Great start of the Restaurantweek in Leiden
11-11-2013
The Restaurant Week in Leiden starts today and runs until November the 17th. Participating restaurants donate one euro per couvert to the charity ‘Het Willem-Alexander Kinderfonds’. But last Thursday (November the 7th) René Redzepi, chef and owner of Restaurant Noma ( Copenhagen), ushered this week by lecturing about his latest book, ‘A Work in Progress’. The event was attended by over 250 foodies and chefs. The happening was a co-creation between LeidsLekkers ( the organizer of the Restaurant Week in Leiden) and Niels Vreeling, who recently realized his dream, Babooka , a quirky bookstore. A relaxed lecture and book signing, during which amongst others, restaurant Kitch& and Restaurant in the Doofpot (one Michelinstar) served delicious appetizers. At the last restaurant, René Redzepi dined before the lecture. According to the owner, Anton Verschelling, the entire kitchen team was very excited to show their skills to the ‘master’. Given the level of their appetizers that were served during the book signing session, this must have been no problem!
Culinary mustache
11-11-2013
When you order a dish at restaurant Kom Eten there is a chance that you will get a mustache served. Not a real hairy mustache, but a dish in the shape of a mustache. The Movember campaign calls for worldwide attention for prostate and testicular cancer by encouraging men to grow moustaches and raise funds. Restaurant Kom Eten has set up a great promotion during the Movember month. The restaurant serves as much dishes as possible in the shape of a mustache and 5% of sales will go to charity. Want extra discount of the ‘mustache’ dishes? Ask fathers, grandfathers, brothers and other Mo bro’s and get 10% off the bill.
Parmesan cheese above the dining table
11-11-2013
A lover of Parmesan cheese over the pasta or risotto? Well, you can hang it above the dining table as a lamp! Curelle and Tom, both Parmesan cheese lovers, were inspired during their visit to a Parmesan cheese maker in Italy. They came up with the idea to make a plastic replica of the Parmesan cheese. The Parmesan Cheese Lamp is available in two variants and it has the same size as a real Parmesan cheese with the same details. The caps are made of plastic material and they only differ from the inside. Funny detail for in an Italian restaurant or as centerpiece in you dining room at home.
Oathie bagel and muffin
11-11-2013
Last week Laura blogged about the trend healthy and superfood, with a number of restaurants as example. Bagels & Beans has introduced a healthy variation of bread this time; the Oathie bagel and the Oathie muffin. Oathie does not contain flour and wheat and barely gluten. Oathie is made of oats, flax seeds, germinated soybeans, berries and nuts. It contains many minerals and it is a source of omega 3 fats. These new products are available in seventeen Bagels & Beans stores in the Netherlands.
Happy Healthy
8-11-2013
Healthy food and superfood has become very popular over the course of the past few years. Look around and you will see more and more pictures of healthy food on Facebook and Instagram. Superfood is 100% natural healthy food and rich in nutrients like vitamins, minerals and more. It improves the immune system and may reduce the risk of heart disease. Popular superfoods are chia seeds, cacao, hemp seed, goji berries, bee pollen and more.
Theme park with Michelin-star restaurant
8-11-2013
Europa-Park (Germany) is the first theme park with a Michelin star. Within a year after opening fine dining restaurant Ammolite, located in the lighthouse of the ‘Bell Rock’ theme hotel, has received the star rating. The restaurant has 36 seats and the kitchen is successfully run by chef Peter Hagen (36 years old). For the design of the restaurant designer Claudio Carbone was inspired by a snailhouse, the name ‘Ammolite’ refers to fossil shells from the Rocky Mountains.
For fans of Franch chansons
8-11-2013
Marc Cruellas, de zingende patron van ‘Le Bistrot de la Place’ in Den Haag, treedt elke vrijdag- en zaterdagavond samen met zijn pianist Guillaume Marcenac op in zijn eigen bedrijf. Hiermee creëren zij telkens een Parijse sfeer van ‘Montmartre’ en ‘La vie en rose’ in de bistrot.
Op zondag, 1 december, treden zij echter samen op bij de Franse Bistro Bord’o in Leiden. Tijdens het optreden verzorgt het team van bistro Bord’o een 3-gangenmenu ‘Beaujolais Nouveau’, met typische Franse bistro gerechten. En Marc en Guillaume zingen en spelen alle bekende Franse chansons. Voor de liefhebber hiervan een heerlijke avond! En een mooi voorbeeld van samenwerken!
Turkey to go
7-11-2013
An increasing number of holidays are celebrated in the Netherlands, as well as Thanksgiving. Restaurant Midtown Grill, the steakhouse of Marriott Amsterdam, will introduce the ‘Turkey to Go’ concept on November 26 to get people acquainted with the American tradition to the Dutch. The restaurant will offer different to-go turkey packages, so people can eat a traditional Thanksgiving dish at home. The packages contain matching wines. It’s a good solution for those who don’t have time to cook or can’t prepare a juicy turkey. During Thanksgiving the restaurant also offers a special Thanksgiving menu for those who prefer to eat out.
The feminine hamburger
7-11-2013
The Japanese fast food chain ‘Freshness Burger’ has developed a special ‘Liberation Wrapper’ for the Japanese women. The fast food chain noticed that their large size burgers were only a hit with the men and not with the women. Most Japanese women have an ‘ochobo’ (a small and modest mouth) and see this a paragon of beauty. During dinner they cover their mouths and eating a giant burger is not appropriate. Freshness Burgers has developed a special burger packaging with an imprint of a face with an ‘ochobo’ mouth. So, Japanese women can unabashedly enjoy a double cheeseburger.
Hospitality experienced in New York
6-11-2013
A blog about whether or not tap water; additional chips to the sauce and free Wifi or not? Experiences in New York City.
After visiting New York you won’t really understand the discussion of tap water in the Netherlands anymore. In the USA you are welcomed in each restaurant with the question, if you would like to have some tap water? Of course this is in the DNA of the American restaurant industry but the habit is very welcoming. You also hear a lot of complaints about the taste of chlorine in the tap water causing many people to still buy mineral water. In that respect I would have less problems with the taste of the Dutch tap water. However, especially in areas which are visited by many tourists , restaurant owners must realize that guests from America, are used to the ‘free’ tap water service . They don’t understand our policy to even ask money for tap water! Read more..
