Victor Fielmich and Elvira Kemman open Bistro ElVi in Bergen
Victor Fielmich en Elvira Kemman
Bistro Elvi interieur
Blini's met kaviaar
Ibérico en krokant ei
Bistro ElVi
Interieur van ElVi
Victor Fielmich
Elvira Kemman
Bistro ElVi
Bistro ElVi has opened in Bergen, North Holland, with chef Victor Fielmich and hostess-sommelier Elvira Kemman. The couple serves French classics with a modern twist and primarly makes use of regional ingredients. The concept of a gourmet level French bistro together with a wine bar is unique for Bergen. The couple formerly managed the Utrecht restaurant ElVi, which was mentioned in all of the major restaurant guides and was the only restaurant in Utrecht to get a Michelin Bib Gourmand award at the time.
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ElVi is located in Bergen at Oude Prinsweg 29, right in the heart of the city and near the 15th-century Ruined Church. The name of the restaurant is a combination of the first names of the owners, Elvira Kemman (42) and Victor Fielmich (45). After over 13 years, the pair is returning to their roots. Fielmich, Victor: “I grew up in Bergen, worked in the hospitality industry, and Elvira and I both resided here. We traveled the world after closing the doors of our restaurant ElVi at the end of 2018, and we have finally returned to our old hometown. We’ve been interested in this property for a long time, and its fantastic that we were able to buy the operation and rent the location”.
French classics with its own twist
The bistro seats 40 people and has an open kitchen with induction cooking. Everything in the kitchen, which is separated from the restaurant by a big glass wall, is created by hand using high-quality fresh seasonal ingredients. The always changing menu offers largely French classics with a modern touch created with as many regional ingredients as possible.
“Think roasted chick, boudin noir with Dutch apples, oysters and lobster from the Oosterschelde, veal ribeye from the Beemster, and fish soup with Zeeland fish and shellfish,” says Victor Fielmich. The lamb is from Beemster, and we provide Dutch and Belgian cheeses. We have our own style, but we don’t shy away from influences from other places. These include Spanish Ibérico ham with crispy poached egg, hollandaise sauce, and olive crunch, as well as a savory cheese dessert of Italian tallegio crème brûlée. The sticky toffee pie, which I translate as a warm date cake with caramel, makes our guests extremely happy.
With our offers and exceptional value for money, we hope to re-enter the restaurant guides, like we did in Utrecht, and get a Michelin Bib Gourmand award.”
Small and large menu
The menu is divided into an à la carte segment with starters starting at €9.75, main dishes starting at €23.50, and desserts starting at €9.50. There’s also the Modern Passé menu, which ranges from three (€ 47.50) to five (€ 67.50) courses. This menu is available starting at 5:15 p.m., and on Saturday and Sunday it is available at 12:30 p.m. Finally, a limited menu of sandwiches and snacks is available from 3 p.m. until late at night on all (opening) days.
Interior in the atmosphere of the 20s, 50s and 70s
The pleasant interior features unique and historical furniture, decorations, and lighting in the style of the 1920s, 1950s, and 1970s. The yellow-gold fabric-covered padded sofas along the walls, the leather-covered 1950s “Cowhorn Chairs,” and the Miami vintage lamps from the 1970s are all eye-catching. Other notable features include the Victorian-style fairy lights and the one-piece wooden ship staircase leading to the top floor. Swing Chairs made by Dutch furniture designer Van Os in 1949 are arranged around an oval table with a peacock feather top.
Winebar
Elvira’s preference for wines made as naturally as possible is reflected in the French-focused wine range. “In addition to the 60 different wines on the wine list, we have a wine fridge with over 100 exceptional wines, where I prefer to take interested guests to make a selection,” says Elvira Kemman. In addition, I always have about 15 wines available by the glass. Non-alcoholic wines and cocktails, juices, teas, and other non-alcoholic beverages are another specialty and favorite of mine that I like to add into an arrangement.
Our bistro also has a wine bar, where everyone is welcome to enjoy a good glass of wine, beer, or other beverage, potentially with a meal to go with it. Then there’s the conservatory, where you may unwind with a drink and a snack during the day.”
Bistro ElVi is open from 3 p.m. on Thursdays through Mondays. On Saturday and Sunday, the restaurant is open continuously from 12:30 p.m.
Website: Bistro ElVi.
