So, what can I say? The Dutch are not a people internationally famed for their cuisine. And of the Dutch, the Frisians are not a people famed for being much more than stubborn farmers and boaters with their own language. So, I'll forgive you if you doubt my claim that there's an amazing fine dining establishment in the tiny (and charming) village of Eastermar that serves regionally produced food that would rival that of many larger cities the world over.
Well, there is, and it's this restaurant. The meal I recently enjoyed here, in the first week of December 2010, was the second time that I had dined here. The first, on an earlier trip, left me very impressed and I sang its praises to loved ones there. On this most recent trip, I had to take my family of picky eaters here and see how they liked it. Fortunately for the quality, their menu changes a lot, depending on what their suppliers have. You may not find the same items we enjoyed, but your food will be fresh.
Appetizers: (In English, het spijt mij)
Duck breast salad - Everybody who tried a bite loved it! (I don't eat much meat)
Beef Carpaccio - same deal, rave reviews
Bread board - delicious hearty fresh bread served with an herbed butter and tapanade!
Entrees:
Steak - looked amazing
Duck - more rave reviews
Zeebaars - I'm not sure what type of fish this is, but eat it up!
Snoekbaars - Same as above: put it in your belly!
Side Dishes:
Cabbage - sauteed with tomatoes and seasoning: so much better than you would think cabbage could be!
Potatoes - excellent, but I was fit to burst
Fresh cauliflower - almost too pretty to eat: a real flower looking thing, but yummy also
Dessert:
I had a sampling of some local yummies. It was designed to be consumed consecutively and did not disappoint!
Wine:
Our table had some house red and dry house white. Both were comfortably above what one expects from house wine. Oddly enough, both were served in the same style of glass. The lack of different red and white glasses is literally the ONLY aspect of the meal that was not superb (clearly not enough to lose a star over).
As far as the details go, there are a lot of other things to recommend this establishment. There's a lovely bar. The staff is friendly. For smokers, there's a smoking room. (It was snowing the night we went in, so a few from our party appreciated the indoor room.) There's a great kid's menu. Given the quality, the prices are incredibly fair. The restaurant itself is beautiful and has historic photos of the local area to interest customers.
Get a reservation and go there! If I were on the right continent to eat there more often, I would be in regularly! read more