The Amstelfort Restaurant, as it’s name suggests is a restaurant in a fort on the river Amstel. It’s run by Tijmen Trouwborst who has managed to create a warm, intimate environment in this unique setting, listed by UNESCO. He has also managed to assemble a young innovative team who can produce a dazzling array of dishes, comprising all that is best from locally sourced produce and combining it with a sense of adventure and inventiveness. The wine cellar has been carefully researched to produce the perfect accompaniment to any of the selection of dishes. Maybe I should write restaurant reviews…Ha!
The history of the fort;
There were a total of 42 forts built around Amsterdam from the middle of the 19th Century until the start of the 20th. This one was finished in 1911. The idea was, as with most forts, that they were a line of defence for the capital but the ingenious Dutch had another, secret weapon up their sleeves – water. The forts controlled several sluices and the plan was that, should they be invaded, as was feared at the time, the sluices would be opened and surround Amsterdam with a shallow moat, thus hindering movement of troops, cavalry and heavy artillery. The First World War saw Holland as a neutral country and they escaped the ravages of that particular event. The technological developments that WW1 produced, such as tank warfare and the development of the aeroplane, made the fort plan obsolete. Blitzkrieg proved that point, in fact the Germans went straight for Rotterdam, the most important port in Europe and only occupied one of the forts. At the time of the cold war, they were used to store food, kind of ironic considering that this particular one, well part of it, is a restaurant.
The fare;
We got the 4 star treatment and were able to sample a wide selection from the menu.
Starting off with warm bread and proper Dutch butter. An appetizer was a cone of baby perch sprinkled with a Morroccan ras-el-hanout mix over a fresh basil dip, then it was scallops wrapped in lardo de collinato served with a salad of Granny Smith and parsnip dressed with an infusion of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. An interlude of pate foie gras with a reduction of Dutch Lambada strawberries and a mousse of blue cheese. The main course rumbled up, I was having Black Angus with Spring vegetables and tarta di patata and red wine sauce, other dishes included Dorade Royale with a Dutch shrimp salsa and tomato risotto, Tournados of veal with Acre mushrooms and pan-fried parsley potatoes. Dessert was home-made chocolate lollipops and home-made Lion bars.
The wine selection was befitting such a varied meal, though I stuck with beer most of the time, I’m a creature of habit. The Aafkes had the Italian Cai di Frati, a Lugana grape from the Lake Garda area. I broke with tradition and was recommended a Barrossa Valley red, the type of heavy wine I like to accompany a meat dish and just try and wipe the smile off my face on that one.
They do a 5 course tasting menu if you’d like to get an overview of what’s on offer.
Restaurant Amstelfort
Grevelinghen 30
1423 DN Uithoorn
Tel: 0297 566 444
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