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.
