Zeeuwse Stromen, Renesse, Netherlands

A hotel with a welcome mat for dogs. Not only does this hotel welcome the family pooch, but they even allow well behaved dogs into the dining room. So it is not surprising that entire families complete with their four-footed members flock to this hotel to celebrate Christmas. From another point of view, if you have objections to dogs in the hotel rooms and in the dining room, you have been warned.

Although we don't have pets, we have repeatedly stayed at the Zeeuwse Stromen. That is saying quite a lot since we normally would prefer to discover new places. So what brings us back here each year?

Well to begin with, there is the prime location. The hotel on the outskirts of Renesse is removed from the beach by just one dune ridge. One step out of the door and there is peace and quiet, salt wind, sea grass, sandy stretches, rhythmic crash of waves and winding paths through the dunes. Although to be fair, I've been told by other friends that high season brings an unwelcome horde of noisy tourists. So far, this being our winter/Christmas destination, we have been blessed with tranquility. I can't really say anything about high summer until I've experienced it first hand.

The other significant reason that brings us back each year is the superb kitchen. Christmas eve, Christmas day and Boxing day all feature special dinners for the guests. Each evening offers a choice of a wild game, fish or vegetarian main course. Appetizers are served in the form of a generous smorgasbord of fresh local produce. This Christmas we started with a lobster bisque soup (oops forgot to photograph this) and two helpings from the buffet which included puff pastry with creamy meat stew, Dutch shrimp in cream and herbs, smoked salmon with dill and a fine roast beef with sweet onion chutney. The main course consisted of a tender medium rare venison steak on caramelized Brussel sprouts and mashed celeriac. Dessert was a lovely creamy chocolate mousse with a rich dark chocolate filling.

As if we were not spoiled enough at dinner, a sumptuous breakfast buffet awaits us in the morning. Freshly baked local bread specialties, smoked salmon, local cheeses and cold cuts are just some of the breakfast highlights. That is in addition to breakfast standard fare such as bacon, scrambled eggs, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes, fresh fruit, cereals and yogurt.  A leisurely sitting at the breakfast table is a good way to fortify oneself for a long trek through the dunes and beaches.

http://www.zeeuwsestromen.nl/

Our Seaside, Renesse, Netherlands

Having dined at Our Seaside for the third Christmas in a row, this beach restaurant is now a tradition for us. Our Seaside is located about 40 minutes down the beach from the Zeeuwse Stromen hotel. On fair days, it's a wonderfully relaxing stroll over the immense stretch of sandy beach. And no worries, if it's stormy like it was for us this Christmas. There's a parking lot on Rampweg just over the dunes from the restaurant. 

In fact on 27 Dec 2014, a day of wet snow and fierce winds blowing in from the sea, there was a surprisingly constant stream of visitors braving the dismal conditions to reach Our Seaside. If that isn't proof of good food and cozy warm shelter, I don't know what is. 

Our Seaside's lunch menu features delicious large sandwiches such as the gourmet hamburger I had and beverages ranging from hot steaming mugs of coffee and cocoa to fresh mint tea. Other favorites of mine are the large salads, especially the one featuring smoked fish. What is characteristic of this restaurant is that they excel equally in meat, wild game and seafood specialties including lobster. 

Last Christmas we enjoyed a special wild game three-course dinner with a variety of venison and wild hog dishes. This Christmas we went for fillets of Atlantic sea wolf with a crunchy mustard crust and red wine sauce on a bed of mashed potatoes and glasswort. And to top this feast off, we were served a homemade warm apfelstrudel with an incredibly crunchy paper-thin crust. The best I've had ever. Although we traditionally visit Our Seaside in the winter, I'm sure there is great food to be had all year around. 

http://www.ourseaside.nl/

Helsinki - Lappi Ravintola - Tender reindeer and elk, specialities from Lapland

Ever since visiting Salla, Lapland, for a dog sledding holiday some ten years ago, I got hooked on reindeer and elk dishes. This year, we didn't manage to get that far North, but Lappi in Helsinki offers a taste of the Arctic. The cozy woody interior felt just like Salla. We started with a salad of salmon followed by the roast elk and reindeer special that was just so tender and delicious. Although the dishes are expensive compared to prices in Salla, I guess the transportation cost and effort to haul down elk and reindeer meat to the South justifies the price. Check out the Helsinki page for more immer-gut-essen places.
http://www.lappires.com/

Helsinki - Manala - Dine in the underworld

The logo of this establishment is a devil, pointy tailed and wielding a pitch fork. Manala is the underworld in Finnish with food you can die for. Next to Finnish staples like sauteed reindeer, there are mouthwatering tapas albeit Finnish style. I truly regret I lost control and was so focused on dining that I totally forgot to take pictures. Please visit their website for a better impression. If Hades served food like this there would be droves trekking down there to stay.

