Looking for street bites while in the Amsterdam? This post might just be for you because street food in the Amsterdam can be a handful if you do not know where to go. For every food someone has told you about, there would be 10s of reinterpretations of it scattered within close proximity of each other. Confusing? I did all the touristy homework for you. So sit back, relax and prepare to feast.
Its fresh, its touristy and its also more expensive than other markets in town. It is the Albert Cuyp Market. The location of the market is convenient, and for this reason alone it should be everybody's first destination. After all, who's got time for that hipster market 1 hour away? From Amsterdam Station, board tram no.4 towards Station Rai. Take the stop at Stadhouderskade and Albert Cuyp Market is just a short walk. Not many stalls at 10am but that would have to do for my tight schedule.
At one of the many Halal Chicken Stands, you can get freshly cooked chicken off the rotisserie.
At one of the many Halal Chicken Stands, you can get freshly cooked chicken off the rotisserie.
I had three drumsticks for €2.50 and boy were they good. Piping hot with a sweet sticky marinade that is also a little spicy. Closer to the bone, the flesh can get a little blend so feel free to mix up your favourite concoction from all the sauces they have.
Further down the road, some research led me to believe that I have found the best Stroopwafel in town. Commonly known as "that guy at the Stroopwafel stand", little did I know how amazing a freshly made Stroopwafel could taste.
Fresh off the press, he spreads a thin layer of syrup before putting on another layer of freshly cooked wafel. Before he handed it over to me, he advices me that the Stroopwafel (€1.50) is to be eaten laying flat so the syrup does not spill. First bite in and it was amazing. A warm oozy centre paired with a crisp wafel is something rave worthy for newcomers like me. A hint of cinnamon spice felt existent albeit very mild. No way in the world can you say you have eaten a Stroopwafel if you have not had it fresh. The difference is simply too big!
Not too far away from the Stroopwafel shop is another Dutch street food classic, the Poffertjes. These mini pancakes are traditionally served with a tiny knob of butter and a heavy sprinkling of icing sugar. But do not be fooled, butter and icing sugar is just one of the many ways to have it. You can get chocolate, berries, honey, and syrup too! The possibilities are endless.
Light, fluffy and warm, these were sinfully easy to devour. $2.50 for about 8 pieces seemed like pretty decent value. It was truly yummy. Was this the best place to have it? No idea at all. But did I like it? I sure did.
Recommended by Johanness Van Damme who was one of the most influential food critics in Netherlands until his passing in 2013, I ended up at Café Luxembourg. What for you might ask when I was supposed to be eating street food? Simply for its famous Kroket or Croquette. You can find Krokets anywhere but Johanness states that Café Luxembourg is the place to be.
.. and he is absolutely right. Anywhere on the streets two Krokets would be €4.00, so was there any value in paying €10.00 for two veal Krokets? I have been feeding on Kroket, Bitterballens and Frikandels at the lunch bar and none of them have came close to achieving what Cafe Luxembourg does. The perfectly crumbed Krokets were outstanding and to that tasty-gooey centre was oh so very good. To enjoy the Kroket with the rye, start by spreading butter and mustard on the bread. Cut the Kroket into half along its long side. Place it on the bread and there you go, the BroodjeKroket or Croquette Sandwich. Enjoy it with the little gherkins and pickled onions. Simple but every bit enjoyable. (P/S: eating technique was by a Dutch guy seated next to me lol).
My final street food for the day was none other than the infamous Frites at Vlaams Friteshuis Velminckx.
The kiosk looked plain, a sign of humble beginnings. In fact, one might get a little confused to see so many people holding little paper cones filled with frites with no fast-food joints around. But it is in this little shop where its Frites were officially graded in 1984 and held a 9 out of 10 which still holds true for today.
The kiosk looked plain, a sign of humble beginnings. In fact, one might get a little confused to see so many people holding little paper cones filled with frites with no fast-food joints around. But it is in this little shop where its Frites were officially graded in 1984 and held a 9 out of 10 which still holds true for today.
Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx does what every other Friteshuis do but with a lot more love. Its assortment of sauces are nothing short of authentic and it was seriously good. Double fried to perfection, and topped with the famous oorlog sauce (a mix of frittesaus and sate sauce, topped with onions), it was amazing how everything came together. You get a crisp Frites with that creamy slightly tart flavour from the Frittesaus which contrasted with the sweet and nutty Sate Saus. The toppings of mildly pungent onions gave the Frites a nice onion fragrant to sum up the whole experience. This was easily one best Frites I have ever eaten.
1 week late I was back so Frites in the morning? Why not if its for three?! Coming off the station and across the first canal, we walked pass the super famous Manneken Pis. But that was not of our interest. Further down, you see Vlaamse Frites where its owner wears a catchy lab coat. But is it all for show or is there some magic in this place?
The fries came out quick! His Oorlog sauce is generously topped with the lovely peanut sauce mixed with the usual suspect Frittesaus. Finished with diced onions, each bite was unusually delicious. Its some amazing Frites I must say. Not that far off when compared to Vlaams Friteshuis Vlemnickx. In fact it was almost difficult to tell them apart. These were some seriously good Frites that Vlaamse Frites make. It was pretty sensational. From a sauce perspective, Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx had a less sugar sate sauce which helped the pungent onion shine a bit more. So that wins by a dismal margin.
A few more things to strike of the list now. But I have still got that apple pie so I am definitely heading back to Amsterdam lol. So keep a lookout on this space because it is surely to grow in the next few weeks :)!
WenY
