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D'VIJFF VLIEGHEN RESTAURANT
Five Flies |
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| Amsterdam, Netherlands |
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Merit - Extraordinary
April - 2010 |
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4
Stars & 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| It is a fascinating place to eat, in the heart of
medieval Amsterdam considering the affect the name has on the average tourist
visiting this trendy, historical landmark. Behind those doors lies a rather
ornate piece of the Dutch Golden Age spread over nine dining rooms located in
five exemplary 17th century townhouses, each one a unique reflection of the
amazing mind of founder Nicolaas Kroese. This uniqueness had not gone unnoticed
over the years since its founding in 1939, and has attracted the likes of
Elvis, Walt Disney, Versace and Bruce Springsteen among many other notable
celebrities. |
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| Five
Flies Restaurant Amsterdam |
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| But ambiance alone cannot sustain a top-notch
restaurant for very long and there must be a driving force behind any creative
cuisine regardless of external factors; the proof is always in the cuisine,
which Chef de Cuisine Jeroen Groot has fine-tuned to reflect today’s
trends and nuances. His menu is typically Northern European but includes
vegetarian and allergy friendly dishes as well as wheat & gluten free
items. Restaurant Manager Michael Berkholst facilitated our dining experience
with his elegant manner and superb knowledge of wines, all the while making
relevant suggestions to complement our menu items. |
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| We were impressed
overall with the enthusiastically intuitive way that Chef Groot assembles his
dishes and with his clever use of seasoning and sauces. Some of the highlights
of our tasting menu included the Amuse Bouche King Crab prepared with
Grapefruit, light Cocktail Sauce and Avocado, which to me reflected utmost
freshness and flavor. Our wine pairing of Drusian Proseco Rose Mari,
made with 100% Pinot Nero grapes, was able to support perfectly with its fresh
fruity bouquet of springtime berries. We were also delighted with an appetizer
of Goat Cheese with Honey and Tomato Chutney suggesting gastronomic
complexity while using everyday ingredients. |
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| Edmund Buehrmann & Jeroen Groot & Thorsten
Buehrman |
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A bottle of Hazendal Sauvignon Blanc,
Stellenbosch, South Africa offered an ample amount of tropical fruits
framed by a well-balanced acidity. We enjoyed Chef Groot’s rendition of
Baked Mackerel with Grilled Scallops, Lardo di Colonnata (a type of cured
bacon tasting like butter), Baked Cauliflower, Hazelnut Butter, Almonds and
Capers. This was an exciting combination of flavors and textures that
brought a lively feel to my palate just begging for a medium bodied creamy
Chardonnay. The answer came in the form of Chardonnay Sebastiani Sonoma,
drawing on its rich heritage of California winemaking to produce this wine
resplendent with hints of white stone fruit within a buttery texture. Also
worthy of notation was Grilled Veal Steak with Marinated Squid, Tomato and
Sage, set in an imaginative arrangement of shapes strewn across the plate
with the meat cooked to a passionate color of fiery red leaving us guilt ridden
and lustful. The wine suggestion of Mirassou Pinot Noir, California was
light bodied and pleasant, depicting dark cherries and pomegranates with
complementing aromas. |
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| 5
Flies Cuisine |
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The cheese course in
many restaurants is often overlooked, but this one is worth mentioning since it
consisted of Dutch Cheeses with Apple Syrup and Currant Rye Bread, a
special combination of fresh soft and aged hard, local cheeses with the most
heavenly current studded rye bread I have had. Wine pairing for the cheese
course was appropriately Fonseca 20-Year-old Tawny Port, an intricate
merger of mature ripe fruit and spice island traces of clove and
cinnamon. |
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| Finally, what would a review be without mentioning the
dessert course, in this case Mousse of Dark Chocolate with Amarena Cherries,
Pastry and Balsamic Caramel Ice Cream. This dessert was built like a
Napoleon with devilish dark creamy chocolate piped inside the layers holding
tangy dark purple Amarena cherries, which by the way have absolutely nothing to
do with the lowly maraschino. We finished off this sinful finale, with a very
classy aromatic concoction of dried plums and raisins in the form of Romate
Pedro Ximenez wine, the color of molasses. We would like to thank Chef de
Cuisine Jeroen Groot and his capable team for the delightful dining experience
at this stellar establishment in Amsterdam. |
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by Edmund & Thorsten Buehrmann
Editor: John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2010 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes,
Inc. |
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