Yes, I realise that’s quite the claim. But it comes from the woman whose experiences with Dutch lunches inspired her to write a whole cookbook more or less slamming the humble kaas broodje in this country, so maybe it’s not such a grand claim after all…
But just look at this thing of beauty:
It’s stuffed with pastrami, sauerkraut, melted cheese and a smattering of green stuff (lettuce and gherkins) and is warm but not hot. I imagine it’s loosely based on what I believe is called a “Reubens” (I only discovered this term recently and have been on a quest to find more Reubens sandwiches ever since) but then with pastrami instead of corned beef and regular bread instead of rye. But the menu makes no claims to the Reubens name, so purists need not be alarmed.
Where can one find such sandwich pleasure? Why, Piet de Gruyter on Van Limburg Stirumplein (mercifully close to my beloved Westerpark). I am giving this place five stars for this sandwich and this sandwich alone – which is what you must order when you go there. However, they also make good chips ‘n mayo and pour a decent glass of beer (they have several of my favourites on tap, and from the looks of the website a whole lot more besides).
So, over to you: what’s your favourite sandwich in Amsterdam? And where can I find it?