Laugh your pants of
20-4-2015
At the ‘World Laughter Day’ (the first Sunday in May), Herengracht Restaurant & Bar in Amsterdam serves free ‘bitterballen’ (this is a typical Dutch treat, mini croquettes).
Herengracht Restaurant & Bar in Amsterdam is located right at one of the canals. The ideal place for a quick stopover while cruising through the canals. Herengracht Restaurant and Bar will launch a special boat catering menu this spring. Serving a nice and delicious lunch on the water of the Herengracht (one of the main canals). To start the boat-catering-season the Herengracht serves the free ‘bitterballen’ in collaboration with ‘Oma Bobs’, to the boats coming by and the visitors of the Herengracht Restaurant and Bar.
The boat catering season starts with a playful ‘Laugh your pants off’
The typical Dutch saying: ‘Laugh your balls out of your pants’ is freely translated in English as ‘Laugh your pants off’. That’s why The Herengracht Restaurant and Bar is serving ‘Bitterballen’ (balls) at the ‘World Laugther Day’.
‘World Laughter Day’ was founded in 1998 within the motto: “We do not laugh because we are happy, we are happy because we laugh” and takes place every year. On 3 May to boats on the Herengracht canal and visitors of the restaurant or bar can pick up their free ‘bitterballen’. “We will distribute the mini-croquettes as start of the boat-catering-season and because we need more laughter” Says Wessel Kuipers, co-owner of the Herengracht Restaurant and Bar.
Peugeot designs an urban chic food truck 2.0
13-4-2015
Peugeot has its own food truck, a bistro on wheels, conceived and developed by the Peugeot Design Lab. A super modern food truck, striking because one of the characteristics of the current food trucks is the ‘old fashioned’ image. With ‘Le Bistro du Lion‘ Peugeot will attend the Milan Design Week 2015 from 14 April followed by the French Pavilion of the World Expo Milano 2015.
‘Le Bistrot du Lion’, a Food Truck 2.0
The food truck was invented and developed by the Peugeot Design Lab, the Global Brand Design studio of the car brand. Cathal Loughnane, Head of Peugeot Design Lab, comments, “The end-users are always at the heart of all of our designs. For the Peugeot ‘food truck’, we wanted to create a complete mobile cuisine experience, not only creating a kitchen for the chef but a restaurant and cafe for the customers. A lot of attention was given to opening up the kitchen and allowing the chef and food preparation to be as close to the public as possible. We also wanted to create a real sense of surprise as the compact Peugeot ‘Food Truck’ transforms into an amphitheatre-like dining space ‘Le Bistrot du Lion’.”
The dynamic ‘Le Bistrot du Lion’ is compact, featuring short front and rear overhangs to provide enhanced maneuverability, with a long wheelbase to offer considerable load volume. Once on site, the food truck spreads its wings to double its width. Accommodating 30 persons comfortably, with separate areas for food preparation, eating and refreshments as well as a DJ booth. On board, chefs benefit from two grilling plates and four induction burners as well as a deep fryer. The ventilation system ensures optimum air quality and a 400-litre refrigerated under-foot compartment allows food to stay fresh. A 350-litre refrigerator keeps drinks cold. Attached is a professional espresso machine, by Rocket Espresso. Not only does the Peugeot ‘food truck’ provide a one-of-a-kind dining experience, it does so at an environmental way, having been specially designed to recuperate and recycle all waste.
Peugeot has selected the talented French chef Sven Chartier, of Saturne and Le Clown Bar in Paris, as the first culinary tenant of ‘Le Bistrot du Lion’.
Mini Pancakes
31-3-2015
Mini Pancakes has been chosen as pancake supplier by the Dutch pavilion at the World Expo 2015. During this edition of the world international exhibition in Milan, food plays central role. That’s why the traditional Dutch dish, the mini pancake, can’t be left out. In countries where this company from Bunschoten (NL) is active, including the Gulf States, the mini pancakes turn out to be very popular. So popular that Mini Pancakes recently opened a store in Dubai.
