Our Man in the Provinces Is Left Red-Faced
He ate out several times a week, always on the lookout for the tastiest herring, most fun wine, juiciest hamburger or best meat thermometer. But half a year ago, journalist Marcel Langedijk swapped Amsterdam for the Provinces. Is it possible for a lover of good food and drink to survive there? This time, he returns briefly to the Wadden Islands.
Last week, I wrote here about the Ameland-based Barend Nobel and his hotel slash restaurant slash liquor store slash café of the same name. Positively, because I’m a ray of sunshine, but I did have a few minor criticisms of the Nobel restaurant’s kitchen. As in: it could have been a little better. And so I got Barend on the phone last Monday. He had gone to the Amsterdam Dance Event for the weekend with friends—Barend is the Jan Kooijman of Ameland—and cheerfully ignored my friendly but insistent request that he call me to answer a few questions, he cheerfully told me. Which meant I had no idea that a new chef had taken the helm at the Nobel restaurant.
No more complicated fuss
And so I’m left red-faced. Precisely why I’m returning to Nobel today. Barend told me about the menu, which had been considerably pared down: six starters and four main courses. No more ‘complicated fuss’, but ‘recognizable food’ with ‘fantastic sauces and flavors’. Put together by chef Karel van Dijk and interim executive chef Patrick van Velzen (from the Ron Blaauw stable). Because, Barend said, he noticed that the hotel and café were always full, but the restaurant was getting emptier and emptier. Or at least it wasn’t full enough. And, as the born entrepreneur put it: ‘Then you know something is wrong.’ Well, it’s been resolved. At least, according to Barend. But I’m warmly invited to come and try it for myself, so I’ll return to it (briefly) later this year—and no, I don’t own shares in Hotel Nobel.
Walking off a hangover through Texel’s countryside
Another Wadden Island establishment in which I have no shares, but which I’ve also been enthusiastic about for years: Bij Jef, on Texel. I could easily live here for a month. Despite the name, because ‘I’m at Bij Jef’ sounds a little silly, but that’s the only downside. The Jef of Bij Jef (get it) is Jef Schuur, and he hasn’t had a Michelin star since 2009 for nothing. His wife Nadine Mögling takes care of the wines and is the hostess. Both wonderfully down-to-earth, sweet and friendly, with divine food and wines, comfortable nights in the beautiful suites, and then a luxurious breakfast the next morning followed by a hangover walk through Texel’s countryside. With beaches and sheep and such. Try finding that in the Randstad.
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