Must sees and dining in Amsterdam for a two-day visit.

[brokrken]

Ooh, all this talk about frites reminds me of this place called Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx which I think is pretty famous now. Anyway, best fries ever and its very near the flower market.

 

[Breedlove]

Someone said Zandfoordt , actually a very pleasant area . The beach is a clothing optional beach but right across from the beach is the racetrack . Just about anytime you go there you can see people practicing . Some are even F1 cars . I don't think they race there anymore.

 

[audreyh1]

Blauw - Indonesian, best in the city, I think. It is on Amstelveenesweg on the south end of Vondel Park.

We've been there. We had the Rijsttafels. It is the most intensely spiced food I have ever eaten, and I've had a lot of Indian and Thai food. Not necessarily hot, just almost explosive in flavor. If you like South-east Asian/Indian food this should go on your must do list. https://restaurantblauw.nl/en/amsterdam/

 

[brokrken]

Thanks audreyh1, as DW always says about me, I don't know much, but I do know how to eat well.

 

[Breedlove]

Yikes , just missed good airfare . Direst flight RT Houston to Amsterdam 538.00 , ended 6/23/2017

 

[audreyh1]

Oops, forgot one more. Casa di David on the Singel canal for Italian

Ha ha! That's also actually where we went for Italian. And a fabulous dinner it was! Totally splurged - it was so worth it!

 

[audreyh1]

A family neighborhood favorite is Van Mechelen which is a Belgian cafe/gastropub across the canal from the west end of Vondelpark. It's informal, great food, daily specials, nice beer/wine list.

We also visit de Pizzabakker - kid friendly, really good pizza. Several in Amsterdam.

We also enjoyed the Vlaamsh Broodhuys (Flemish breadhouse) in the Jordaan district on Haarlemmerstraat - bakery and sandwiches/brunch, coffees, etc. At the corner is a shop selling Jamon Iberico, etc. a Spanish jamon shop that lets you taste samples. So if you stroll the Jordaan district, look for these.

 

[audreyh1]

Dutch mussels from Zeeland are to die for - plump and super fresh tasting. The new season starts in July and continues until the next spring, I think. Moules Frites (a huge bowl of steamed mussels with fries served on the side) is the national dish of Belgium, and we ate plenty of Dutch mussels there. You can find plenty of places serving moules frites in Amsterdam as well - well, they might be called mosselen met friet instead.

Oh, and here is the very practical Belgian way to eat mussels: you empty one mussel shell, and thereafter use the shell as the tongs to pull the mussel meat out of the other shells and carry to your mouth. Very easy and fast.

 

[Lsbcal]

This might be useful background for those planning on a Netherlands visit:
Dutch News, Life and Culture

I've been browsing some of these articles from time to time.

 

[Fedup]

I want to see Van Gogh museum. Now that I took up painting, I have a new appreciation for the masters. I can't remember where the Rembrandt museum is but that's on my to do list.

 

[Lsbcal]

I want to see Van Gogh museum. Now that I took up painting, I have a new appreciation for the masters. I can't remember where the Rembrandt museum is but that's on my to do list.

Van Gogh used very thick paint and the strokes are interesting to study. Something best seen in person rather then viewing size reduced reproductions in books.

 

[brokrken]

I want to see Van Gogh museum. Now that I took up painting, I have a new appreciation for the masters. I can't remember where the Rembrandt museum is but that's on my to do list.

I have to say the Van Gogh museum is one of my favorites. The way it tells his life story as you view the paintings makes it very interesting. It's great to learn what was going on in his life at that exact moment he was working on a piece.

 

[Gotadimple]

I want to see Van Gogh museum. Now that I took up painting, I have a new appreciation for the masters. I can't remember where the Rembrandt museum is but that's on my to do list.

In Amsterdam there is the Rembrant House (where he lived/worked). Then there is the collection of Rembrants including the Night Watch housed in the Rijksmuseum.

The Rijksmuseum is across from the Van Gogh museum on Museumplein.

- Rita

 

[Fedup]

In Amsterdam there is the Rembrant House (where he lived/worked). Then there is the collection of Rembrants including the Night Watch housed in the Rijksmuseum.

The Rijksmuseum is across from the Van Gogh museum on Museumplein.

- Rita

Thank You. I saw it on one of Rick Steves show but can't remember the exact country.

 

[Bamaman]

My favorites as far as food goes in Amsterdam are:
"Cones" of fried potatoes with mayo from street venders,
Argentine steakouses,
Soft serve ice cream in little storefronts on the backstreets that tastes like straight cream,
Indonesian ristoffel--buffet of mini-dishes

 

[Breedlove]

Frites , in Dam square . I remember a young guy telling me that his little business had the best frites in Europe . He was selling Fries in the cone on Kings Day ..doing a jam up business.