https://www.manala.fi/

Helsinki - The Old Market Place - Smorgasbord of salmon, caviar and herring

Not only is this the place for a quick bite but it is also a place to indulge your taste buds. It's a Walhalla of food stores packed in one picturesque restored market hall. When making your way to the Old Market Hall, try not to get distracted by the food stalls in the open air market area on the harbor front. Steel your nerves against temptation. Say no to the aroma of fresh baked salmon and salmon soup and fix your sights on the goodies within this hall. There are cafés within the hall which serve tempting sandwiches, salads and steaming soup. However we stocked up at a fish stall, asking for numerous small portions of several types of smoked salmon (with caviar) and herring for an impromptu picnic on one of the market hall benches. This is probably the best way to taste a lot of seafood delicacies. For dessert, there's a chocolate stall that sells interesting delicacies like chocolate with salmiak (salty liquorice). It's also a good place to stock up on gifts like canned elk.

http://vanhakauppahalli.fi/en/

Helsinki - Seahorse - Beloved old eatery for sailors, locals and tourists

 

A relaxed old establishment located a bit out of the center. In the guidebook I had, the Seahorse was described as an old sailors' eatery. Maybe that was its past, but today the place is packed with local Finns, students, families, couples and businessmen. They must be used to tourists since their site offers a menu in Japanese. However on the evening we managed to get a table, we were probably the only ones talking English. The Seahorse serves seafood specialties as expected, but also serves classic Finnish dishes like meatballs, reindeer steak, herring and salmon soup. We didn't order the meatballs but I did spot them on the way to another table. The serving seemed to consist of only two but they were seriously over-sized. The grilled fish of the day on the table next to us also looked spectacular. I had the soup which had generous large chunks of salmon and a succulent reindeer steak with berry sauce. If you visit their website you can see an interesting page on the history of this place. They've been in business since 1934!

http://www.seahorse.fi/

Helsinki - Fazer and Stockman - Value for money lunch deal with fresh salmon

Prior to visiting Helsinki, friends warned us that it may be a challenge to find decent food spots with normal (German/Dutch) prices. Until we got our bearings around Helsinki, we kept running into numerous budget pasta and texmex eateries or nice establishments that were way out of our budget. However, taking a lunch break on a shopping trip in the Stockmann department store was a pleasant surprise. Not only does the department store have cafe's and food bars featuring local cuisine as well as fresh salads, pizzas and even sushi, but the 8th floor also features a Fazer cafe and cafeteria. If you want to go for the beautiful Fazer sandwiches topped with salmon and shrimp, knock yourself out. They looked lovely but were still a bit on the pricey side. We shopped further and stumbled upon Stockmann's lunch deal on the same floor. For about 10 euros, we had a large serving of soup, bread, fresh salmon with potatoes, a serving from the salad bar and a cup of tea. Later we finished our afternoon with an ice cream treat at the real Fazer cafe. If you're more of a cake person, this is also the place to go for a spot of afternoon tea.

http://www.fazer.fi/kahvilat-ja-leipomot/kahvilat--ravintolat/stockmann/fazer-8th-floor/
http://www.fazer.fi/kahvilat-ja-leipomot/kahvilat--ravintolat/karl-fazer-cafe/karl-fazer-cafe/

Bosbrasserie in de Sluis, Reindersmeer near Bergen, Netherlands

Perfect location to start or end the 8 km hike around the Reindersmeer lake. My friends and I prefer to end our nature hikes at this restaurant. It’s a bit difficult to walk at a brisk pace on a full stomach. Favorites here are the tuna sandwich, the schnitzel special, ice cream in the summer, warm fresh waffles with cherries and savory or sweet pancakes. Prices are reasonable with sandwiches and ice cream in the 6 euro range and warm meals costing about 12 to 15 euros. On a sunny day, there’s plenty of tables out on the terrace overlooking the water. This is also a dog-friendly establishment.

The architecture of this establishment is also rather clever. The building straddles the old canal locks thus affording it unobstructed views out over the canal on one side and the lake on the other side. Both ends of the building feature a permanent exhibit on the local wildlife.

http://www.bosbrasserieindesluis.nl/

Koln - Ludwig Museum Restaurant and Cafe - Great lunch deal!

Just around the corner from the central station, this restaurant café of the Ludwig Museum offers a surprising lunch deal. For under 10 euros, we enjoyed roast pork with lashings of sweet savoury sauce served with delicious roast potatoes. The meal even included one non-alcoholic beverage. On a sunny summer day, diners can sit out on the terrace which is tucked away in the back of the museum. Despite the proximity to the station and the heavy traffic, the restaurant provides an oasis of tranquillity. You don’t need to pay museum entrance fees to lunch here.

http://www.ludwig-im-museum.de/

Koln - Brauhaus Fruh - German brewery classics

This is a great place to hunker down for down-to-earth traditional German cooking. My favourite is the formidable eisbein, boiled pork shank served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. They also have specialities such as herring (seasonal dish) or raw tartar steak served with fried onions, cream cheese and herbs, And of course they have a number of dishes featuring sausages. A good warm meal costs between 10 to 15 euros. Since I’m not a beer drinker, I can’t say much about their main product. Yet judging from the litres being consumed by other guests, I think their beer is also excellent. On a personal note, I forgot to photograph my eisbein. By the time I remembered, all that was a left on my plate was the bone. I did take photos of the salad with herring and the steak tartar with fried onions...but the photos don't quite convey how good these two dishes were. If you're in the area of Koln and the cathedral, just give this place a try. 

http://www.frueh-am-dom.de/brauhaus.html