Vyne Wine Bar - Amsterdam

I'm infatuated with the idea of wine bars. Elegant, usually aesthetically interesting, bars with eclectic menus of starter-sized food and a diverse, comprehensive list of by-the-glass wines. What better place to read a book in the corner for a couple hours? Why is it then, that this is yet another one of my dreams unrealized?

My first and biggest issue is usually the wine. You would think that an establishment so self-described would take great pride and care in selecting the actual wine, for which they are named. Not so, I have found. I'm not saying they, in general, serve bad wines, and maybe, like everything in life, my disappointment is a function of my expectations, but the wines are rarely distinctive. Rarely special...

Next, I've found, in my limited experience, that the stereotype of the aloof, exclusive wine scene is more or less perpetuated by the typical wine bar. I'm generalizing here, but can I get someone that isn't trying really, really hard to smush as many wine buzzwords into a sentence as possible? "...I think you'll find our Alsatian selections have a wonderful nose, but may be overly fruit-forward for the oysters..." I made that up and have no idea whether it makes sense, but you get my point...

On the Prinsengracht canal, on the western edge of Amsterdam's city center, sits Vyne. A few doors down from their high-end, concept restaurant, Envy, is a narrow, long room with a few tables and a bar. The dimly lit interior (alas, no book in the corner) and austere fixtures melded to create a library-like stillness (if there are libraries where it's too dark to read), at least on a Monday night. Not uninviting, but not exactly welcoming. But with 85 wines by the glass, how could I go wrong?

Marques de Grinoa, Toledo (Spain) Syrah 2002
Tiefenbrunner Alto Adigo (Italy) Gerwurztraminer 2005
Serano ham and melon granita

It's not that I went wrong. Both wines were solid. Good. Nice. Just nothing I'd seek out again. And therein lies the problem. Isn't that the purpose of a wine bar? To screen out the ordinary and deliver the sublime? Yes, I know there are practical considerations. There are distributors and small production vineyards that don't want to be left with the not-quite-sublime bottles. There are different palates and tastes. I get all that. Yet I left Vyne like I've left most wine bars, unsatisfied...

Of course, maybe I'm frequenting the wrong wine bars...

Vyne
Prinsengracht 411
Amsterdam
020 344 64 08

Bird Thai Restaurant - Amsterdam

Globalization is a mixed bag. Homogenization of taste in the name of global brands and economies of scale? Bad. The fact that the shopping district of every international
city could be mistaken for the Gap-infested malls of Anytown, USA. Bad. Never-frozen Chilean Sea Bass at my corner grocer. Good. The fact that I can get Tom Yam Kai or Chicken Korma anyplace on the planet. Ideal...

One of the best Indian meals I've eaten was in Paris and I count Thai food as my favorite cuisine (although I've never been near Thailand and couldn't vouch for its authenticity). Which is why, during our recent stay in Amsterdam, we asked our local friend where the best Thai food could be had. He, as well as some of the guide books, pointed us to Bird in Chinatown. We chose to eat at the restaurant, but our friend actually recommended eating in their snack bar across the street where the bare bones setup forces locals and tourists to mingle at communal tables...

Tom Yam Kai (Chicken Sweet and Sour Soup)
Spring Rolls
Pad Thai

Why so little food? Initially, we ordered more, but there was an incident... or near incident. As they brought out the soup and I sank a spoon in for a taste, I noticed a bowl full of prawns staring back at me with that condescending orange hue - my nemesis in overabundance. I was mistakenly given the shrimp version of the soup (obviously not by a fan of the blog). My near death experience (and of more interest to them, the subsequent lawsuit) had them rethink the other dishes I ordered, claiming there was shrimp or shrimp powder in everything but the 7up. I was disappointed, as they had a special section of the menu for Northeast Thai dishes and I had ordered Lap Kai. The near anaphylactic shock aside, the food was wonderful. The soup was full of contrasting, vibrant flavors and the spring rolls actually tasted different than what you typically find. They tasted homemade, with tiny imperfections to the roll that exposed the traditional rolls as former tenants of the grocer's freezer section. I'm sure there's more to explore here, I'm only disappointed most of it would force me to plunge an Epi Pen into my thigh...

