7x the best of the Zeedijk
The Zeedijk is a paradise for anyone who loves Asian food. In Amsterdam’s Chinatown, you’ll find the best dim sum, bao buns, noodle soup and takeaway meals, but which of the many restaurants and shops should you walk into?
I avoid Amsterdam’s tourist centre as much as possible, but I’m happy to make an exception for the Zeedijk. The hordes of tourists and shoppers are all worth it as soon as I put a perfect dumpling or Peking duck pancake in my mouth. It can sometimes be difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff, so I’ve already done it for you.
Hoi Tin
As far as I’m concerned, this is the best place in Amsterdam for dim sum. Besides all the standard dumplings, they also have dumplings you won’t find anywhere else—the coriander dumplings are a favourite—and the daikon cake in XO sauce alone is reason enough to visit as often as possible. At the front of the restaurant, all the baked goods are displayed in the window, and there’s often a queue of Chinese people buying their youtiao (fried dough that is often eaten for breakfast) here. I always take a pork pastry with me when I walk past, with the most perfect, rich pastry.
China Sichuan Restaurant
Do you like sambal with everything? Then be sure to visit China Sichuan Restaurant, which specialises in fiery Sichuan dishes. What should you definitely order here? The beef noodle soup, so spicy that it’s completely red, spicy dumplings and yellow river chicken: fried chicken covered in a huge pile of dried chillies. The only shame is that the quintessential Sichuan dish, mapo tofu, isn’t that good here; you’re better off ordering it at Hoi Tin. China Sichuan Restaurant also has a location on Warmoesstraat, but they’re always out of beef noodle soup there.
Wing Kee
For classic Cantonese food, you can go to Nam Kee or Kam Kee, but my favourite is Wing Kee. Cantonese, you say? That means crispy fried pork belly, char siu and fantastic wonton soup (with or without roast duck on top). But you can also enjoy delicious Sichuan mapo tofu or Peking duck pancakes. Whatever you do, come with a large group and order as much as possible from the enormous menu. Everything is affordable, so you definitely won’t spend much money. Still have leftovers? Of course, take them all home for lunch the next day.
Het Oosten
I used to walk straight past this little shop too, for years, until a Chinese friend pointed out that they have the best dumplings in the city. You can’t eat them there, but take everything home with you. The freezer is full of homemade dumplings with every possible filling. They also sell fresh bao pao, sticky rice in lotus leaves, cheung fan (steamed rice noodle rolls with prawns) and fresh Asian vegetables. Everything you need to create a true dim sum feast at home.
De Tokoman
Right at the end of the Zeedijk is De Tokoman, master of wok and pan, as he puts it so beautifully on the website. Specialising in Surinamese-Javanese cuisine and at a reasonable price, you can put together an entire meal here to take home. Hot chicken, rendang, moksi meti or saoto soup. All the dishes are displayed in the counter, so you simply point to the dishes that look tastiest to you.
New King
New King is always a favourite for wonton soup and steamed buns with duck, which together make the perfect lunch. The interior is dark: the walls are black and the napkins red. Getting a nice shot for Insta isn’t going to happen here. So just focus fully on the food. The squid with salt and pepper and Peking duck pancakes are also very good here.
A-Fusion
Authenticity is hard to find at A-Fusion. Instead, you eat a mix of Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai and Korean cuisine. It’s a little more upscale than the restaurants mentioned above, so it’s ideal if you want to sit down for a proper meal instead of sitting in a dark hole or under fluorescent lighting. The dishes on the menu are perfect for sharing, so simply order everything you feel like. From Japanese-seasoned chicken wings to crispy spicy beef, satay kambing, sushi or chicken in black bean sauce.
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