Fine Dining Restaurant in Amsterdam-Spectrum Review
We love travelling to eat, finding and visiting amazing restaurants around the world is our primary reason to travel. There are many things you can do in Amsterdam, choose from numerous museums, galleries and countless dining opportunities. These guide of top things to do in Amsterdam gives many ideas for the perfect day in Amsterdam. On this occasion, this was a two day break to Amsterdam to celebrate my birthday. More itinerary ideas for 2 days in Amsterdam here. As complete foodies, what could be better for us than an evening in a fine dining restaurant and it doesnt come much finer than the beautiful dining room of recently renamed (from Librijes Zusje) Spectrum.
The Venue:
The fine dining restaurant can be found in the elegant Waldorf Astoria Hotel, overlooking the perfectly manicured gardens of the beautiful canal-side building. If you have time arrive early and pop in the Vault Bar for a drink. You guessed it, the bar is a former bank vault and is found on the lower floor of the hotel. It even has the old safety deposit boxes for wall decoration, some of which (rumour has it) are still unopened!
The Menu:
Librije’s Zusjue is outstanding. The food is without doubt some of the most exciting, interesting and delicious that we have ever eaten. We go for the chefs tasting menu- 7 amazing courses including a couple of ingredients that I had never heard of before and never mind tasted. Heard of Sepia anyone? Anyway, all of the ingredients and combinations make perfect sense.
24 hour slow roasted beef short rib picked from bone and then crisped and served under thinly sliced carabineros shrimp with a good kick of heat from roasted bell pepper and ginger, then cooled down by watermelon is a simply sublime plate of food.
The other major stand out dish was the perfectly cooked duck. Pink with crispy skin which is artistically plated alongside aubergine, coriander, tulip (we are in Holland after all), pomegranate and black olive.
The courses are all excellent and the menu flows with exciting moments at all stages. Mystery surrounds the table decoration-is it a flower? Sponge? Ceramic ? What do you think ? It is in fact a mushroom (tremella)which is eventually used in the dessert course ! I loved this idea. So tasty and so much fun with the front of house team enjoying the mystery with diners.
Chocolates:
The chocolates at the end of the meal are stunning. Shiny dots of pleasure which repeat the flavours of the menu. You simply match the colour of the chocolate to the colour on the menu and the flavour mirrors some of the elements from each course- amazing! Another thoughtful and inventive touch from a restaurant truly at the top of its game.
Michelin Star Food at a wonderful fine dining restaurant :
World class cooking and service all the way. If you love food this fine dining restaurant is simply a must when in Amsterdam.
Love finding amazing places to eat? See more of our restaurant recommendations here.
This place looks truly lovely. For several reasons, my travelling is currently just UK based, but I’ve done a lot of travelling in the past so I do like to read travel posts! I’m an armchair overseas traveller these days…
Tracy x
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