Delivery review: the takeaway meal from three-Michelin-star chef Jacob Jan Boerma’s new restaurant No Rules
In these crazy coronavirus times, restaurants are closed, so we’re happily dining out at home. Fortunately, many new and special delivery and takeaway restaurants are opening. And we’re going to test them for you. That way, we can keep eating well and support the hospitality industry. Today: No Rules in Amsterdam.
Not pizza, but fine dining
In March, the much-discussed No Rules restaurant was supposed to open its doors on Marie Heinekenplein in Amsterdam. Until something suddenly got in the way. Coronavirus. Former three-Michelin-star chef Jacob Jan Boerma wanted to push back a little against all the rules that come with running a Michelin-starred restaurant. Together with hospitality entrepreneurs Michel Pais and Bram van Es, he came up with the crazy plan to launch a new-style pizzeria. Initially, they also wanted to offer delivery during this crisis, but pizzas turn out not to be very suitable for this. ‘Sometimes a delivery driver takes an hour and a half, and by then you can throw that pizza away,’ says the star chef. That’s why they have now opted for takeaway with a three- or four-course menu. And somewhat in the old-fashioned style: seriously good fine dining.
High-quality delivery
The doorbell rings, and Jacob Jan himself and the fresh-faced No Rules manager Benjamin van Roekel are standing personally at the door to deliver the food. ‘Come in for a moment,’ I say, and a little later two overflowing delivery bags are on the table, with the chef at a distance of 1.5 metres. ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ Jacob Jan reassures me when he sees me counting all the containers. ‘Everything is numbered, and I’ve made a video for everything. You only have to scan these QR codes.’ He points to the menu with photos in the bag. ‘It’s simple. Use a coffee spoon for the lobster; the poussin only needs a very short time in the oven.’ He points towards my kitchen, which is little more than a storage space for my paperwork. ‘Or the microwave, if necessary,’ he corrects himself. ‘For the rest, it’s self-explanatory. And otherwise, you can always call him,’ he says with a laugh, pointing at his colleague.
The Michelin-starred feast
The accompanying napkins say: YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE RULES…BEFORE BREAKING THEM. I decide to follow the rules properly. The cardboard containers are indeed numbered by course, and I line them up. Number 1. ‘For the lobster salad, we have the herb dressing and kaffir dressing séparé,’ Jacob Jan says from my television screen. ‘Use a small coffee spoon. Let it run over the top and you can eat.’ So that’s how simple cooking at Michelin-star level is. At least when someone else has done all the preparation.
The fresh butter lettuce, the exceptionally fresh lobster, the crispy capers, the infused lemon and vinaigrette of makrut lime are heavenly light and fresh, lifting the starter right off the plate. We drink a glass of champagne with it, because after all, we don’t dine out every day at a three-Michelin-star pizzeria without pizzas.
The old master’s style
Number 2. The chef explains in the video that the trout also needs to be warmed briefly in the oven. I don’t dare put it in the microwave, afraid of ruining the freshly caught fish. ‘Do you actually have any pans?’ my dining companion asks while anxiously opening all the cupboards. Meanwhile, I steam the fish using the tube of my espresso machine, and put the lemon-and-olive-oil jus in the microwave for a moment. The fennel purée and potato salad are soft and refreshing too, and the fish slips down beautifully. Once again, those wonderfully tart citrus notes—the unmistakable style of the old master.
Poussin
Time for the main course. Number 3. ‘Do you know why it’s called poussin?’ I ask my dining companion. ‘Because it comes out of the microwave.’ My expensive designer plate turns out to be far too large for the mini microwave, but placing a champagne cork underneath makes it fit just right. ‘Cooking is improvisation,’ I continue my cooking lesson with a laugh. Fortunately, it was already cooked and looks beautiful on barbecued vegetables, dressed with a savory herb pesto and a cumin jus. A wonderfully hearty dish after the two refreshing starters.
But not so rich that there’s no room left for the crèmeaux of farmhouse yoghurt with mango, pitaya, pineapple and passion fruit. And even for the second dessert: various preparations of strawberry, with lemon curd and a shiso dressing, lemongrass and a strawberry dressing. Like Jackson Pollock, I paint all the dressings onto the plate. The tart, fresh notes are now combined with subtle sweetness and various crumbles. Another wonderfully light dish, so there’s even room for the pistachio madeleines, which had actually been secretly hidden away for breakfast.
May No Rules join us at the table more often?
100%! For just €47.50, you get four enchanting top dishes at Michelin level and two pieces of bread with beurre noisette. Thanks to the fantastic preparation and clear instructions, you only have to perform a few simple actions, meaning that suddenly any idiot can serve a Michelin-starred meal. Especially if you have an oven. Prefer a three-course menu? That’s available for €39.50, and there’s also a vegetarian option. If this is the new interpretation of a pizzeria, I really can’t wait for No Rules to open, although I’m also curious about their take on pizza. Until then, we’ll gladly pick up this Michelin-starred food ourselves from the restaurant.
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