7 things you need to know when eating out in West Friesland

Editor-in-chief Sharon nearly fell off her chair when she went out to eat in the West Frisian village of Stompetoren (“Those portions!!”). Well, things are simply done a little differently in the countryside than inside the ring road. Experienced West Frisian Sabina isn’t surprised: eating out in this region has its own logic. Enjoy it, and prepare yourself with these 7 tips.

Do you know where West Friesland is? No, not near Leeuwarden and Drachten—that’s Friesland. North of Amsterdam lie the cities of Hoorn, Schagen, Enkhuizen, Medemblik and Alkmaar. Draw a circle connecting those cities and you’ve more or less drawn the West Frisian ring dike. Everything inside it is called West Friesland, although Alkmaar only half counts. Its own flag, its own dialect and above all: its own eating habits. Once you know what to expect, the enjoyment can begin.

The choice isn’t that big

A few starters on the menu and a few main courses. And usually they’re more or less the same dishes: tomato soup to start, or carpaccio. Spareribs as a main course, or a good steak. Dessert? Expect a dame blanche or go for the tiramisu. Don’t be surprised if you encounter these menu options, with minimal variations, in most restaurants. No ‘eight textures of yellow beetroot’ or smoked tofu here, but straightforward, delicious food on your plate. Vegetarians will have to search a little; meat lovers couldn’t be happier.

The portions are, though

Do you have a pair of yoga pants with plenty of stretch in your wardrobe? Expect the portions to be generous. Soup comes with bread, and besides a bowl of fries you’ll probably also get some potato salad, a baked potato or a gratin with your main course. Salad? Sometimes there is some, but nobody will look at you funny if you don’t eat it, under the motto ‘I’m not a rabbit, am I?’ Carbohydrates are our friends here in West Friesland, and nobody is going to bed hungry tonight.

What’s in that little glass?

With dessert or the bill, you sometimes get a shot glass with a dollop of whipped cream. Don’t pass it on to your children, because it’s not candy: nine times out of ten it contains coffee liqueur or a herbal drink. Nice to knock back while you pay by card. Come on, don’t be so childish: it’s only one sip!

Coffee time

If you’re not going out for dinner but are in West Friesland around lunchtime or coffee time, you can probably look forward to West Frisian krentenmik. It’s currant bread filled with brown sugar. Delicious with coffee and enough calories to walk the entire West Frisian ring dike. Lunchtime? Traditional lunch menus feature a twaalfuurtje. Order one and you’ll get filled rolls, a croquette and a bowl of soup. Per person, yes (see point 2).

Pittig doesn’t mean spicy or hot

In West Friesland, we speak West Frisian. And it sounds different. Some people call it rustic, others sing-songy, and most people can’t understand a word of it. It doesn’t matter; as a guest, you won’t be bothered by it much. Only the word ‘pittig’, which is used in West Frisian on all sorts of occasions, can cause misunderstandings. It doesn’t mean that something is heavily seasoned or contains lots of red pepper. Around here, pittig means anything cute or nice. A dog is pittig, a baby is definitely pittig, and a cute girl is a pittig moidje. If you ask whether the soup is pittig, you may get a strange look (and I can give you the answer right away: no, the soup isn’t).

Don’t go for Jan in the Zak

A local speciality—do you dare? Consider yourself warned. Broeder, also called Jan in de Zak, is a ball of dough with currants and raisins, steamed in—you guessed it—a bag. It gets its flavour from syrup or brown sugar. A tasty snack if you’re spending the rest of the day ploughing a field in freezing weather, but for the average Dutch person it’s too much, so filling. Other local specialities to avoid if you weren’t raised with them: ‘stoive roist’ and ‘greeuwe urte’. The chances of these specialities appearing on the menu aren’t great, by the way. Locals would never order them, because they can easily make them at home.

Then head to the city

Don’t fancy those gigantic portions and calorie-rich dishes? Then head to Hoorn, Medemblik or Alkmaar. There you can simply order sushi, quinoa and lactose-free, vegan or gluten-free dishes. But I know—and Sharon knows now too—you’ll really be missing out.

Thanks to Sharon for the wonderful photos, all taken during a lunch at Grand Café Stompehoeve. Highly recommended!

Also read:

• Eddie’s dining annoyances: when you run out of sauce halfway through a portion of bitterballen
• Our man in the provinces eats wonderfully down-to-earth pancakes
• Know before you go: 10 Portuguese specialities you may want to avoid