Dutch Roadfood

My husband is leaving soon for a 10 day trip to the Haig, specifically Amsterdam and Dan Haag.

Can any of you well-traveled roadfooders make any suggestions about what not to miss, or regional specialties of the area?

When in Amsterdam, he definitely must seek out an Indonesian rijstafel -- with friends. It is a multicourse banquet of sorts, with many small dishes served around a large communal bowl of rice.

If he likes pickled herring, he should buy some from the street vendors. Good fries, too. For me, though, apart from the cheeses, food of the Ducth didn't do much.

Stay out of the bars in the red light district in Amsterdam. He will never be able to pass a drug test. They sell more than liquor. Mary Jane is everywhere and they generally have a menu of flavors or whatever you call it. I went in just to see it and I got my eyes full.

I had a drink on the corner overlooking this infamous area. The ground was littered with the leftovers of partially smoked joints.

I have never witnessed such a large amount of people smoking joints while viewing available women through the display case.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Sundancer is right. I haven't been there in years, but you could get a contact high walking down the street. Stick to the museums. Both towns are fantastic for that.

As for the Hague, I just remembered this place and was able to find it on-line: "Calla's (Laan van Roos en Doorn 51A; +31-70/345-5866; $29-35), a suave upstairs restaurant, is arguably the Hague's finest -- creative, satisfying and upscale without a hint of attitude."

I KNEW I didn't spell Hague right!

Sorry, no recommendations on Amsterdam as it is one heck of a drug pit. Went there in the early 80's, and decided, naw, not for me. As Sundancer said, the women are in display cases (they also do this in Belgium).

Actual DISPLAY CASES??? Like MEAT????

Oh the horror. Maybe I'll just tell him to stick to his hotel or touristy bus tours.

I went there as a young girl, but all I can remember was tulips, driving under the Zider Zee, and visiting a cheese farm. And canals.

Thanks for the recommendations Grampy. Sounds a lot tamer than the other sights.

quote:

Originally posted by Lone Star

Actual DISPLAY CASES??? Like MEAT????

Oh the horror. Maybe I'll just tell him to stick to his hotel or touristy bus tours.

I went there as a young girl, but all I can remember was tulips, driving under the Zider Zee, and visiting a cheese farm. And canals.

I drove the Zider Zee. Straight as a arrow. Very interesting as the fresh water level is higher than the ocean level. Great Bird watching and I found some of the local towns has excellent fish.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Fortuantely, the red-light district is only a small part of town, and most of the smokers are on the main street in the center of town. But Amsterdam is very big, and the old section is quite lovely. Tell him to take a tour of the Heineken brewery.

Dearfolk,
The best long-established,local beer in The Netherlands is Brand, made since 1340 in Wiljre, an obscure town southeast of virtually everything else in the country. It is marketed under the Brand name; there are several varieties (other than just a straight lager), and they are are excellent: you'll thank me.
By the way, the city is The Hague, not just Hague. I wondered that myself, but a fellow from there set me straight. (By the way, he did not own a pair of wooden shoes. But he did like Brand Bier in preference to Heineken, Amstel, or any of the omnipresent [and dirt cheap] "supermarket" brands like Bavaria.)
Maybe someone can help you with the food aspect now. I've never been there... not even to Amsterdam, Georgia! (But I have driven through Amsterdam, New York. Didn't see any Roadfood there, though.)
Holl And Hearty, Ort. Carlton in Athens, Georgia.

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

...viewing available women through the display case.

Sundancer7,
This really puts a new wrinkle on the "meat market" label that some singles' bars have....
Give me someone who likes good beer and good food (especially who knows where to find both!) and appreciates a good hug. I rarely find women like that in singles' bars; that's one reason why I enjoy good brewpubs so much!
Singly, Ort. Carlton in 30601-land.

Brand beer -- I seem to have hoisted a few when I was there. Great stuff in Holland, but the import seems milder, perhaps for our assumed, bland American taste.

From a female perspective here.

Loving creamy girly drinks, my friend and I went, not on a drug cafe tour, but an advocaat tour. I wouldn't say it did much for our state of inebriation, but it was fun.

Of course, Dutch chocolate, the shops litter the place. The thinner the better for me.

True about the herring which can be had easily.

The breakfasts for me were the best about the dutch food. Cold, but lots of selection of meats and cheeses and chocolate sprinkles!!! on your bread!

Vis a vis the "display cases", when I was there they were in small windows that lined the street.

Best thing about the dutch IMHO is their sense of equality.

The red light district is cool, in that the "selling establishments" really do have red lights. And as mentioned above, the "sellers" sit in these aquarium, meat market-kind of shop windows. However, not really a pretty sight. We digress from road food, but it is an interesting part of the experience. And the red light district is the only place I've ever seen someone doing heroin on the street.

Not to be missed are the little food shops here and there. Sandwiches to order -- fresh, good bread; the great sweet Dutch ham; and all the cheeses. A really sharp, aged Gouda is an experience just not available most places in the US. A visit to a full-out delicatessen also is an experience, with all the meats and cheeses on display.

The "brown bars." The neighborhood pubs -- "brown bars" because they say the tobacco smoke over the years has stained the wood brown.

And the Dutch pancakes, either sweet or savory. Kind of a crepe on steroids.

Most everyone speaks English, so it's easy to get around.

