January. This year, I’m not doing Dry January, or Veganuary, or any other kind of exercise in self-restraint. Nope, I’m just doing crap-I’m-turning-40-this-year-please-give-me-anything-to-get-through-January January. Which is why during my first weekend back after the holidays, I went to BARDAK and got accidentally drunk. Yes, the cocktails are pretty great. And yes, you can still get a bottle of wine in Amsterdam for under €20. But most of all, I am turning into a darn lightweight. Unfortunately, however, I don’t seem to be getting any cheaper as a date – I just get worse hangovers…

First up, the aubergine was pleasantly smoky, with crunchy nuts and seeds, creamy yoghurt, and fragrant dill – a good combination of tastes and textures, although it would’ve been better served at room temperature rather than fridge cold. The arais (which seemed more legitimately street food-y) were flavour pockets of minced-beef pita, served with three contrasting dipping sauces – tahini, green chilli and herb sauce, and amba (a sort of pickled mango condiment).

Dinner – including the four dishes described above, a cocktail apiece and a bottle of Verdejo – came to €88, which really isn’t bad for Amsterdam these days. BARDAK offers two sittings per night, which means you either have to vacate your table by 9 pm or do the Mediterranean thing. I wondered whether they’d get enough takers for the late shift in the land of 6 o’clock dinner, but the place was still hopping when we left. Probably because most other people were significantly younger than me. Not that I’m paranoid about turning 40 – nope, not at all…