Snackspert tests Albert Heijn cheese sticks for the oven and Airfryer

Eke Bosman, better known as Instagram phenomenon @snackspert, ate his first frikandel as a baby, hates vlammetjes, has devoured at least 1,500 burgers in his life, suspects there is more mayonnaise in his body than blood, and shares his best and worst snack reviews on FavorFlav. Today he tastes Albert Heijn’s new cheese sticks and eats pretty much every sandwich on Paindemie’s menu. 

Cheese sticks, Albert Heijn

Cheeeeeese. There, now I have your attention. At some Albert Heijn stores, they have cheese sticks for the oven slash air fryer, and last week I spotted them, and yes, of course I’m going to pant over that as if I were watching a video where… no, okay, never mind. The sticks are a bit like potato croquettes (my guilty pleasure), but with CHEESE as the filling. Unfortunately, not real cheese like young mature, mature or anything else—that’s a shame—but more like the processed cheese you normally find in vegetarian cheese schnitzels. Still very tasty, but I’m setting my thumb on fire because I’m so disappointed that this really could have been a perfect product. Use some mature cheese or even young mature cheese, and you’ll have a cheerful me. And many others. Until then, I’ll keep secretly buying this snack anyway; I’m that hypocritical too. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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📍: Albert Heijn
📱: @albertheijn
💰: 3.50 euros

Sandwiches, Paindemie

It may well be Paindemie weekend on Kinkerstraat in Amsterdam, because on Saturday the place received a very good review in @hetparool from @maragrimm (follow tip!). Coincidentally, this review was scheduled for today, and there you go: sometimes things are simply meant to be. Anyway. I had already given Paindemie 5 stars during the pandemic, with the Big Mie (a sort of Big Mac but culinary and with goat meat) as the standout. And now it’s time for the remaining menu items. Let me discuss them briefly.
The PFC Fried Chicken Burger is heeeaaavenly. The unusual sweet but also slightly sour sauce completes the burger, and the fried higher-welfare chicken is one to frame. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
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You could call the BBQ Onion Patty Melt a Party Melt instead, because god, this is a party for your mouth. The goat meat is deliciously juicy, the BBQ sauce is nicely sweet and not too smoky, the cheese is perfectly melted, the bacon is wonderfully crispy, and the caramelized onions are kissable. I did still miss something extra, though I don’t know what—I wouldn’t add tomato, for example—but perhaps that’s something for later. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Moving on quickly: the PaindeFrikandel is simply a banger. With curry sauce, as if you’re holding a deluxe frikandel roll in your hands. Also top-notch. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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The ‘regular’ cheeseburger with goat meat is also perfectly fine. It reminds you of the Quarter Pounder, but obviously much better. I did expect a lower price tag, though, since the other more flamboyant burgers cost practically the same. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
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And finally, the blood sausage sando; maybe I’m simply not a fan, but I didn’t find this particularly special. I would also have preferred it to be more compact, as traditional sandos generally are. But yes, it was tasty, mind you. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
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📍: Paindemie, Amsterdam
📱: @paindemie_amsterdam
💰: 10–12 euros per burger, Deluxe frikandel roll is 4 euros

Fresh fries, Friethoes

For non-Haarlemmers, this really is the ideal solution; these days, you can find FrietHoes fries at some Albert Heijn stores! Which means you can fry them yourself at home! And in the air fryer if you prefer, whatever works for you. But this is so great: normally I had to go to festivals like Best Kept Secret or Down the Rabbit Hole to be reminded of FrietHoes (or drive to Haarlem); now I can simply have it at home. And yes, they are insanely delicious again, my god, put it in my mouth, fill it up, yes yes delicious delicious, but unfortunately I can’t get them quite as perfectly crispy as they are at the shop itself. Maybe that’s a good thing, because otherwise I’d never have to go there again. But then again, that’s opportunistic thinking. Despite that, it’s highly recommended, absolutely, because at the moment I can’t think of better fresh fries in the supermarket. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
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📍: Supermarket (found at Albert Heijn)
📱: @albertheijn
💰: 2.99 euros

Also read:

• How to: friettafelen
• Science says: McDonald’s fries really are addictive
• From new gem to old favorite: Amsterdam’s 5 best fry shops