Actually there is no such thing as a contact high. The active ingredient in dope, aka weed - marijuana - ganja - grass, etc. is THC. THC from canabis sativa, needs to be ingested either by smoking or eating, i.e weed cookies, weed turkey stuffing, weed chili or other sauce, oh yes, and weed brownies. Although some weirdos have liquified it for injection purposes ,With not very good results..

Other then that, cheap good beer beer, loose women, a young persons dream.

Thanks for the suggestions and recommendations - I will share them with hubby. I think he is looking forward to going, but as a "South Texas Hillbilly" he told me last night he would rather go hunting. What can you do.

His employer - the oil company with Dutch ties (ahem) - has made everyone take these endless seminars and classes on "Doing Business with the Dutch" and "Dutch Cultural Awareness" as nausea.

After all of these classes, hubby was fretting over proper attire - what to wear for what etc. and yesterday his two Dutch counterparts came to Houston for their USA meetings attired in -blue jeans.

In terms of what to wear, it's cold and rainy this time of the year.

Of the two cities, the Hague is the more buttoned down of the two and dining there is generally more formal. Still, there's lots of good and affordable grub in and around the central station. Elsewhere in the city, traditional Dutch style cooking can be found at a restaurant called Smal. And Indonesian food is ubiquitous. If by some chance your husband is staying in the seaside community of Scheviningen, where many business travelers stay, great but very expensive seafood can be had at Ducdalf, but it's out of the way if he is staying in the city center.

In Amsterdam, the place to sample Dutch pancakes is at the Pancake Bakery. They are served throughout the day, not just in the morning. Can't remember the address but it is on the same street as the Ann Frank house, which is marked on any map of Amsterdam. As noted earlier, herring is sold by street vendors, as is smoked eel, and both are a must. Another regional specialty is stroop waffels, which are caramel-filled cookies that he can bring back for you. Most bakeries there sell them and they in no way resemble the dried-out versions you sometimes find in the US.

quote:

Originally posted by CCJPO

Actually there is no such thing as a contact high. The active ingredient in dope, aka weed - marijuana - ganja - grass, etc. is THC. THC from canabis sativa, needs to be ingested either by smoking or eating, i.e weed cookies, weed turkey stuffing, weed chili or other sauce, oh yes, and weed brownies. Although some weirdos have liquified it for injection purposes ,With not very good results..

Other then that, cheap good beer beer, loose women, a young persons dream.

"Weed turkey stuffing"??? Wow, that'd get granny movin' and shakin'! Then down for a nice looooong nap.

I have told him to keep track of where he goes and where he eats.

Upon my suggestion - he took the two visiting Dutch boys to my favorite place for lunch - The Spanish Village - he said they loved it and that it was the best meal they had while they were here! He said they asked him over lunch "Why is this place called the Lone Star State" and he gave them a lesson in Texas history from Goliad to San Jacinto.

Roadfood is Good Food, no matter where ya go.

Here I thought this topic was going to be about PA Dutch food.....I was all ready to contribute, too.

quote:

Originally posted by CCJPO

Actually there is no such thing as a contact high. The active ingredient in dope, aka weed - marijuana - ganja - grass, etc. is THC. THC from canabis sativa, needs to be ingested either by smoking or eating, i.e weed cookies, weed turkey stuffing, weed chili or other sauce, oh yes, and weed brownies. Although some weirdos have liquified it for injection purposes ,With not very good results..

Other then that, cheap good beer beer, loose women, a young persons dream.

I do not know if you call it a contact high, but out of curiosity, I went into a bar at the far end of the red light area where marijuana was sold in many different flavors (?). All types were listed and some were much more expensive than others. I bought a drink and I believe I got a contact high from the folks smoking the weed. After I left, I felt very funny. It was not the alcohol. I do not believe I would have passed a drug test. I would have been guilty and innocent. I love the way the Dutch cook fish and I love the Tulip festival. I have been there twice for the festival.

Brussels is even better. I love the guy whizzen on the wall.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

jpatweb Thanks for the tip about the pancake bakery. My daughter is stationed in the Netherlands and I will be going to visit her and her husband at the end of April. We'll be in Amsterdam for Queens Day which sounds like the party to end all parties!

Oh, and when I lived in indonesia, I was always told that rijstafel, which means 'rice table' is not really an Indonesian thing, it is something started by the Dutch who colonized the country. I told my daughter we need to find a place that has some good sate ayam, I haven't had it in ages.

Anyone else have recommendations for roadfood in the Netherlands? We will be going to Delft too and who knows where else.

BTW- can anyone tell me how I can get the spell to show up when I'm making my initial post? It only shows up if I go in to edit.

Raw herring is a delicacy in the netherlands.

You can find it in just about any restaurant as well as in the roadside stalls all over town and along the Volendam sea-front. Oh yeah, the dutch put mayo on EVERYTHING!

Vis aan de Schelde is reported to be the best fish restaurant in Amsterdam but is quite expensive. I have also heard good things about Lucius (www.lucius.nl)

Thanks! I'll mention that to my daughter. I don't care for seafood, but they love it!

when, in my salad days,we went to The hague(member of an orchestra),you could indeed get a 'contact high',most though,went for the real deal. Then the question of where or what to eat becomes academic....you won't care. Brand beer is good but I believe our beer of choice was 'Stella'(very high in alcohol content).