Rating: 7.0 / 10.0
Cost: $$

Bird
Zeedijk 72-74
Amsterdam
020-6201442

Bazar - Amsterdam

Bazar is the type of well-reviewed, eclectic eatery that the Frommer's and Fodor's of the world eat up. It's got a story (big, old converted church), it's got atmosphere (funky North African decor complete with authentic neon advertisements) and it's got location (smack dab in the center of the Albert Cuyp Market in De Pijp). The problem, from where I sit, for our lunch was that the food just wasn't that great. Disappointing, considering the seeming unanimous praise and aforementioned perfect storm of expectation...

Mint tea - always a good thing
Mish I Bluar - minced beef and lamb patty with feta
New Delhisoep - red pepper soup with Madras curry
Sopa Tunesi - lentil soup with scraps of meat

Nothing on my plate was special. The meat was a tad tough and overcooked and the soup was a little bland. My wife's lentil soup did have scraps of chorizo-like meat scattered atop, which was pure salty goodness, but that's about it. Maybe it was what we ordered, maybe it was the weight of expectations, maybe it's just over-rated. I probably won't return to figure it out...

Rating: 5.5/10.0
Cost: $$

Bazar Restaurant
Albert Cuypstraat 182
Amsterdam
020 675 0544

De Kas - Amsterdam

There is public transit in Amsterdam, most noticeably in the form of bright blue trams, which share the road with a sea of black bikes and tiny cars (I'm putting the over/under for crippled American tourists per summer at nine - yes, insensitive, but these things have no conscience. The trams not the American tourists - okay, maybe both). As a visitor, however, I think the best way to see the city, and remember what it's like to be ten again, is to rent a bike and jump in the mix. The city's traffic is completely oriented around Amsterdam's preferred mode of travel and, while often intimidating, the learning curve is not so steep. I say this because De Kas almost certainly requires a bike ride. Set off from the road, just south of Oosterpark and probably three or four miles from the city center. About a 30-minute ride from our Jordaan location, we allowed the time and had fun with with it (post meal it was a welcome bit of exercise)...

On approach, you at once feel completely isolated as you would in a city garden or state park (either of which, this area might actually be). A well-manicured children's playground and grassy patch of ground are all that share this slice of solitude with De Kas. De Kas is made up of two connected greenhouses, one an actual greenhouse that helps feed the guests and the other a giant dining room with clean, unobtrusive light filling a massive space...

The menu is set and they accept substitutions only for vegetarians and allergies (during my recital the waitress actually sat down to remember my list). Five courses (three appetizers brought out simultaneously, one entrée, and a dessert) for 47.50 Euros. Before ordering, they offered Champagne with basil from the garden, which was a nice touch. The earthy basil competing with the bubbles... The wine for the night was an Australian shiraz (Shotfire Ridge 2004) which was outstanding. Later, I learned it's a relatively cheap ($15-20) 92-point (Robert Parker) bargain if you can find it...

The menu wasn't revealed to us up front, which I liked. As we became engrossed in conversation, a new plate would make an appearance requiring a lengthy explanation...

Veal with lemon foam and pesto atop ratatouille
Saffron cauliflower with proscuitto, assorted tomatoes and gnocchi
Soft-boiled egg atop butter lettuce and french beans with shaved truffles and parmesan
Grilled duck breast with parsley risotto, chanterelles w/ garlic and (a long) radish (-type thing)
Marinated plum pastry with sheep's milk frozen yogurt and a pistacchio cookie

Where do I start? The small chunk of veal (airplane meal sized) was cooked perfectly. The soft boiled egg/truffle/parmesan combo was flavorful without trying too hard. But the best course, oddly, was the cauliflower. So fresh, cooked so perfectly with saffron used so sparingly (maybe only for color), it typified the meal. Yes, I knew De Kas was all about the fresh ingredients from their property, but that's pretty much everyone's schtick nowadays. Only this was no schtick, they really let the food speak for itself, with just enough restraint on the spices to complement, not distract. The entrée-sized duck breast was also cooked to perfection, tender and flavorful with the just-picked parsley taste of the risotto. The dessert was outstanding. Again, the perfect balance of sweetness, and like the rest of the meal, so clearly made for an adult's sense of taste. The sheep's milk frozen yogurt is, I'm guessing, what Pinkberry is striving to replicate (I'll know if I ever decide to wait on the lines)...

In short, the meal was near-perfect. From the rare European no smoking rule (a plus for us), to the relaxed yet focused service, to the unbelievable food. Before all of today's restauranteurs build their menus around "what's fresh at the market" and "make the food the star" they should be ordered to enjoy a meal at De Kas...

