Here's my plan + Looking for suggestions

[d3lt4-9]

Ok, so many of you know by now that I'll be in town in less than two weeks. I will have a solid 4 days and nights with which to spend my time. I've always eaten like a bird on previous trips. By this I mean I don't eat much, and when I do it's usually crap like McD's, NY Pizza, Manneken Pis, or FEBO. I want to change that this year. I'm not looking to go crazy with steakhouses or anything, but I want to eat good this time. Now that all coffeeshops close at 1:00(correct me if I'm wrong), I can see myself possibly in bed a bit earlier and thus up for breakfast which I'm usually not.

So here are some places I'm likely to hit:

Durty Nellie's on Warmoestraat - for an Irish breakfast at least once
Eetcafe VanDobben on Korte Reguliersdwarsstraat - for a "real" kroket
Burger Bar - as per Boner's suggestion, maybe Burgermeester
Wok to Walk because it's a tradition and I love it, same for FEBO as filler
Bird Snackbar on Zeedijk - I've heard too many good things re: this place
De Klos on Kerkstraat - Heard good things about the ribs and lamb

So, any comments on my places? I'm open to other ideas for decent breakfast. I'm not a pancake person though, very much an eggs and meat guy, though I'd be open to a place with good uitsmijters or ham and cheese crossaints. I'm wondering where the best toasties are as well.

And I'd really, really like to know what you guys think are the best Shoarma places in the center. There's so many of them everywhere, and quite a few look a bit grotty so it's hard to tell. I know donerkebabs are big in the UK, so I'm thinking some of you UK guys might know the answer to this one. I had a broodje shoarma last year from a place that I picked due to it being off the beaten path and packed with locals and it was top-notch. Damned if I can remember even remotely where it was though.

Any other suggestions for can't-miss places welcome. Thx in advance.

[Boner]

The best Shoarma I ever had was in Haarlem but there is a nice one down Haarlemmerdijk.

Do you like curry? if so then the Balraj (again down Haarlemmerdijk 28 ) is pretty damn fine, if you go to de Klos for the ribs stick to the normal ones as the bbq coated ones aren't as nice (according to everyone who had then during the 420 weekend).

I love the tostis and baquettes at Paradox plus its the best coffeeshop in Amsterdam (imo of course).

[Pauli Wallnuts]

thanks boner im definatly gonna check ou that curry house next time im in town, i do love a ruby

[d3lt4-9]

Thanks Boner! I'm not too familiar with curry as I've never been that into Indian cuisine. There's one thing I forgot to mention though: I'll be solo for this trip so I'm also looking for sitdown places that don't mind serving a solo patron. I've heard that some restaurants are averse to this as it doesn't usually equal maximum profits for them.

[StonedSince67]

Thanks Boner! I'm not too familiar with curry as I've never been that into Indian cuisine. There's one thing I forgot to mention though: I'll be solo for this trip.

this message from boner in Food -> Table For One addresses both of these questions ...

and i have been trying to learn how to post images in messages so here are the thumbnails of boner's photos of his meal at balraj:

the starter



the main course



thanks to boner for the photos

ps: before a family trip i showed these photos to everyone and then we had to go and it was fantastic, now the place is top of the list for every trip

imo if you only eat one indian meal in your whole life, go to balraj

[titus wong]

I've always eaten like a bird on previous trips. By this I mean I don't eat much, and when I do it's usually crap like McD's, NY Pizza, Manneken Pis, or FEBO. I want to change that this year. I'm not looking to go crazy with steakhouses or anything, but I want to eat good this time.

That was my thought too, so for this upcoming trip, I'm planning a mix of cheap and moderately expensive meals. I really want to stray from the known quantities: Bird Snackbar, Walk to Wok, that damn patisserie across the way from de Kuil which never fails to suck me in...

So here are some places I'm likely to hit:

Durty Nellie's on Warmoestraat - for an Irish breakfast at least once
Eetcafe VanDobben on Korte Reguliersdwarsstraat - for a "real" kroket
Burger Bar - as per Boner's suggestion, maybe Burgermeester
Wok to Walk because it's a tradition and I love it, same for FEBO as filler
Bird Snackbar on Zeedijk - I've heard too many good things re: this place
De Klos on Kerkstraat - Heard good things about the ribs and lamb

Enjoy Bird Snackbar. Even if it's not the greatest Thai food you've had, you can still take in a splendid view of the Zeedijk pedestrian traffic. And it's a relatively cheap eat.
I also want to visit the Van Dobben Eetsalon but have this nagging fear that it might be a little like visiting the original Sara Lee restaurant or Kentucky Fried Chicken -- bound to be a letdown. Van Dobben enjoys solid support on iens.nl though so they must be doing something right. Here's an interesting thread mentioning Van Dobben with pix. A cheap eat. Nearby Balou and one of the Rokerijs.

* * * * * * * *

Some places I will be scouting out (though not necessarily dining at):

Mercan Doner (Rozengracht 148) for their lamachun, also known as Turkish (Turkse) pizza. Apparently this is "an oven-blistered flatbread coated with ground lamb, pomegranate syrup, garlic, tomato, and spices." Cost is 2 or 3 euro apiece, and the bakery offers many other items besides. Very cheap eat. Nearest cs: Sanementereng.

