Tuna tataki is this beach club’s tasty top dish TEXT: KOEN GUIKING | PHOTOS: BEACH CLUB BARBAROSSA
On a hot summer day, the beach pavilions on the boulevard of Scheveningen get awfully busy. If you prefer less crowded beaches and a more refined cuisine, then head where the locals go: Beach Club Barbarossa on Zwarte Pad beach. Here you can experience a slice of hospitality heaven. “A large part of our clientele consists of returning customers, many of whom live in the leafy areas of The Hague and in affluent suburbs like Wassenaar,” says Tjerk van Kampen, one of the three owners of the luxury club on the northern beach of Scheveningen. They come to enjoy the finer things in life. “Don’t get me wrong. We are still a beach club. If people want to come and dine at Barbarossa in their shorts after a swim in the sea, that is perfectly okay. The at80 | Issue 29 | May 2016
mosphere is very relaxed. Some people spend the whole day chilling on our terrace and on the beach, enjoying lunch and supper here. Other customers dress up for a fancy dinner on the seaside. It’s a fantastic mix of casual and stylish,” he says. Everything at this seaside pavilion exudes peace and tranquility. The exterior of glass and wood ensures plenty of sunlight coming in, further brightening the modern, mostly white interior. The easy-listening lounge, with jazz and soul music in the background, makes for an all-round relaxed environment. Outside on the deck, there is ample space to soak up the sun and enjoy the sea breeze on the comfortably cushioned sun beds, while being waited on by the pleasant staff.
During high season, Beach Club Barbarossa is open daily from 9am until after midnight. The Sunday morning breakfast buffets are particularly popular. Parents can take their time to enjoy the food while their children entertain themselves, under supervision, in the kids’ club. On all other days it is also possible to have breakfast, lunch and supper at Barbarossa, where the kitchen is open until 10pm. For the discerning customer “People come to Barbarossa for the holiday feel,” says Van Kampen. “We don’t get hordes of tourists flocking to our pavilion like the beach clubs on the boulevard do. People come to us to enjoy the specially prepared food, creative cocktails and Mediterranean-type atmosphere. We aim to create a sophisticated