Rating: 9.5 / 10.0
Cost: $$$+

De Kas
Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3
1097 DE Amsterdam
+31 (0)20 462 45 62

Blauw aan de Wal - Amsterdam

Translated from Babel Fish, it means: blue to the rampart. Translated from Webster's Dictionary, rampart means: an embankment built around a space for defensive purposes [note: back off, I know it's in the Star Spangled Banner, but it's been awhile since I've used it in a sentence]. In other words, I have no idea what the name means (and I didn't think to ask). What Blauw aan de Wal is, is an odd culinary gem in the most unlikely of places. In the heart of Amsterdam's Red Light District, through a graffiti-tagged alley and next to a tiny courtyard, is the two-story, white-linen restaurant. In fact, upon entering the alley I was graciously offered "yay-yo, speed or ecstacy" by someone who, I can only assume, wasn't affiliated with the restaurant (I could always be wrong)...

Inside, what I found was an uber attentive staff waiting to seat us and cater to our every need. The menu was short, but complex, with each of the appetizers and entrees prepared with fresh ingredients into a sophisticated rendering. The wine list was light on by-the-glass offerings, but had a nice diversity of choices by the bottle. We opted for the "set menu" - a three course meal of off-the-menu specials for 44 Euros...

Tompouce of Scottish Salmon with hard-boiled egg, fresh herbs, anchovies, capers and a roasted red pepper dressing
Bacon-wrapped Monkfish with roasted tomatoes and orange zest on creamy polenta
Verbena parfait with herbs topped with an orange confit

Evidently, a tompouce is traditionally a Dutch dessert with some type of cream between two wafers. In this case the wafers were Scottish Salmon and the cream was an egg salad-like mixture with the salty capers and anchovies adding a nice touch. At the end of the day, however, I don't like egg salad, so while this was an inventive dish and I'm sure a lot of people would enjoy it (most likely people with a penchant for egg salad), I didn't love it. The wine that accompanied the appetizer, however, was a perfect match. Las Brisas is an inexpensive Spanish wine that by itself was nothing special, but when paired with the salmon and egginess of the appetizer, really came to life...

On to the monkfish... I love bacon. I love things wrapped in bacon (usually having something to do with the bacon). I have come to realize that I do not, however, love monkfish. I don't recall ever having monkfish and I found it exceptionally meaty and not in a swordfish or sharky kind of way. It was cooked to perfection, I have no doubt, but like the aforementioned egg salad, I just don't think I really like monkfish (having nothing to do with the nightmares I will have as a result of the monkfish pictured above - he's scary and mean looking and I'm glad, in that way, I ate him). The wine the waiter suggested was solid and a good match, although I've never been a huge Rosé fan (a Graf Hardegg 2005 Rosé from Austria)...

The dessert was good. The waiter kindly explained how a parfait is basically ice cream that, instead of being turned and turned and turned into ice cream, is simply put into the freezer (and it seems he was right, although America's globalization machine had me thinking it was a fruit/yogurt mixture). The dessert was definitely the most enjoyable part of the meal...

Overall, it's a tough one. I didn't really enjoy my meal, especially relative to what it cost, but I can't help wondering if this is one of those "it's not you it's me" instances. If I was a monkfish-loving, egg salad-craving wild man, I'm sure my take would be different. Although I'm not sure I'd be as much fun at cocktail parties...

Rating: 5.5/10.0
Cost: $$$+

Blauw aan de Wal
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 99
Dam, Amsterdam
+31 (020) 330 22 57

Brown Sugar Cafe - Boston

When thinking about Fenway Park, I tend to think about the majestic Green Monster or mammoth David Ortiz home runs or (even better) mammoth Bucky Dent home runs. I’m not sure superior Thai Food would make the top five (hundred) on that list, but what we found on a quiet side street just behind Fenway was just that. Inexpensive, unpretentious, delicious Thai food. Truth be told, I can’t even be positive what we had, as the dishes came out fast and furious, but every single dish was flavorful, fresh-tasting, and perfectly spiced. The expansive menu features curries, seafood, classic Thai dishes, as well as the chef’s Gourmet Originals menu, which turns the menu upside down by showcasing the vegetables with the meat in the second chair...

With another location closer to BU (I think) and a full lunch menu, it's a great, (relatively) cheap meal. We were there mid-week and, even though there was a Red Sox game in progress, reservations weren’t necessary...

Rating: 7.5 / 10.0
Cost: $$

Brown Sugar Cafe – Fenway
129 Jersey Street
Boston, MA 02215
617.266.2928

Brown Sugar Cafe - Comm. Ave.
1033 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
617.787.4242