Discover Benelux | Amsterdam Highlights | Rembrandtplein & Amstel
King of herbs TEXT: CHARLOTTE VAN HEK | PHOTOS: GARLIC QUEEN
Visiting a city so diverse and vibrant as Amsterdam, your dinner should be just as adventurous. In the heart of Amsterdam lies Garlic Queen, a restaurant with a royal touch where garlic is queen of the kitchen. With chef Geert de Natris at the helm, Garlic Queen uses the wonderfully smelly herb for all of its dishes: from the famous garlic soup to garlic ice cream. “We started off in 1997,” owner John van den Broek tells us. “It was a bit of a guess as it was different – Garlic Queen was the first restaurant of its kind in the Netherlands.” Twenty years later, Garlic Queen is still drawing regulars and new customers to the Reguliersdwarsstraat, one of the most vibrant streets in Amsterdam. “People come back for our consistent quality. We have a changing weekly menu, but our garlic baker and beef stew have become true classics.” The dishes are prepared with biological products. The queen ingredient comes in fresh every day from
Slootdorp, a small town close to Amsterdam. Even if garlic is not completely your thing, Garlic Queen is worth the visit. “The chef prepares the dishes with as much or as little garlic as you like.” And when done eating garlic, start drinking it. Garlic Queen offers an exclusively brewed garlic beer, a special garlic liqueur and a newly introduced garlic vodka. Every customer leaves smelly and satisfied. “We use about 60 toes of garlic for our beef stew.” And that smelly breath? “Not to worry: chew on a coffee bean and you’ll be fine!” www.garlicqueen.nl
Ahoy Amsterdam, sailor! TEXT: CHARLOTTE VAN HEK | PHOTOS: HET SCHEEPVAARTMUSEUM
There is no better way to admire Amsterdam than from the water. The National Maritime Museum and the Blue Boat Company sail you back to the days of yore by touring through the rich history of the Plantage area. “Being a remnant of the Dutch Golden Age a time when the Netherlands was a leader in art, architecture and trade - sailing through the canals will literally surround you with history,” says business developer of the Maritime Museum Ditte Ooms. “You see things from a whole different viewpoint when you see them from the water.” The open boat leaves from the Arsenal, a former warehouse of the Admiralty of Amsterdam and the building of the Maritime Museum. The tour is accompanied by a guide, inspiring visitors with the rich history of Amsterdam. “The Plantage neighbourhood
was constructed after the Golden Age, when funds were not as plentiful as before, resulting in an area full of nature.” The tour sails along the Wertheim Park (a gift from none other than Napoleon) and Artis, the enchanting zoo. “Recently, the giraffes were so close to the water you could almost look them in the eye, a wonderful experience.” The trip continues to the former Jewish quarters, home to the wealthy Jewish bourgeoisie and an area surrounded by bridges. “It was not a coincidence that Jewish people were driven into this area during World War II – it was easy to close them in.” By the time you moor at the dock of the museum, you will understand the world a bit better. “Amsterdam laid the foundation for current society in terms of culture, economics and freedom. One cannot be understood without the other.”
www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl; www.blueboat.nl. Tour tickets include entrance to the museum. Issue 31 | July 2016 | 27