Dining in the Dam

Well where do I start? Amsterdam. A place like no other. Perfect spot for a long weekend - as a couple or with friends.

Where Van Gogh meets the red light district, and trust me, the latter is far more entertaining!

You can lose yourself in a world of sex and weed. What a combo. But as a foodie, of course,  I had to find some exciting places to eat…and that I did.

Supperclub.

INCREDIBLE. You dine on beds…BEDS, whilst entertainers fill the floor and 11 Michelin star chefs slave away in the kitchen. 5 courses of exciting, tantalising combinations of flavours you’d never expect.

The menu is unknown until you arrive – and can remain unknown if you wish, and that we did! I’m not going to sit here and describe every course in detail, but I can assure you each was unique, with flavour from every spectrum combining in an unforgettable mouth explosion.

Service was great – from some errr interesting characters, but what more would you expect from the Dam!?

Every night has a different theme – ours was neo-burlesque, this included a fire breather and probably the most talented pole dancer I’ve ever seen!

Meal over – wine flowing, house music blaring. Can say it was one of the best meal experiences and nights out I’ve ever had. Put it at the top of your list!

http://www.supperclub.com/                                                                                

Singel 101 restaurant

Every plate served to us was fresh, local and inventive. A really gorgeous meal, yes the experience wasn’t quite Supperclub, but this is a different establishment altogether.

Modern décor with a calming atmosphere. Perfect place for a romantic meal, especially for adventurous foodies like us! Menu is changed daily depending on what is fresh and in season – so of course every dish is divine. 

Each dish was explained to us in detail on arrival, nice touch but I just wanted to drive right in…but that may’ve been the result of a few splifs. When in Dam!

http://www.singel101.nl/

  

Greenwoods

Well I’m not one for eating English style food in a foreign country, but on a hangover I must say the Greenwoods fry up is one you’ve got to try!! A step up from the typical greasy spoon. Quaint, small café with views of the canal. Short walk from the Red Light District, but be warned, it’s always busy!

http://greenwoods.eu/index.php

Now the cuisine is done – here is a quick list of my other top finds!

1. Abraxas coffee shop – you know what they serve. Psychedelic décor, mind bending fun. And cheaper than the rip off that is The Bulldog. (The muffins don’t work)
   
2. The Sex Museum – hilarious, weird and wonderful. You can’t not go.
   
3. The Amsterdam Dungeons – not one for these tourist attractions, but it was great! Really interesting, the actors were fab and you can’t really find them scary with the Dutch accents. Scccchmoke and a pancake?
4.  The Jolly Sailor – decent drinks and decent music. All round great atmosphere day and night.
5. A ride on a bike taxi - great way to see the city, cheap, comfy and you get a blanket. Cute.
   
6. The Hoppe – traditional Dutch pub, where the first Heineken pint was served. Alcohol mixed with history, see drinking does involve culture! Great excuse.
   
7.  Bubbles and Wine – they serve Champagne and wine. Enough said.
   
8. A Peep show – right, it’s pretty weird but has to be done! Plus it’s only 2 euros. Cheapest porno you’ll ever see.
9. Frozen Yoghurt shop on Damstraat – just try it, you’ll love it.
   
10. Pancakes – go anywhere, you can’t go wrong with a pancake, plus you’re in the Netherlands. You have to have a pancake.

The Cowherds

You can’t fault the décor of this pub, it’s really cosy with wooden beams and low-lighting…not forgetting a crackling fire! Really great location, situated just off the Southampton Common. A perfect pit stop after a walk in the park.

We went on a Sunday and my, was it busy! Next time I’m definitely booking. We decided to sit outside, but of course it started to rain (typical, having one of those days as they say) so we propped ourselves up at the bar and waited for our roast sharing platter…whilst drinkers took up the tables…

The Cowherds is a typical pub where you have to order at the bar and pay beforehand etc etc...Not that that’s a problem, normal procedure I guess, just I prefer to sit in my seat and not move, I’m not a diva, I promise.

Anyway a waitress wonders by shouting out a table number holding a roast platter…it must be ours I said, wrong table number. So we carried on sipping our drinks and finally a table becomes free…I honestly did some barging to get this! Did not fancy eating a big old roast at the bar, especially as it was a sharing platter, otherwise I wouldn’t have minded. 

Two hours later…still no roast. I hate complaining and asking where food is when I can see a restaurant is busy, having worked in one myself it is really aggravating and there’s not much you can do when a restaurant is heaving. Patience is the key…but in my opinion two hours was a bit much. We went to investigate and discovered the roast that wondered past earlier was in fact ours and they had put our order under the wrong number, or given us the wrong spoon.

When the roast did arrive, it was lovely! Great size for two and a great selection of meat (beef, pork, turkey) and the roast potatoes where golden, crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside! Just how I like them. The only improvements I’d suggest is a thicker gravy (we all love a bit of Ahh...Bisto, but I can do that at home), more stuffing…my ball was the size of a thimble, and finally for the condiments to left on the table. The waitress gave us a spoon full of horseradish and that was it. Although, we were given a free round of drinks for the delay in having our meal, which was nice, but I was driving and a free coke doesn't really make up for much. I guess next time we’ll just have to book!

We didn’t mind the wait too much as we were busy chatting away, but no waiting staff came to check up on us or see if everything was okay. Yes it is a pub, and they were busy, but simple waiting standards were slightly dropped and these can make a good meal an excellent meal. 

The Pig in the Wall

Wow, what a gorgeous and quaint little place. Tucked into the historic Southampton walls, this little restaurant/hotel is a hidden gem! The décor is quintessentially British, open log fire, rustic furniture and even little plant pots with fresh radishes and herbs as centre pieces. It’s like stepping straight into the country side from the hustle and bustle of the city.  

    ‘The Pig in the Wall’ doesn’t offer large, evening meals but it does offer lovely light bites, sharing boards and homemade cakes. The perfect pit-stop for a quick snack. Although, I say quick…we ended up staying for two hours sipping tea in front of the open fire. It was idyllic.

               

We shared a ‘cured meats sharing board’ and some ‘honey-mustard glazed chipolatas’ and they were extremely tasty! The board came with crispy bread, gherkins (yes, we love gherkins), capers and a chutney that tasted just like Christmas. The staff were very attentive, setting the table promptly, asking us if we needed anything else and most importantly placing a tea light in the centre of the table as soon as the sun set. A really great place to chill out whilst in the busy centre. They offer a great selection of cocktails and our next plan is to come for a few drinks to try them out.

               

‘The Pig in the Wall’ is sister to ‘The Pig’ in Brockenhurst which does offer a la carte evening meals. ‘The Pig in the Wall’ offers a shuttle bus service to ‘The Pig’ if you have booked an overnight stay at ‘The Pig in the Wall’ which is a fabulous offer. An amazing meal, followed by a hassle-free stay at a cosy, charming establishment. ‘The Pig’ boasts an amazing reputation and is definitely next on my list…with hopefully an indulgent stay at ‘The Pig in the Wall’. Next birthday present? Hint hint…

Back from his daily hunt.