulge in. Since one cannot possibly eat the spanakopita, lamb burrito and the fresh tuna sashimi on ciabatta in a single sitting and live to take a bite of one of the luscious cakes, the solution may be to go with friends and share. My personal favorites are the goat-cheese-pumpkin quiche, string bean-parmesan-walnut salad, the roasted vegetables, the carrot cake and fresh orange-carrot juice with extra ginger. Yes I confess...sometimes I managed this in a single sitting.

Behind the counter, Sean and his team are in a whirl of constant motion, cooking up more to keep up with the demand.  And despite the hectic pace, there is a stream of lively banter between the customers and Sean that adds spice to the food and makes this place so special. When I was living in Amsterdam, Small World has always has been a haven of good food that kept me going after work.

https://smallworldcatering.nl/

P.S. If you live and/or work in Amsterdam, you are soooo lucky. Sean offers catering so you can treat yourself and your friends at home or in your office.

Amsterdam - Mantoe - Let the cook surprise you

Mantoe is the name of my favorite Afghani dish - a thin skinned meat dumpling topped with dollops of tomato sauce and rich yogurt. The restaurant that names itself after this humble yet delicious creation is the place for those seeking to be surprised. You can chose the number of courses you desire however there is no description of what is being served. Of course you can specify allergies and preferences like no meat or an aversion to something specific...okra in my case. However for the rest the fun is being surprised. Today my friend and I were served celeriac root soup with a hint cumin, mantoes, fragrant rice steamed with cumin and served with slivers of candied orange zest, spicy chicken with a bite of pickled pumpkin, tender stewed and mildly spicy beef with a side spinach, cabbage and string beans. The restaurant filled up quickly as the evening progressed. Thus a reservation is probably a good idea.
http://restaurantmantoe.nl/frontpage-en/

Amsterdam - Winkel - An apple cake a day...

The perfect place to rest after a stroll in central Amsterdam. Do not let the long line of customers waiting to be seated daunt you. The reason people brave the long wait for a much coveted seat is the gorgeous apple cake. I call it apple cake since it's too tall to classify as a pie. The rich buttery outside contains a bumper crop of apples with lashings of cinnamon. This was one of my favorite hangouts on a weekend. The cafe also has a great kitchen for soups and sandwiches. However, beware, when it's market day on the Noordermarkt square in front of the cafe, the menu may be limited to the apple cake. Not that anybody complains about this. I admire the energy, determination and dedication with which the kitchen staff churn out a continuous stream of fresh baked apple cake.
https://winkel43.nl/

Nijmegen - Wally - They care about burgers

Wally is not kidding about how serious they are about their burgers. ‘We care about burgers’ is stated prominently on their web page. And more importantly their obsession about burgers is what you taste. Some people might balk at the price tag. A typical burger here was going for 9.50 euros when I was last there. And that’s without their delicious fries, the side salad and the proverbial ‘five-dollar milkshake’. That adds up to around 20 euros for the complete meal. So it’s not the type of place you should go to if you’re nursing your last bit of cash at the end of the month. And yet in their defense, they don’t make any compromises when it comes to quality. And quality can only be had with a price tag.

I have never been let down by them. Just the first bite in the succulent juicy burger oozing with their mustard-mayonnaise and melted cheese is such a treat. 

http://www.restaurantwally.nl/

Nijmegen - De Hemel - Is heaven a biergarten with good food?

The name ‘De Hemel’ translates as ‘Heaven’ or ‘the sky’. Religious connotations aside, I prefer to think of this name refers to the space this brewery occupies, so near to the bustling central square of Nijmegen yet tucked just a street away in a cocoon of peace. And of course, there’s the beer and food that graces this heavenly sanctuary. My first visit was for a coffee with a colleague in the evening under the blooming cherry trees.  The cherry blossoms lit up by the party lights strung in the trees gave the terrace a lovely dreamy quality. Then returning on the King’s birthday with a friend, we sat down in the sun for a lunch comprising of a grilled cheese sandwich, jalapeno burger sans bread and steak fries. The rich juicy burger is shown here without the bun because I personally need to avoid bread. So I missed out on testing the quality of their bread. However, my friend who had the grilled cheese sandwich testifies that the bread they serve is excellent. He also enjoyed the glass of ‘Luna’, one of the De Hemel beers. Not being a beer drinker myself, the brews are lost on me. However, beer-drinking friends all appreciate the various brews which are listed on a dedicated menu page. It is also possible to book special beer tastings and tours of the brewery.  Note: the brewery building actually houses another restaurant that hosts lazy weekend brunches as well as serving lunch and dinner. When the terrace is open and you have a preference for the one restaurant or the other, make sure you are sitting in the correct section of the garden. The terrain is divided between the two establishments and the boundaries are not that clear.

http://www.plaats1.com/

https://restaurantdehemel.nl/nl/

Goch (Asperden) - Swan - Good ol' traditional German food

Traditional German food, hearty and generous, sums up the Swan. My favorites are the Haxe which looks like something Astrix and Obelix would feast on and the Holzfeller steak. For those of you not familiar with German food, Haxe is roasted ham hock, the lower part of a pig leg, just above the ankle. Because the haxe is roasted, the inside is tender meat and the outside crispy crackling. Typically this appears on the menu at the time of the October Fest season. The other favorite, the Holzfeller steak, literally is the lumber jack steak. It’s a tasty pork chop topped off with a mountain of fried crispy onions. If this is not what you fancy, no worries. What German village restaurant would not have schnitzel? And of course there a several choices for seafood lovers as well as salads.

http://www.zum-schwan-goch.de/