Dubai
Through the activities that took place in the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Kuwait and the United Arabic Emirates, Mini Pancakes became the market leader in selling freshly baked mini pancakes. Mini Pancakes is a part of Global Village, the annual international festival in Dubai where over the 5 million visitors pay a visit to. Mini Pancakes received the Best Retail Award last year from Global Village. The youngest son of the sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum handed out this award. With the opening of the permanent Mini Pancakes establishment, the mini pancakes are available in Dubai throughout the year.
Modern form
Mini Pancakes aren’t only served with a simple knob of butter and some sugar. This is just one of the many choices. Other options are white chocolate, Nutella, a variation of syrups, lime and even spreadable cheese as topping. According to Tomek Aalders, director of Mini Pancakes, the mini pancakes aren’t old fashioned but tasty and nice.
World Expo 2015 is from 1 May until 31 October in Milan.
BunnyChow Experience food truck
30-3-2015
BunnyChow Experience
The Bunny Chow is a South African ‘fast food’ dish that originated in the ‘40s. The South African Njabulo Ndlovu gives the Dutch an opportunity to enjoy this delicacy with the ‘BunnyChow Experience’ food truck.
The Bunny Chow
Bunny Chow consists of a hollowed bread stuffed with a filling such as curry. The curry is made by Njabulo with fresh products, the organic bread is made by Bakery Paul Annee.
Bunny Chow’s origin
In the ‘40s a large number of Indians went to live in Durban and roti and curry became very popular in South Africa. The curry was popular because of its taste, but also because it was an affordable dish. The Bunny Chow was a good solution to serve curry as take-away through the back of a restaurant for people who were not allowed to enter during the Apartheid era.
Social
The South African culture is one where food and especially ‘eating together’ is very important. The BunnyChow Experience therefore focuses on both the quality of the food as well as the quality of the experience around it. The slogan ‘Food is a social event!’ underlines the goal of this experience.
Daalder mobile payment app
23-3-2015
The Dutch company Daalder launched its mobile payment Daalder app last week, an independent e-wallet for mobile payments in the Netherlands.
About Daalder
Daalder is an Amsterdam based start-up founded by entrepreneurs Renz Millenaar, Reinhard Spronk and Romke de Vries. Thomas de With, former director of the Global Transaction Bank at Deutsche Bank in the Netherlands is member of the Daalder Advisory Board. Business that are connected through Daalder receive payments via the ‘Daalder Webkassa’ (freely translated as ‘Daalder webbased cash register) which makes payments immediately visible. In addition, it is possible to send live updates and special offers to Daalder users.
Dutch Street Food app
20-3-2015
‘Reizende Sterren’ introduces a street food app for the Netherlands. Soon the food trucks and festivals throughout the Netherlands can be found through the street food app.
The ‘Reizende Sterren street food app’ provides an overview of Dutch street food
entrepreneurs, food trucks and other mobile kitchens. The recent pilot with food trucks by the municipality of Amsterdam shows that it’s the perfect timing for such an app. In addition to visibility at festivals and events, users of the app can see where food trucks are located in the city, at designated spots on the street.
The launch of the ‘Reizende Sterren street food app’ will take place in May 2015
The street food app for consumers
• Free to download from the App Store (Apple & Android)
• Overview with foodtruck entrepreneurs, product information and their signature dishes
• Push notifications of promotions, recipes and tickets
• Current events calendar
• Information about festivals, markets, events, parties, permanent pitches
• Real-time locator with GPS
• Link with social media
• Consumers rating system
Statistics Data
With a consumer rating system within the app, it is possible to collect valuable data about consumer behaviour and appreciation that can help in the development of street food in the Netherlands. The street food app will collect data from every festival / event / food truck and ‘Reizende Sterren’ will provide an annual (public) overview of relevant information via an online analysis map.
The Happy Pig Pancake Shop
20-3-2015
The Happy Pig Pancake Shop is a unique store in downtown Amsterdam. In the shop you can find pancakes and Belgian waffles made from certified organic ingredients that are freshly cooked.
