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Highlights | Oud-West & Bos en Lommer
Wining and dining in a casual atmosphere TEXT: ELLA PUT | PHOTOS: PASTIS
Situated in the lively urban neighbourhood of Old-West lies the cosiest café-restaurant in Amsterdam, Pastis. Praised by many for their price to quality ratio, this caférestaurant is the perfect pit stop during a visit to the Dutch capital.
the restaurant… it is a lively mix of everything: a café-restaurant where locals and visitors to the city can meet and where we offer a delicious seasonal menu with a French twist and a touch of the Mediterranean.” Pastis promises to be the perfect place to take your family, partner or a work colleague after a visit to one of the nearby museums, such as the Rijksmuseum or the Van Gogh Museum. Enjoy one of their delicious wines and tasty Dutch delicacy ‘bitterballen’ on the terrace overlooking the lively neighbourhood
square. Or sample the living room atmosphere inside and taste one of chef’s specialties, such as guinea fowl or delicious cod from the local market, served with fries. The place that Van den Akker and Mol once wished for has become their own creation. Their affordable prices, friendly staff and delicious cuisine with a renewed menu make this place one of a kind. Mol: “There is something for everyone, and everyone is more than welcome.” www.pastisamsterdam.nl
Somewhere with the casual atmosphere of a living room and the tasty food of a good restaurant: this was what Pastis owners Anna Mol and Ingrid van den Akker found to be missing in their lively Amsterdam Old-West neighbourhood. “So, we started the restaurant that we wanted to have,” Mol explains. Pastis became a pride and passion: “The guests, the food and
Pancake magic in Amsterdam TEXT: CHARLOTTE VAN HEK | PHOTOS: DE VIER PILAREN
Of all the Dutch things one can do in Amsterdam, eating pancakes is definitely the most delicious one. De Vier Pilaren serves the best of these flat magical treasures, following an authentic recipe consisting of decades of pancake culinary experience and a service that is always smiling. TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence proudly adorns De Vier Pilaren’s name, with both tourists and locals praising the restaurant’s warm service and authentic and high-quality pancakes. “We are one of the few restaurants left that prepare and bake ‘poffertjes’ the traditional way, with a big copper pan on a fire,” owner of De Vier Pilaren, Riccardo Gurrieri says. All pancakes are prepared with the best ingredients from local producers. “That goes from only the best strawberries to fresh vegetables from Osdorp, a region in Amsterdam. And we have been using organic flour for years, long before organic cooking became fashionable.” 38 | Issue 35 | November 2016
As authentic as De Vier Pilaren’s ‘poffertjes’ is its history. Gurrieri runs the restaurant together with his wife Vanessa, whose parents started off with one single ‘poffertjes’ stall, originally to provide visitors at fairs with some Dutch goodness. After the stall turned into De Vier Pilaren in 1993, the pancake restaurant was born. Located in the heart of Amsterdam, De Vier Pilaren is a spot hardly missed by tourists. “Someone’s nationality is a strong determinant
of what people will order. Dutch people often go for the pancake with bacon and cheese, while Italians always crave for a crepe with Nutella.” Must it be a lively setting, serving so many tourists? “Definitely, but that is what we love. Tourists are energetic, curious, and always have a story to tell. We absolutely love to hear them!” www.menuvierpilaren.nl