Surinamese eatery overwhelmed by queues after glowing review
De Hapjeshoek deserves it: the Surinamese eatery downstairs at Amsterdam’s Waterlooplein metro station has been completely overwhelmed by customers after a highly glowing review (a 9.5!) in the newspaper Het Parool. But were they prepared for this enormous wave of interest?
The fact that this affordable gem has been discovered, or at least is now getting more publicity, is good news for lovers of the Surinamese cuisine. Many regular customers had known about it for a long time, but it’s always great when hardworking entrepreneurs who genuinely make something good finally receive recognition. And the nice thing is that virtually everyone takes the long queues caused by the rave review in their stride. And the owners remain incredibly lovely about it!
Don’t go crazy
When asked by local news channel AT5, co-owner Jasbir says that they are ‘not going to go crazy’ and will not raise their prices in response to the rush for their sandwiches, snacks and dishes. At first, the owners themselves had no idea why queues suddenly stretched all the way to the escalator, with everyone hoping to score a pom or chicken liver sandwich or something else. They heard from their children that they were featured in the newspaper, and since then it has been incredibly busy.
You want to try everything on the menu
Which results of their cooking have won the hearts of so many new customers? That aforementioned pom sandwich, which according to one visitor and self-proclaimed expert is the best pom sandwich in the city. The bara, a deep-fried savoury snack that makes many a heart beat faster, was also so good according to Mara Grimm, who wrote the review in Het Parool, that she “actually wants nothing more than to lie in a bed of these bara”. (Want to make bara yourself? Follow this family recipe from star chef Soenil Bahadour).
Patience is richly rewarded
Mara was also extremely enthusiastic about a wide range of other dishes, and indeed it all sounds incredibly mouth-watering. No wonder customers are flocking there! And once again, with a little patience, you too can make a trip to Waterlooplein metro station and enjoy those top dishes. Keep it up, Hapjeshoek, and much love to these cooks and vendors.
Read also:
