Delivery review: Mata Hari’s delivery meal
In this crazy corona era, restaurants are closed, so we’re happily dining out at home. Fortunately, many new and special delivery and takeaway restaurants have joined in. And we’re going to test them for you. That way, we can keep eating well while supporting our beloved hospitality industry. Today: our beloved Mata Hari in Amsterdam.
Amsterdam’s Red Light District, where you would normally find yourself standing in a crowd every evening, is deserted too. Only one of the nicest little places here has its (non-red) light on. Mata Hari, the gem of the Red Light District, named after the exotic dancer and spy from Friesland. Normally, you can sit here by the water in summer for a wonderful lunch, drinks or dinner, and inside it is always atmospheric too, with its messy living-room setting. These people understand hospitality. And now they have temporarily changed course and are delivering their delicious meals and drinks to people’s homes.
The delivery
A neat message from Oussama in the app: I’M HERE. The doorbell is broken, but luckily the app tells you when the delivery person is almost there, so I was already standing ready. The bag contains neatly packaged cardboard boxes and a long candle. These kinds of bright spots make life so lovely! On Mata Hari’s completely revamped website, I read that €1 is donated to Erasmus MC’s corona research programme for every €25 spent. Especially at a time when the hospitality industry itself is struggling so much, this is a wonderful gesture.
The menu
We order a Persian red lentil soup generously filled with smoked pumpkin, yoghurt and pieces of suçuk, a dry Turkish salami-like sausage that gives the thick soup plenty of flavour and spice. It is served with flatbread.
For my main course, I have the shish taouk, or Lebanese chicken skewers. The skewers are served with saffron bulgur, garlic labneh and pickled vegetables. The chicken skewers are wonderfully juicy and full of flavour, and the portions are generous. The bulgur could use a little freshness from, for example, mint and fresh olive oil, but the whole thing still tastes great.
Should Mata Hari join us at the table more often?
Yes, and not only because the food is perfectly good, but also because I find it so remarkable that restaurants like this can be so flexible, completely changing their entire business model from one day to the next while continuing to do what they are good at: pampering their guests.
What does it cost?
The dishes are nicely affordable: 8.50 for the soup, 12.50 for the generous kebab. You can also order various mezze and drinks. It all comes through Uber Eats, so you don’t have to mingle with other people.
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