New: at restaurant PEQU in 020, enjoy wonderfully affordable French classics
In the heart of Amsterdam’s Jordaan, you’ll find restaurant PEQU. Indoors, but also outdoors whenever the weather allows (on one of the city’s most beautiful terraces), they serve a lovely mix of French classics and modern dishes. And at a wonderfully affordable price.
We ate a delicious salade niçoise like you would eat it in Provence: crisp, colorful and fresh, with large pieces of perfectly grilled tuna. For 12 euros, you really get something delicious served up. But let’s start at the beginning.
Where does the name come from?
Yes, because it certainly stands out. PEQU refers to the English expression ‘to mind your P’s and Q’s’—in other words, to put your best foot forward. That is also the philosophy of this hidden gem in the Jordaan, located on Noordermarkt, right next to Winkel 43, or simply Winkel (famous for its apple pie and notorious long queues).
PEQU opened on February 29, but shortly afterward they had to close again—because of coronavirus. And if you’re wondering what used to be here: restaurant Noordwest occupied this building for 14 years, and PEQU belongs to the same owners. The name, interior and style have all been completely revamped. The intimate, fixed seating areas have disappeared, for example, and the focus has shifted from an evening of fine dining to the middle ground between a neighborhood eatery and fine dining. Put simply: beautifully executed dishes at a beautiful price.
Noteworthy: a large, lovely terrace
Before you head inside, you can have a drink and something to eat on the large terrace, weather permitting. Excellent bread (large, thick slices!) with butter and olive oil, for example. Or the perfect charcuterie platter with bread and pâté with brioche. Everything is intended for sharing, and the portions are generous. Order a nice glass of Crémant de Bourgogne to go with it, the French sparkling wine made in exactly the same way as champagne, but which cannot be called champagne because it is produced outside the famous region. In Burgundy, for example (Crémant de Bourgogne), or the Loire (Crémant de Loire).
Also excellent: the sparkling pear juice ‘Le Pétiot’, made from cider pears. Alcohol-free, yet full of flavor and wonderfully refreshing thanks to its pleasant acidity.
Different menus
Also noteworthy: the different menus. There are three: a daily menu, an all-day menu and an evening menu. The so-called all-day menu features smaller dishes that you can order throughout the day; a lovely mix of French classics and modern dishes, such as a summery pea soup. The evening menu includes both table-filling dishes to share, such as a good côte de boeuf or a whole sole for two, and individual dishes. They also work with local and organic products wherever possible.
Well-executed French classics at a great price
We ordered all kinds of dishes from the menu, from steak tartare with fries to confit de canard, lobster Thermidor (a typically French dish of a creamy mixture of cooked lobster meat, egg yolk and cognac, stuffed into the lobster shell) and pan-fried sole. The latter is served with delicious mashed potatoes and filleted tableside. All the dishes stand out for their simplicity. No pinball machine of flavors on your plate, but less is more—and well executed.
The prices have deliberately been kept attractive, so people with a somewhat smaller budget can also come here. PEQU has a lovely wine list—not too extensive, so the staff genuinely knows what they are serving—with both ‘regular’ wines and natural wines. This new spot is highly recommended!
PEQU, Noordermarkt 42, Amsterdam
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