Amsterdam Foodie

Saturday was an utterly foodilicious day. I had a friend staying from the UK, but I’d warned her that we might need to ‘do some research’. Research, in this case, meant wine tasting for potential Hidden Kitchen wines in the Amsterdamse Bos, followed by dinner at Restaurant Open. Oh, and taking some notes about them both. So not exactly a tough day in the office then…

After getting lost (twice) and finding (on both occasions) that we were actually in the right place all along, we made it up the wooden steps to the glass-and-wood-clad giant container that is Open, suspended above the stretch of water between the Westerdok and the IJ behind Centraal Station. The terrace, while not ideal for vertigo sufferers, looked extremely tempting – even in the chilly late-March breeze.

But we headed inside and ordered a bottle of Lorraine rosé (for €23, which I know has been marked up from the €7 I pay for it at the Wijnkelder, which I know has already been marked up for retail customers) while we waited for our table. Pleasingly (for me, though possibly less so for the chefs) our table was right next to the kitchen, so I could spy on all the plating up. It made our menu decisions more difficult, because everything looked pretty good, but we eventually went for all three specials plus one à la carte soup.

Fennel and saffron soup with mussels

The latter described itself as fennel and saffron soup with mussels, though its flavours had distinct Indian spice undertones with a kick of chilli from the (I assume chilli-infused) oil on top. Really very good.

Langoustines with garlic pesto and cucumber mousse

My English friend had langoustines that had been halved and shown a lick of heat and a lot of garlic. They came with some well dressed rocket, home-made pesto and a cucumber mousse, the last of which was perfectly nice but in no way stood up to the rest of the flavours. Oh, and a large finger bowl, which was rather unnecessary since most of the work had been done for us. What might have been useful, however, was a plate for my mussel shells, which ended up on the dish with the bread for want of anywhere better to put them.

Red mullet with oyster-cream sauce

Next, I had pan-fried red mullet with a creamy, oyster-y sauce, new (slightly undercooked) potatoes, roasted tomatoes, fennel and courgette. An accomplished dish that I can’t really fault, but neither did it set my world on fire. The lamb with chickpeas and various vegetables was also bobbing merrily around in a small sea of sauce – well seasoned, with light North African influences.

Lamb with chickpeas

The bill came to €50 each including a tip (but no dessert) and the service was good if not outstanding. I had the feeling – and I don’t know why – that I could trust Open to deliver a consistent level of quality. It struck me as a safe bet – for friends, for parents, for a date. And I’d go back on a sunny afternoon for that suspended terrace alone…