Bridges

1st course (amuse-bouche)

Carrot with wasabi, sesame and mayonnaise
Potato with fish mayonnaise and crème fraiche
Grilled melon with ajo blanco and crust

Champagne

The wasabi was made with carrot; and the sweetness of the carrot suited the strength of the wasabi.

During this course, one of us ran out of champagne, and they unceremoniously offered more, which naturally was accepted.

 

2nd course

Tuna with sesame, kohlrabi, vintage soy, and wasabi

Carl Loewen 2017, Riesling, Germany

Very well balanced, there was a hint of caramel, which mixed surprisingly well with the sesame.

 

3rd course

Green asparagus with morel, Parmesan cheese, wild garlic, and lentil

Famiglia 2017, Bianchi, Chardonnay, Argentina

The wine was clear with a light smoky aroma which was enhanced when enjoying the dish.

The morels in combination with the Parmesan cheese foam added umami. Overall, the taste and the aroma were wonderful, but we lacked a bit of crispiness to this soft dish. A little bit of crunchiness would elevate this dish to new heights.

 

4th course

A selection of cheeses from The Netherlands: Picobello, Witte van Köning, Fione Oudwijken, Remeker Beurre, Oudwijken Colosso, Lady’s Blue.

Madeira, Barbeito, Portugal

We love a good cheese, and even though we know that a selection of cheeses never represents the true skills of a chef, we decided to explore Dutch cheeses and let the waiter decide for us. We must highlight the Picobello. This was a goat cheese which had everything normal goat cheese don’t. It was more structured, yet still soft; and it was spicy without being bitter like some goat cheeses tend to be.

The Madeira was a vintage with a sweetness and dryness which suited the cheeses.

 

5th course

Caramel with pine nut, granola, ginger, and hazelnut

Domaine des Schistes, Muscat de Rivesaltes, France

In our opinion, the granola was superfluous. It added crunchiness, which could have been achieved with a spicier solution.

 

To conclude

We asked for and got lists of all wine and cheeses. However, the wine list was without the years of production, and since we were busy dining and tasting, we missed some of the years. The sommelier’s presentation was flawless, and it was obvious that he cared for the wines.

The restauration is awarded one Michelin star, which it definitely deserves. An average one-star restaurant that takes into consideration it being placed at a hotel with many different types of guests.