I had a bit over an hour before I had to go to my next job so I decided to have some Italian food at Frederique having previously heard good things about it.
While I was sitting there, in my mind reciting Sœur Sourire's song but instead of Dominique using Frederique: "Frederique inique inique s'en allait tout simplement", I was looking around me and thinking... yeah... I like it here!
However, it's strange that I like it because I have a pet peeve with how they heat food. They use a microwave!!!! Whut?!?!?! Did I just use the M-word?! This evil machine that makes food taste funky, changes the textures for worse, dehydrates it and probably kills precious vitamins in our refined-sugar-rich diets can't be too bad... right?
Well, I've allowed myself (and coerced my OCD) to accept it at this place, although I wish they would heat food differently.
So, they use the M-word machine! Meaning: The food has been pre-made. It seems that I've been giving you reasons not to like this place so far.. but that'll change. Hold your horses my pretty little reader who can't be too eager to judge since you're still reading this.
In spite of all of that, the food works. I mean, it really works. It looks good and it tastes good!
Now, is this the type of Italian food that feels light and fresh? No, it's the homey type that fills you up with great taste! It's Italian comfort food!
So what's on the menu? It's different every time, but when I went I had the mushroom risotto and two different kinds of pasta.
So how do you order? Well, first you pick what size container you want; Small at €8, medium at €10 and large at €13 and then you can have them put in it whatever they have to offer that day! I went for 1/2 risotto 1/4 one kind of pasta and 1/4 another kind of pasta. I went for the Large menu and I received a bottled drink of my choice with it and also a salad of my choice (I went for a chicken salad with honey mustard dressing).
The large container didn't look big so my empty and hungry belly in cooperation with my greed chose the large container just to realize after I had received my food on a plate (yes, you get it on a plate if you choose to sit and eat) that I ordered way more than I could handle.
Next time, and boy will there be a next time, I will order the small one (alright wiseass, if you think you can handle the large menu, don't say I didn't warn you).
SO! The food's pretty good. The setting and atmosphere is very good and the service is very friendly and attentive. Their location is also very convenient. They're across from the Albert Heijn located at the end of an alley of the Albert Cuyp Market. You know the one, right? Right!
Now go eat! read more