The Argentine steak houses you see in the Centrum are owned by the same family .... A family of Egyptians who have been in Amsterdam for years

 

[FUEGO]

We've been there. We had the Rijsttafels. It is the most intensely spiced food I have ever eaten, and I've had a lot of Indian and Thai food. Not necessarily hot, just almost explosive in flavor. If you like South-east Asian/Indian food this should go on your must do list. https://restaurantblauw.nl/en/amsterdam/

Very timely thread. We're wrapping up our 9 week trip with 2 full days in Amsterdam in August and don't have much planned other than bumming around the downtown canal area.

Re: the rijsttafels, is it a ton of food at Blauw (or more generally)? We'll have our 3 kids with us and 2 of them will definitely be up for trying this, so I'm thinking sharing the $30-35 plates might be best. Any other more budget Indonesian rijsttafels around worth a try? Or is €30-35 the going rate?

Edit: probably going to skip the Anne Frank house. Lines + 5 year old + museums don't always mix well and I'd rather use our limited time/energy for a broader taste of Amsterdam (figuratively and literally ).

 

[audreyh1]

Van Gogh used very thick paint and the strokes are interesting to study. Something best seen in person rather then viewing size reduced reproductions in books.

Yeah - seeing the textures is definitely part of the joy of viewing the originals!

And then you can buy a Van Gogh painting umbrella or coffee mug down in the gift shop!

 

[audreyh1]

Very timely thread. We're wrapping up our 9 week trip with 2 full days in Amsterdam in August and don't have much planned other than bumming around the downtown canal area.

Re: the rijsttafels, is it a ton of food at Blauw (or more generally)? We'll have our 3 kids with us and 2 of them will definitely be up for trying this, so I'm thinking sharing the $30-35 plates might be best. Any other more budget Indonesian rijsttafels around worth a try? Or is €30-35 the going rate?

Edit: probably going to skip the Anne Frank house. Lines + 5 year old + museums don't always mix well and I'd rather use our limited time/energy for a broader taste of Amsterdam (figuratively and literally ).

Yes - it's was large amount of food ar Blauw and we were stuffed. Sharing would be good. You can always order some side dishes if needed.

 

[audreyh1]

Frites , in Dam square . I remember a young guy telling me that his little business had the best frites in Europe . He was selling Fries in the cone on Kings Day ..doing a jam up business.

The Argentine steak houses you see in the Centrum are owned by the same family .... A family of Egyptians who have been in Amsterdam for years

Is that the one that has the guy dressed up as a cone of fries hopping around on the sidewalk?

Now I know that I can ask for a peanut style satay sauce for the side sauce, so I'm definitely going to try that!

 

[brokrken]

I love this thread. I keep remembering places. Great Thai food at Chutima's. Only problem is that it is pretty far south near the RAI. Also a great local place with good spare ribs near the Anne Frank house is a place called De Reiger

 

[Lsbcal]

Yeah - seeing the textures is definitely part of the joy of viewing the originals!

And then you can buy a Van Gogh painting umbrella or coffee mug down in the gift shop!

If the coffee mugs are good quality (best are china type) then I'm up for that. Coffee mugs are my favorite souvenir on trips. Our favorite mugs generally are found in museum gift shops.

Unfortunately the Netherlands are at the beginning of our trip. I try to hold off until towards the end to buy a mug to avoid the extra weight. I wonder if Vienna has good mugs -- maybe a Klimt? But then again, there is that old "strike while the iron is hot" concern. So if it's a great mug, I'll buy it.

 

[audreyh1]

If the coffee mugs are good quality (best are china type) then I'm up for that. Coffee mugs are my favorite souvenir on trips. Our favorite mugs generally are found in museum gift shops.

Unfortunately the Netherlands are at the beginning of our trip. I try to hold off until towards the end to buy a mug to avoid the extra weight. I wonder if Vienna has good mugs -- maybe a Klimt? But then again, there is that old "strike while the iron is hot" concern. So if it's a great mug, I'll buy it.

Definitely good quality souvenirs at the museum store. Maybe a couple of china mugs won't weigh you down too much.

Vienna is fabulous and I'm sure you can find great souvenirs there as well. And way more museums that one can possibly visit. The Treasury was incredible. You get to see the Austrian Imperial Crown up close , and many other pieces including Charlemagne's crown (he didn't actually wear it but it is still very old dating from the 900s). Holy Roman Emperor's crown.

 

[CoolChange]

One of my favorite places to have a rest in the midst of a day wandering the streets is the Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (public library) just east of the Amsterdam Centraal train station.

 

[audreyh1]

Yikes , just missed good airfare . Direst flight RT Houston to Amsterdam 538.00 , ended 6/23/2017

Hmmm - I guess I missed that too.

You know, when I see the "half price" round-trip flights to Amsterdam from Houston, they always seem to be oddballs like Turkish Airways with a 21 hour layover in Istanbul, or some Canadian Airlines with a flight change in Toronto.

Just what I want - to go through customs twice. No thanks!