The Happy Pig Pancake Shop: Shop with breakfast bar
In the shop they make good old-fashioned Dutch pancakes and Belgian waffles with delicious fillings and toppings. The focus is on certified organic ingredients. Cooks prepare your dish right in front of you. Besides the pancakes and waffles they also serve organic coffee, tea, chai latte, hot chocolate and fresh orange juice. They have a breakfast bar, and if the weather is nice, you can sit on one of the benches outside. Of course you can also have your pancake for take-away as well. In the shop you will find organic snacks, drinks, coffee, honey and chocolate.
The Happy Pig Pancake Shop in Amsterdam
Andrea Steinmetz, owner of The Happy Pig Shop, at the Rosmarijnsteeg in Amsterdam, notes that it is very busy since the shop opened in October last year. She has especially noticed that reviews on TripAdvisor have much effect on the people coming in. On her website she placed a prominent button from TripAdvisor:
Bravo: The Happy Pig Pancake Shop Amsterdam rated “excellent” by 25 travelers.
Our colleague Armand Sol experienced the influence of TripAdvisor himself recently, he wrote a blog about it (in Dutch). Inspiration: Is your business established in an environment where international guests pay a visit, ensure that are good reviews on TripAdvisor. A friendly request for a review can provide new guests though this channel.
Do you want to be an ‘innovative’ entrepreneur at ‘De Pier’ in Scheveningen?
19-3-2015
The iconic Pier in Scheveningen (near The Hague in the Netherlands) is completely rebuilt and is still looking for some enthusiastic entrepreneurs. Innovative entrepreneurs.
The now abandoned but soon completely revamped ‘Pier’ will be opened for the public this year after a major renovation. For young and old, locals and tourists, foodies and shoppers. ‘De Pier’ is an international hotspot at sea with a wide variety of contemporary and innovative concepts. For example with food trucks and catering stands but also with art and culture, festivals, events and (pop-up) stores. The last units will be available for driven and innovative entrepreneurs.
‘De Pier’ will be one of our national prides again
‘De Pier’ is a national icon in The Netherlands and defining the picture of the coastline of Scheveningen since 1901. With a completely new meaning and after a thorough renovation. ‘De Pier’ will reopen in 2015. According to Marius van der Werff, on behalf of ‘De Pier’, the iconic Pier isn’t only saved but also “transformed into a unique center for an international and diverse audience.”
Start a business at the Pier
At the Pier there will be a diverse range of restaurants, bars, shops and much more. Existing and new entrepreneurs can indulge themselves in a world of possibilities in the field of creative and innovative concepts; from ‘haute Friture’ shops and juice bars to ‘pop up’ and experience stores. Driven and innovative entrepreneurs now have the chance to be part of the catering, retail and other concepts at the Pier. The Pier has some unique stands and spaces available for the very best concepts. Interested entrepreneurs can submit their plan through the website until April 1, 2015. Find out more about the new Pier at their website as well.
Fiii Fun House, the place that has everything to make kids happy
17-3-2015
Fiii Fun House is a fun restaurant for kids. It has toys, swings, hanging hammocks (for the sleepy young ones), a coloring table, a ballroom, a play area for babies and an area for the parents and other adults to enjoy a meal while the kids play.
The interior of Fiii Fun house
Fiii house is located in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and is designed by architect Iris Cantante, obviously with kids in mind! The environment is eco-friendly and a lot of wood was used in the design to create a calming atmosphere. The owners Mariela Vergagni and Diego Cores have an eatery that offers something for everybody from 0 till 99 years of age. The two-story space features a top floor designated for private events and a bottom floor with long communal tables, with for example swings as seats. So no more: ‘don’t rock your chair!’
Corn Cobs as yellow submarines
16-3-2015
The barbecue season is almost there and what tastes better than corn on the cob? The Spredo, a dual-purpose butter and salt dispenser is fun and easy to use. It makes your corn cob look like a little yellow submarine!
The Spredo is designed for corn cobs
The dual-purpose butter and salt dispenser is designed by Avichai Tadmor for Monkey business. It’s playful and designed for the Beatles fans ;-). The Spredo’s curved bottom is shaped to rest flush on a cob’s surface. It comes with two compartments: one at the bottom for the butter and another at the top for salt.
