Delivery review: Rijsel’s delivered meal
During this insane coronavirus period, restaurants are closed, so we’re happily eating out at home. Fortunately, lots of new and special delivery and takeaway restaurants are being added. And we’re going to test them for you. That way, we can keep eating well and support the hospitality industry. Today: Rijsel in Amsterdam.
Rijsel is a household name in Amsterdam. Every weekend, this lovely place is packed. No surprise, because they serve very good, affordable, no-nonsense food. The fried potatoes and the poussin (baby chicken) are famous; it’s incredibly tender! And since you order one poussin per person, it looks very convivial at the table. A roast chicken on everyone’s plate; we’d love that at home too!
The delivery
Rijsel is known for the firm handshake everyone receives upon arrival. Unfortunately, that’s not happening right now. Not even an elbow bump. The delivery person puts the bag by the front door while talking loudly on the phone and happily jumps back on his bike. ‘Merci!’ I shout, but he doesn’t hear me.
The packaging
The Russian salad comes in a transparent plastic container with a plastic ice-cream spoon taped to it. ‘Johma salads, surprisingly delicious salads,’ I sing as I arrange the contents on a real plate. The poussin comes in a paper bag decorated with drawn chickens, which also looks as if it was stolen from a local snack bar. The ‘chicken bag’ is microwave- and oven-safe, according to the enclosed instructions.
The menu
It consists of a baguette with salted butter, the beef Russian salad with pickled vegetables and half an egg, duck liver terrine, the hearty Breton fish soup that you can finish yourself with Gruyère, rouille and crostini, and of course the famous chicken and the peerless côte de boeuf. The most memorable dishes from this Amsterdam restaurant can be ordered online, along with a selection of wonderfully affordable wines that complete the Rijsel experience. I order the baguette, the Russian salad and the chicken.
Should Rijsel join us more often?
The baguette is as fresh as can be, the Russian salad is fresh and creamy, and the chicken with French mayonnaise is just as good as ever. The chicken is so incredibly juicy and tender that you don’t even need the mayonnaise to make it slide down. Only the meagre packaging fails to contribute to the restaurant experience. The enclosed serving tips explaining how to heat up the baby chicken (‘Dear lover of life, here it is, your mini Rijsel at home!’) and how long you can keep the leftovers are funny, but the execution is slightly reminiscent of a mimeographed parish newsletter. Well, that does suit Rijsel a little. But the food is heavenly and, combined with the reasonable prices, that means we’ll definitely be ordering here more often. Merci!
How much does it cost?
The Russian salad: €7.50, terrine €15, Breton fish soup €9.50. Poussin rôti: €16.50. Côte de boeuf (700 grams): €50. Wines from €19.95. Everything is delivered via Deliveroo.
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