Delivery review: Restaurant C’s delivered meal
During this crazy coronavirus period, restaurants are closed, so we’re enjoying restaurant meals at home. Luckily, lots of new and unusual delivery and takeaway restaurants are popping up. And we’re going to test them for you. That way, we can keep eating well and support the hospitality industry. Today: Restaurant C in Amsterdam.
C?
The C stands for Celsius. The dishes at this beautiful restaurant on the increasingly hip Wibautstraat are divided into temperature zones, making you aware that an ingredient tastes and feels different when prepared at another temperature.
C-ourier service
On Thursday, March 19, they started the ‘C-ourier service’ at C. Can’t go to C? Then they’ll bring C to you! Chef Arnout has put together three different three-course menus. The three menus, one of which is entirely vegetarian, consist of a starter, main course and dessert. Will the dishes be delivered at the right temperature?
The delivery
The confirmation email says that the dish will be picked up. Mild panic: do I have to leave my quarantine area for the first time in a week? The restaurant manager calls with the reassuring words: ‘Your menu is being prepared and I’ll send a courier to you shortly.’ A few minutes later, the doorbell rings and a lovely delivery woman is standing at the door. She gestures elegantly towards the bag on the ground. “A bit strange, isn’t it?” she says, laughing.
The packaging
Because I occasionally want to eat less meat, I ordered the menu with eringi (king oyster mushroom). To my surprise, I see a donor bag containing a quivering piece of meat at body temperature, along with instructions saying it needs to be resuscitated in warm water for two minutes.
Confusion all around
For a moment, I hesitate because of the description on the enclosed menu: ‘this king bolete is briefly fried on the plancha (200 degrees), giving it a meaty texture.’ If this is a mushroom, I’ll never eat meat again. But no, the delivered menu doesn’t correspond to the description on the printed menu or to what’s in the containers, which confuses me all over again. Sending it back to the kitchen isn’t an option, because we’re not in a restaurant. But the courses are clearly divided among three identical containers. I can do this.
The menu
The website lists three delivery menus, divided into three courses. The menu I received starts with endive, marinated in soy, Chinkiang vinegar, chili, onion and garlic, and puffed at 200 degrees. Served at room temperature. The endive comes with a parsnip cream with white chocolate and a ponzu gel. A delicious balance of sour, savory and spicy.
The main course
The main course consists of beef neck with an artichoke cream with lardo, tomato and black olive. A dish with beautiful flavors, although the meat could be a little more tender. Or perhaps it’s time for a steak knife. The dessert of flavorful strawberries with rhubarb, cooked for four minutes at 80 degrees and then pickled, is phenomenal. Combined with the vanilla crumble, cream cheese cream and yogurt chips, the contrast between sour and sweet and the different textures make for a divine finale.
Should C join us more often?
Absolutely C-rtainly! Once they’ve ironed out the teething problems, I’d be happy to be surprised again. I usually skip dessert, but I wouldn’t have wanted to miss this for the world, and the starter was sublime too.
How much does it cost?
All three menus cost € 26.50, including the charming delivery by C’s staff, which is of course a wonderful price. Delivery is free in the Oost district. Do you live outside this district? In the rest of Amsterdam, you only pay delivery charges if your order is under € 50. You can also collect your order. Order via c.amsterdam.
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