Good idea: dining at Kanarie Club
Anyone who walks into De Foodhallen in Amsterdam in the evening finds themselves in the middle of a huge crowd and lots of delicious food. Adjoining the space with food stands, you’ll find Kanarie Club. It’s just as lively here, but it doesn’t smell of deep-frying and you’re served at your table. All the better. And the same goes for what comes out of the kitchen.
Kanarie Club is known by many Amsterdammers as an incredibly pleasant flexible workspace where you can throw a very convivial party and spend perfect summer days on the large terrace. But recently, you can also enjoy a fully vegetarian menu there (especially in the evenings). Think dishes such as gnocchi prepared with field mushrooms, parsley salad and beurre noisette, or grilled artichoke with roasted garlic, garlic crumbs and lemon.
Dining in an aviary
The restaurant is large, very large. Yet intimate spots can be found throughout the enormous space. In the middle of the room is a bar where people wait for a table with a drink in hand when it’s busy. We’ve made a reservation and are seated at one of the tables at the back of the restaurant. Another option: eat like real canaries in an extremely romantic aviary. Wherever you sit, the atmosphere is bustling and festive.
That’s not only because of the exuberant decoration, but also because there’s a party going on upstairs at the pool bar. You can hear the music in the restaurant, but the acoustics are remarkably good and you can even understand each other when whispering.
Shared dining
Every bird sings as it is beaked, so if you don’t like shared dining, you may want to spread your wings elsewhere. Because sharing is the concept here. The two of us order five small dishes, which turns out to be more than enough. To start, we share deliciously crispy falafel bites with herby hummus and (slightly too greasy) mushroom tempura with a sweet soy/sesame dip. Neither is bad, but they’re not exactly soaring successes either.
Soaring successes
The main courses are, though. The beets come from the charcoal oven and are served with a delicious horseradish and balsamic dressing, tasty salad leaves and puffed wild rice. That crunch is particularly good, the dressing is a winner and the beet is cooked to perfection. Highly recommended! At 12 euros, it’s also a fair price for this dish. The burrata, resting on a generous salsa of cavolo nero with seasonal tomatoes and roasted spices, is also delicious. And then there’s the favourite: barbecue fennel with homemade chili jam and an orange crust. What a fantastic dish!
The service is warm and friendly, the ginger/orange tea is delicious, and the cubes of homemade boterkoek make you keep ordering another glass. Wine, beer or something stronger are of course also options.
Large terrace
When the sun is shining, fly with all the other tropical birds towards Kanarie Club’s terrace for the best spot to get a tan. Just like the interior, the outdoor area is also very large (one of the bigger terraces in Amsterdam-West). Highly recommended then, too!
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