Discover Benelux | North of the Netherlands | Best of Groningen & Friesland
A culinary world trip TEXT: CHARLOTTE VAN HEK | PHOTOS: TASTE & FLAVOR
Sushi, fruits de mer, teppanyaki, barbecue and wok dishes all under one roof? It is a reality at Taste & Flavor. This world restaurant in Groningen serves dishes from across the globe at its all-you-can-eat buffet, making sure there truly is something for everyone. Unlimited enjoyment in a terrific ambiance; Taste & Flavor provides a dining experience unlike any other, where guests can enjoy dinner in their very own way. Instead of a solid menu, people can choose from an extensive buffet for one price that also includes beer and wine. Are you up for Italian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, American, Dutch (or any other) cuisine tonight? Although the line of choices seems infinite, quantity does everything but upstage quality. “Healthy, good food has always been of great importance in our family,” co-owner Kun Zhu starts. “Taste & Flavor is a real family restaurant, with the whole team being connected to each other, whether through family or our
love for quality food!” Alongside a great dinner comes a great view. Through the large windows you can enjoy a beautiful view over Groningen’s Reitdiephaven, providing a very welcome holiday feeling. Taste & Flavor is the ideal setting for business outings and large groups, as the flat price will never cause any surprises. But Taste & Flavor is for everyone: from couples, to groups of friends, to families with children (with a special children’s corner ensuring the parents among us will also have a quiet dinner). “From
meat eaters, to vegetarians, to fish lovers: Taste & Flavor will suit everyone,” Zhu enthuses. “The only hard part is choosing from such a huge variety of delicacies!” www.tasteandflavor.nl
Telling stories through tin boxes TEXT: MICHIEL STOL | PHOTOS: HET BEHOUDEN BLIK
Decorative tin boxes are as much a part of Dutch society as ‘hagelslag’ (chocolate sprinkles) and ice skating. Made by big Dutch brands, the cans are representative of typical Dutch eras. “They give a glimpse into the kitchens of Dutch society,” tells Carin van de Wal, conservator at museum Het Behouden Blik in Uithuizermeeden. The tins were made to get consumers to buy products; they were advertisements. “They became part of family life and provide fond memories these days,” explains Van de Wal. The decorations and graphic designs on the tin boxes captured the socio-economic state of Dutch society at that time. The designs even inspired their own artistic term: the Droste effect. Dutch cocoa producer Droste became famous for this effect, which involves a picture appearing within itself, thanks to its boxes featuring a nurse carrying a serving tray with a cup of cocoa and a box with the same image. 28 | Issue 36 | December 2016
When people enter Het Behouden Blik, they are overwhelmed with recognition. Van de Wal: “We are a really small museum, so people think that it can be done quickly. But once we take our visitors on a very interactive tour through the collection, they often stay longer than intended.” Because of the size of the collection, not everything is displayed all the time. “We change the exhibition four times a year. So there are always new stories.” It is not just a collection of tin boxes that is on display in the museum. “It is the story of the
Dutch and how society has changed over the years, or maybe how it hasn’t.” www.hetbehoudenblik.nl Left: Brinta, Dutch breakfast oatmeal. Middle: Droste cocoa brand. Right: The interior of the museum.