Twenty- five Seven

Noodles, Apple Pies and Fries in Amsterdam

October 14, 2012

Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx which serves the best French Fries in Amsterdam

As an inveterate foodie, I had three items on my menu to during my recent trip to Amsterdam: Looking for The best Noodles, Apple Pies and French Fries

The best Fries in Amsterdam

Firstly, French Fries are not French but Flemish ( or Belgian to the initiated) and are found in a tiny street off the mad buzz of Kaalverstraat the street of high fashion off the historic Dam Square. As you make your way past this mad street of shoppers looking for bargains in shoes and jackets, your nose will suddenly be assailed by the strong smell of chips frying . At any given time there is a long line queuing up for the fries that are truly golden brown, piping hot and delicious . And when they are

“[bctt tweet=”The smallest serving is large enough to leave you stuffed and full, ready to march on ahead for the next hour or so” username=”viaunishta”].”

Alas, not for me the BEST fries in Amsterdam but the next best which are to be found right on Damrak opposite the oldest/first stock exchange in the world – at Manneken Pis giving due credit to the fries’ Belgian origins. But I’m not complaining. With a light drizzle falling, nothing could be more comforting than the slightly crunchy and yummily munchy french fry dipped in creamy mayo.

Apple Pies in Amsterdam

During his visit to Mumbai, my Dutch friend Marcel had told me that the best apple pie in Amsterdam is in Cafe Papeneiland, famous for its home made apple pie. It is now even more famous because Bill Clinton bought one specially to take back home with him. Now a Dutch apple pie is truly the best in the world – crisp outer pastry, a tart spicy apple filling and a generous dollop of whipped cream…………But this will have to wait for another time for we truly ran out of time to eat……..

The best Noodles in Amsterdam

I did achieve ONE GOAL : best Chinese in Amsterdam at New King smack in the Red Light District in the Chinatown of Amsterdam. Small and cramped though it was, the place was vibrant with young and old chomping to their hearts’ content. The cuisine was typically Mandarin, the service impeccable and the company divine. So the next time you are in Amsterdam and craving for a bit of noodle go to New King. It won’t hurt to make a reservation though to avoid any disappointment.
One day at the Hague -Herrings and Haute Cuisine

October 14, 2012

On a two day trip to Holland, we spent one day in Amsterdam and the second day at the Hague.

One day at the Hague

Waiting for the train at the platform at Centraal Station

Buying a ticket is both easy and quick

It was a wonderful sunny afternoon when we travelled to the Hague to see it the way the Dutch see it. Since our hotel was conveniently located near Central Station, the best way to get there was by train which is exactly what we did. The newly renovated old station is like everything else Dutch, easy and simple to navigate.

Close to the Hague central station, the Netherlands (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Trains to the Dutch capital leave every 15 minutes or so . Even going by second class is comfortable and we settled down to a 45 minute trip. At the head of the train we were met by our delightful hosts who decided to take us around the city by foot. Stepping out we were welcomed by a cool gust of air, making us aware of the the North sea close by.

Herrings at a kiosk

A quiet residential street in the Hague

Our camera needed a memory chip so we walked down the shopping streets which were super crowded as most people were free to shop on a Sunday . The Hague is distinctly different from Amsterdam and like all capital cities of the world has a regal air about it. Home to different embassies and the International Court of Justice, the streets are milling with people of all nationalities. We quickly found what we wanted and walked down to the Binnenhof or the Dutch parliament. Just outside the complex of buildings we had herring at the iconic Haringkraam , the best introduction to this uniquely Dutch experience – slipping down a pickled herring (stuffed with raw onions) held by its tail . [ctt title=”” tweet=”This place is hard to miss and this experience is truly a MUST for an authentic Dutch experience.” coverup=”20yBC”]

We then walked down to the Escher Museum which is housed in the original palace. This museum is a delight with its interactive displays where the floor crackles as you step on it and optical illusions that make you the tallest person in the room or have you trapped in a box! The museum also has delightfully whimsical chandeliers like guitars or pipes to add to the charm of the old palace.

The marvellous gilded neo-gothic fountain in the inner courtyard of the Binnenhof

The magnificent parliament buildings

Our next stop was the parliament where we were given a crash course in Dutch politics. It was amazing that in this day of terrorists and paranoia we could walk through this place without any “security” checks or clearances.

Tired with all this walking , we naturally gravitated to one of the squares popular with both locals and tourists alike for a glass of chilled Belgian Beer. Our hostess being Belgian informed us that unlike Dutch beer, Belgian beer was stronger and more robust. So we sat in the sunshine sharing a glass of beer and munching on another Dutch treat – the bitterballen. It was idyllic – a mild sun slowly slipping down, the square a buzz with people, conversation flowing , steaming hot crunchy meat balls and chilled beer.

Haute cuisine at des Indes

This perfect day was wound down with a fine meal at the Hotel des Indes near the Escher Museum. This historic, luxury hotel has hosted many heads of State,witnessed treaties signed and seen many a pleasant gatherings of friends and family. Des Indes is famous for its high tea but since we wanted to see the Museum which closes by 5, it wouldn’t have really been possible. So we went with the next best which was a fabulous 5 course meal. With exotic food like duck and beetroot souffle, each course was washed down with a sorbet andserved with a complementing wine . The wine flowed so did the conversation so by the end of the meal we were all literally flying one foot above the ground.

So it was quite an experience – raw herring and haute cuisine all in a day!
In a plane lurching

October 14, 2012

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda

It was around midnight
and we had settled down.
satiated with the tripe that passes off as haute cuisine;
at a cruising altitude hundreds of miles above terra firma any food could be described as haute cuisine
even a congealed bit of meat heated cursorily in a microwave.

The air hostesses cleared up the dinner service,
the last passenger downed his anxiety in the last drop of indifferent wine
and the cabin was darkened for a few hours of peaceful rest.

I selected the latest offering on my small little in-flight entertainment screen,
my ears already drowning in a stereophonic stream of hi fi music.
When suddenly the plane shook slightly,
At first almost imperceptibly.
Then I heard a noise, a scary sound
And the “fasten seat belt” sign lit up.
The juddering continued more violently now,
With the seams of the plane ready to rip.
The odd passenger prowling about grabbed the nearest seat to steady himself.
And the voice over the PA system crackled to life
Apologising for the unexpected turbulence.
My heart sank as did that of so many others.
I took a deep breath , closed my eyes, said a prayer, swallowed my fear,
quietened unwelcome thoughts that spun around my fear gripped head.
The contents of my stomach heaved and lurched as the plane braved on ahead.
It seemed an age as we were tossed about
Like a leaf in a violent storm
And I was gripped by fear and dread.
And then
Just as it started it stopped.
And all was calm instead.
I looked around and found
that I was
Keeping my fingers crossed
As were a hundred others.