Van Vlaanderen II

Back in Amsterdam it was back to my favourite neighbourhood restaurant, Van Vlaanderen for my second lunch since the new owner took over. And once again the sun was shining, a beautiful Bourgogne Chardonnay made us happy but the food was the real show stopper. Since we weren't very hungry we decided to have a main only.

Our amuse was a small asparagus soup with truffel, a potato cracker and a fried quail's egg. Lovely little glass of goodness.

My friend ordered slow cooked halibut with Dutch cockels, artichokes, baby vegetables and a foam of Parmesan cheese. A beautiful dish bursting with flavour and every item on the plate was cooked to perfection. Especially the (very much underrated) cockels were a juicy delight. 

I was served lobster with Pata Negra and avocado cream in cucumber and some truffle mayonaise. The fiery red lobster was beautifully moist and the salty Pata Negra made it taste even sweeter. Great dish, great execution. This chef knows how to enchant with his dishes.

For a 2-course lunch you pay the moderate amount of € 27. I seriously can't think of one reason not to pay a visit to Van Vlaanderen to enjoy their great dishes, even if I tried real hard.

www.restaurant-vanvlaanderen.nl

Shopping in Paris II

The food department of Le Bon Marché in the 7th arrondissement is foodie's heaven! Go there for the most amazing charcuterie, breads, macarons, exclusive herbs, extremely expensive caviar, foie gras or just your champagne and fresh truffle. A serious shopping spree at Le Bon Marché will set you back a month's rent for an medium sized apartment in Amsterdam but hey it's all about the experience. When I did my Le Cordon Bleu course in Paris, I lived just around the corner on the Rue du Cherche Midi, the street of the famous Poilâne bakery. So when in Paris I very often wander around in 'my' old neighbourhood. On that same Rue du Cherche Midi we had lunch at La Marlotte, a typical Parisian brasserie.

M had a refreshing  'gazpacho' of artichokes and a goat's cheese cream. It was a silky smooth soup and perfect dish on a hot and humid Parisian afternoon.

My starter was Pressé de jarret de porc, a type of rich ham hock terrine, with a beetroot salad. The terrine was full of tender pork meat, including pork skin and a lot of parsley. Great combination of the rich pork meat and the crunchy, earthy beetroot.

Next for M was a panfried filet of cod with asparagus and a cream of peppers. This was a very forgettable and especially uninspired dish. Overcooked  cod, bland asparagus and a pepper stain? Je ne me souviens pas....

But my main dish made me happy, Aile de raie à la Grenobloise. Ray wing with a wonderfully light lemon sauce with the best capers I ever had, croutons and loads of parsley. The meaty flesh of the ray was beyond amazing and the whole dish came alive with that tarty sauce. 

 

Our wine was a light and fruity Côtes de Ventoux rosé 2008.

Our charming waiter  in front of La Marlotte.

La Marlotte, 55 Rue du Cherche-Midi, Paris

www.lamarlotte.com

Shopping in Paris I

Just came back from a short shopping spree in Paris with friend M. We stayed in Hotel Vieux Marais in of course Le Marais, formerly the Jewish area of Paris. There are still a lot of Jewish shops, restaurants etc around but the designer shops and hip restaurants and bars have definitely taken over the neighbourhood. Le Marais, also known as the gay area of Paris, because most of the shops and restaurants are gay owned or at least gay friendly, or should I say hetero-friendly! After all that shopping we needed some good food and refreshing wines to cool down. Temperatures were ridiculous, around 35 degrees and the humidity went through the roof!

At our hotel Vieux Marais, the owner's 12-year old dog is snoring away like an old cowboy on her Louis Quatorze arm chair.

In the morning we went around the corner to Chez Camille for breakfast. This is our favorite breakfast place in Paris because they have great omelettes and the staff is always friendly and attentive. Which is not so common as one thinks in this part of the world.

                                   

                                              

Freshly squeezed orange juice and double espresso's Chez Camille.

My very tasty omelette au jambon. Why do I always have to think of Julia Childs every time I see or eat an omelette?!

Friend M can't wait to start her Parisian shopping spree. Here she is posing impatiently just before take off!

Chez Camille, Rue des Francs Bourgeois 24, +33 1 42 72 20 50

After having scored an Issey Miyaki outfit and some sexy footwear for M, we were craving for a meaty lunch. We just sat down at a little table at the first restaurant we came across. It turned out to be Equinox Restaurant and we were in for some seriously meaty dishes.

  

We shared a starter of poached salmon with that dreadful pesto sauce. The salmon was over salted but with it actually tasted good after we squeezed our lemon quarters all over it.

                                          

Then came my Tartare de Boeuf, and although very meaty it lacked flavour and a certain consistency. It was in fact a raw meat ball instead of this onctious and intensely flavoured meat dish called Tartare de Boeuf. And unfortunately the egg yolk didn't add much pleasure to the whole dish either. 

M ordered the grilled fillet de boeuf with a red wine sauce and seasonal vegetables. And although the beef looked seriously burned, it tasted good and the cuisson was perfect. 

At least we were served by the friendly waiter, instead of the annoying one so it was fine. The Beaujolais wine we had was good enough and the bill sympatique. Would I go again? Yes of course, the location is perfect and if you are lucky enough to get a table on their little terrace, you can enjoy the beautiful people parading on the Rue des Rosiers while having your hopefully delicious meal.

Equinox, Rue des Rosiers 33, +33 1 42 78 62 44