Nyonya Malaysia Express (Kloveniersburgwal 38 -- next to Coffeeshop Goa). Supposed to specialize in Nyonya cuisine, a blend of Chinese, Malaysian, and Javanese influences. Looking for good laksa, otak-otak, and roti canai. Not sure how much this would run, but I'm guessing not much. Hainanese chicken rice is also supposed to be good here. Coffeeshop Green Place is just up the street. Basjoe lies in the other direction.

’t Kuyltje Sandwich Shop (Gasthuismolensteeg 9) Apparently, what sets this 50 year-old dutch sandwich shop apart from the other purveyors of belegdes broodjes is the superiority of its meats (esp. roast beef) and salads prepared in-house. Sandwiches run from 2 to 4 euro apiece(?!!). Nearby Abraxas. Not that far from Grey Area either.

Bij Broodje Bert (Singel 321) -- Known amongst Amsterdammers for its eponymous sandwich comprised of freshly-grilled lamb meatballs on Turkish bread. Small lunch counter with a working grill constantly in operation inside. Bit of a terras outside from which to escape the indoor smoke. Sandwich costs €5.50. Click for somebody's shot of the roast beast sammie. Here's the same fella's pic of the honey, walnuts, and goat cheese sammie. Another food porn shot, this time of the tomato, mozzarella, and pesto sammie.* Conveniently located near Tweede Kamer and Dutch Flowers. Dampkring not too far away either.

I've got a lot more spots to check out but those make the short list.

I'll also make a recommendation for Greenwoods Lunchroom (Singel 103). Had lunch here a few times. Quaint and charming albeit with a faux-rustic decor. Features sandwiches made on good irish soda bread, afternoon tea, soups, quiche, and salads. Small and often crowded, resulting sometimes in slow service. One point in its favor is that its location can be triangulated from the following coffeeshop loci: Grey Area, Amnesia, and Homegrown Fantasy. Runs about €12 for lunch with a coffee. Nice pic here.

Have fun.

* Edited to include pic of Tom/Mozz/Pesto sammie. Edited again for spelling, to fix URLs, and for minor crap.

[d3lt4-9]

Wow, great replies. Especially from you, Titus. You seem like a guy who enjoys his food. So you've eaten at the Bird Snackbar on Zeedijk? It seems like a popular place, and I was going to use it as my first foray into Thai food. That's a great food messageboard you linked to as well. There's an Amsterdam local on there who posts some great pics. And I forgot to mention Broodje Bert. That was on my list as well.

I'll give you guys a full report when I get back. I'm already lined up to meet multiple people on this trip so dining alone may not be much of an issue after all.

[Pauli Wallnuts]

d3lt4-9 your avatar is proper funny, i luv the meanie expression

[d3lt4-9]

d3lt4-9 your avatar is proper funny, i luv the meanie expression

Thanks man! I was really into black metal as a teenager so when I came across it I had to snag it. It's even funnier when you actually know the guys in the pics. Yours is really cool to me since I actually live right smack in the middle of Soprano-land. I've actually been inside Bada Bing! Hell, that place is only a ten-minute drive from my house!

[titus wong]

Check out this viddy. Opens with a looong shot in Greenwoods and ends up on a stroll through the canals.

I'm so there.

Somewhere in the middle there's a nice shot of scones laden with clotted cream and jam.

Edited for spelling.

[Max Flower]

Bij Broodje Bert (Singel 321) -- Known amongst Amsterdammers for its eponymous sandwich comprised of freshly-grilled lamb meatballs on Turkish bread. Small lunch counter with a working grill constantly in operation inside. Bit of a terras outside from which to escape the indoor smoke. Sandwich costs €6.50. Click for somebody's shot of the roast beast sammie. Here's the same fella's pic of the honey, walnuts, and goat cheese sammie. Conveniently located near Tweede Kamer and Dutch Flowers.

Sadly according to the distinguished and venerable Boner, Brodje Bert is apparently, now closed.

/Yes I know, I know darkness fills my heart with pain too.

[titus wong]

Yes I know, I know darkness fills my heart with pain too.

A bitter pill indeed. I wuz looking forward to that roast beef. TY for the correction.

[Boner]

Bij Broodje Bert (Singel 321) -- Known amongst Amsterdammers for its eponymous sandwich comprised of freshly-grilled lamb meatballs on Turkish bread. Small lunch counter with a working grill constantly in operation inside. Bit of a terras outside from which to escape the indoor smoke. Sandwich costs €6.50. Click for somebody's shot of the roast beast sammie. Here's the same fella's pic of the honey, walnuts, and goat cheese sammie. Conveniently located near Tweede Kamer and Dutch Flowers.

Sadly according to the distinguished and venerable Boner, Brodje Bert is apparently, now closed.

/Yes I know, I know darkness fills my heart with pain too.

I was told wrong info Max, I had a BLT during the 420 weekend at Berts, it wasn't quite the same as the one I'd had previously but it was still a really good sarnie.

[titus wong]

I was told wrong info Max, I had a BLT during the 420 weekend at Berts, it wasn't quite the same as the one I'd had previously but it was still a really good sarnie.

did something change overall at Berts? i.e. ownership? is the quality going down? did it get more expensive? thanks boner

[Boner]

I can't remember what the BLT's cost but it certainly wasn't more than €5, the quality was still very good, the only real differance I can remember was the bread being differant (maybe nice this time) and the bacon wasn't as crispy as before but that wasn't a problem.