Yay!! The first to write a review for the Dutch!! No pressure...
It was my first week in Italy, about 7 years ago. My ex and I were strolling down a narrow alley and came upon this pub, The Dutch. The bartender was young with barely tamed long hair and an excellent grasp of English. We pulled up stools, ordered a strange red beer called Affligem and struck up a conversation. About the 12th time we asked him to translate something for us, he breaks out the largest dictionary I have every seen and not-so-politely tells us to look it up. We were hooked. The Dutch became our hangout for the next 2 years. But alas, all good things must come to an end...
I just returned from a trip to Gaeta, my first in awhile. The Dutch is timeless. Many things are the same as they were...the quality food and drink, the warmth of the owners (it's a Mother/Father/Son enterprise), the regulars--both Italian and American. There were also a few upgrades...wi-fi, wii, a multitude of absinthe varieties and ravioli night! Not your normal raviolis, mind you. It's mama's recipe and these suckers are BIG...2 are the same size as a small plate, filled with meaty, cheesy goodness. Yeah, baby.
So enough reminiscing, already...
The Dutch Pub focuses on fresh, authentic food in a fun, pub atmosphere. Pizza, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, seafood, soups, dutch food (with 24-hour notice)...the menu is pretty robust for a small pub. Much of the produce is from a local garden. Dough is made fresh daily. Even the sandwich buns are house-made. To the bar. The draught beer is pretty unique for the area--Affligem, Wicske Wheat, Murphy's Stout, and of course, Heineken. They have a large menu of shots, and like I mentioned earlier, several varieties of absinthe. And they serve Illy Coffee, yum.
The best thing is that The Dutch is thriving even through the recession...just means they'll be around the next time I visit too!! Thanks Yvonne, Rino and Maurizio!! read more