The Netherlands is rich in food. Really, a few dishes that can be described as quintessentially Dutch, and those that do fall into this category are a far cry from the elaborate creations of French or Italian cuisine. Almost every large town, however, has a wide range of restaurants specializing in their own brands of international dishes including American, Balkan, British, Chinese, French, German, Italian and Spanish. Indonesian cuisine, a result of the Dutch colonization of the East Indies, with its use of spices and exotic ingredients, is particularly delicious. A typical Dutch breakfast usually consists of several varieties of bread, thin slices of Dutch cheese, prepared meats and sausage, butter and jam or honey and often a boiled egg.
Savory Creamy Meatballs would be an appropriate translation of the word 'bitterballen'. These deep-fried meatballs are filled with a beef ragout and have a crispy outside. They are often served at cocktail parties or as a snack with a pre-dinner drink. You eat these tasty deep-fried morsels hot, on a toothpick, dipped in mustard.
The kroket is the larger version of the bitterbal. Any snack bar has a kroket for you. These golden brown fried tasty tidbits can be eaten as a cocktail treat, but they can also be inserted in a bread roll, smothered in mustard, and devoured as a tasty mini-sandwich.
There are many famous Dutch beer brands, some of them are probably familiar to you. Names such as Heineken, Amstel, Bavaria, Dommelsch and Oranjeboom: they are all Dutch and sold worldwide. Would you like to see how Dutch beer is made? At the Heineken Experience, located in the former brewery of Heineken, you can experience the history of Heineken and enjoy a tour where you can see the process of making beer, test your knowledge and even taste some!
Listed below are some of the popular restaurants in the Netherlands where you can relish the gracious Dutch food and wine.
- Christophe
- D'Vijff Vlieghen
- Teppan Taki Hosokawa
- Dantzig
- Vasso
- Café Schuim
- Restaurant November
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