Review: WE ARE EDN, DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam’s new restaurant concept
WE ARE EDN, pronounced ‘eden’, is Hilton’s new restaurant concept. The first location recently opened in Amsterdam at DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam Centraal Station, with other cities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa to follow. WE ARE EDN is accessible, has a fresh and appealing look, and is a central place where you can have breakfast, lunch, drinks and dinner. We opted for the latter, and it went down well.
With the name eden, referring to a piece of paradise on earth (in this case, the Oosterdokkade), expectations are naturally high. The atmosphere in the restaurant, which has been open for just two months, and the bar (open for just two weeks) is homely, colourful and well-organised.
At the table, they immediately explain what the abbreviation stands for: Engage, Develop and Nurture. It turns out to be a call for sustainable, positive change in the city. Or as Imogen Robertson-Barnett, restaurant and bar manager at WE ARE EDN, puts it: ‘This is a place for everyone, whether they are our guests or our staff. We have more than fifteen nationalities working here, each bringing their own personal touch.’ That’s of course wonderful, but we’re (mostly) here for the food.
All-day dining
You can eat at the bar, at straight tables and in round seating areas by the window. What’s on the menu? With vegan, vegetarian, meat and fish options made with fresh, seasonal ingredients, there is something for everyone. For the international menu, featuring classics such as burgers, steaks, pizza, salads and various pasta dishes, the kitchen works closely with Dutch suppliers. These include De Pastafabriek from Haarlem, Nice to Meat from Almere and Broodheeren from Raamsdonkveer.
You’ll also find local favourites on the menu, such as organic limoncello and orancello from Amsterdam’s Limoncello Club and French toast. And entirely in line with the trend, there is also something with pistachio on the menu: a pistachio churro sandwich in this case.
Local beers on tap
Cocktails are made behind the bar and, alongside the well-known brands, a number of local beers are also poured from the tap. Such as OPA, or Oosterdok Pale Ale. Specially brewed for Doubletree by Hilton Amsterdam Centraal Station. A sustainable beer as a tribute to Amsterdam and Oosterdokseiland’s rich maritime history. The drinks menu also pays plenty of attention to alcohol-free and low-alcohol options. For example, they work with Amsterdam’s Frisdrank Fabriek for their craft sodas.
Accessible menu
From the accessible and well-organised menu, we order the Margherita pizza – thin base, crispy crust, delicious – the all-day soup (creamy tomato soup), steak tartare and salmon tacos. The pizza and soup are good, but it is especially the steak tartare and salmon tacos that deserve plenty of praise. The steak tartare comes with a separate egg yolk with an almost crispy exterior, which we stir through the steak for a creamy result. The meat is tender, the whole dish deliciously spicy, and the roasted sourdough bread on the side is excellent. The salmon tacos, with teriyaki glaze and our favourite Japanese Kewpie mayo, are also very tasty.
We forgot to take photos of the meat – shamefully! – the excellent picanha and dry-aged rib-eye. They were flavourful and came with a few green vegetables, including green beans and bimi. We also ordered good chips, skin-on, served with genuinely delicious aioli. No mouthful of garlic, but subtly seasoned.
Delicious desserts
The desserts also receive plenty of attention. The Basque cheesecake comes with dulce de leche, mini profiteroles and citrus crème pâtissière. The pistachio churro sandwich consists of pistachio ice cream, white chocolate and roasted pistachio. Mmmmmm!
WE ARE EDN at DoubleTree by Hilton Amsterdam is less than a five-minute walk from Amsterdam Centraal Station. An ideal spot in the heart of the city where you can enjoy a good meal in a relaxed atmosphere with friendly service. And a tip: would you like to have a cocktail afterwards with a fantastic view over a large part of Amsterdam? Take the lift upstairs and get off at the award-winning LuminAir bar.
WE ARE EDN, Oosterdoksstraat 4, Amsterdam
Read also:
