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“Signature dishes include tartare of Kobe Wagyu beef with caviar and softly-cooked quail eggs, oysters with black salsify and purée, caviar and potato rösti, and ravioli of black Bresse chicken…”

5 OF THE BEST…

Michelin restaurants in Rotterdam Foodies will be in seventh heaven in Rotterdam, a city that boasts three restaurants with two Michelin stars, and seven with one star. Tuck in!

Restaurant Parkheuvel The two-star Restaurant Parkheuvel is in a semi-circular pavilion situated in the park in the heart of Rotterdam, next to the river Maas. The Art Deco-style restaurant has bay windows and a terrace with spectacular views of the river.

Chef Erik van Loo’s cuisine is full of flavour; elegant and hearty at the same time. He is also one of Holland’s most accomplished sauciers – he has even published a book, solely dedicated to the various sauces served at the restaurant.

Signature dishes include tartare of Kobe Wagyu beef with caviar and softly-cooked quail eggs, oysters with black salsify and purée, caviar and potato rösti, and ravioli of black Bresse chicken with pan-fried langoustines. www.parkheuvel.nl

Restaurant Fred Fred Mustert has been one of Holland’s best chefs for years and is still at the top of his game. He worked as a chef in restaurant Zwethheul in Schipluiden and as a patron-cuisinier in restaurant La Vilette, where he received a Michelin star. Restaurant Fred on the Honingerdijk is a new venture and now has two stars.

It has a stunning interior, with a handmade golden ceiling and a ladies’ room made from cut glass.

Chef patron Fred Mustert creates his dishes with honest, rich and local ingredients. He has a straightforward way of cooking that’s light and refined, with combinations like lobster and scallops, veal tartar with prawns, and asparagus and morels. www.restaurantfred.nl

Joelia Rotterdam chef Mario Ridder’s one-star restaurant Joelia is situated in the Hilton Rotterdam. Having opened a year ago, rge French menu incles a list of Mario’s favourites, and there are goodvalue two- and three-course lunch deals.

Joelia has space for 70 diners spread over three rooms. The most striking feature of the interior is the recurring hexagon theme linked to materials from the 1960s that were characteristic of the Hilton of that time: marble, brass and American oak.

The cuisine is French-inspired with a twist and the menu boasts classic and innovative dishes made with the freshest ingredients. www.joelia.eu

Amarone Amarone is a one-star restaurant on the Meent, a lively shopping street in the city centre. Mirrors and big windows create a feeling of space, while the open kitchen, fireplace, luxurious seats and long couches give Amarone a warm and cosy touch. An impressive detail is the walk-in wine-climate cabinet which covers the entire back wall and holds more than 500 different kinds of wine.

“I love the classic cuisine with its full, deep flavours,” says head chef Gert Blom. “But I have a lighter style of cooking.

My truffle risotto has been on the menu for years. And with a beautiful spring chicken, I serve confit of its leg, sautéed scampi and a delicate poultry jus.” www.restaurant amarone.nl

FG Food Labs Francois Geurds was Heston Blumenthal’s assistant chef at The Fat Duck. At the one-star FG Food Labs, he delivers a new and mind-blowing restaurant experience every day. Before his ideas make it to the menu of his FG Restaurant, he experiments with ingredients and techniques from every angle at FG Food Labs, located in one of the arched passageways at Station Hofplein.

The interior is urban chic, with an open kitchen at the back.

The menu is packed with dishes based on unique combinations and innovative techniques, from light bites to full à la carte dinners and desserts.

If you don’t want to choose, take a set menu of four to nine courses, inclduing cocktails, to experience the latest dishes. www.fgfoodlabs.nl

F LY

Flybe has flights to Rotterdam The Hague from Birmingham (from 5th September) and Manchester (from 8th February)

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