The Blue Teahouse

‘t Blauwe Theehuis, an attractive, round blue pavillion in the Vondelpark, looks like a spaceship that landed among the trees. In the summer it can be crowded with alien lifeforms (some on rollerblades!). It seems to be a popular rendezvous point for intergalactic travelers passing through. It is a ring-shaped concrete & steel cafe with vast terrace for drinks, light bites & summer BBQs.

Although the barman isn’t versed in how to mix a pan-galactic gargle-blaster, they do serve up a good variety of earth beverages, including beer and wine, tea, coffee, sodas and some snacks to stave off hunger until you get to the next way station.

On a warm summer day, this is a popular place to beat the heat with a cold beer, sitting on the big downstairs patio or upstairs, around the saucer. If your solar cells need recharging, there are many seats in direct sunshine, or if you can’t handle any more radiation, a shady spot can be found. It can get a bit crowded and noisy on such days as my last visit. And when the breeze dies, the smoke can get thick (and it’s not just tobacco).

The place grooves on weekends with DJs upstairs, and what better venue to recharge depeleted cannabinoid levels, than the middle of the Vondelpark, among the tall trees with other interesting life forms around for entertainment. Any similarity to The Restaurant at The End of the Universe is purely coincindental…or is it?

Websurfers Beware! Their website seems to be stuck in a sort of time warp, since the most recent event shown is from April, 2000!

China Sichuan Restaurant / Warmoesstraat

Also known as “Chinese Kitchen,” this little place in the Red Light District is an interesting spot for a spicy meal.

The decor is that of a converted Italian restaurant, with a shrine by the front window including a picture of the Dalai Lama, and statues of Ho-Tei and Buddha for that authentic Asian feel. The insence wafting from the altar went quite well with the aromas of sizzling spices and food while we settled ourselves at the table inside the front window.

Take some time and look over the menu carefully, there’s a lot to choose from. The menu will seem familiar to American tastes, with Kung-Pao and other Sichuan specialties to choose from. However, the flavors are anything but American, this is true Sichuan cooking in Amsterdam.

The waitress took our order, helping with suggestions and answering our questions clearly. I ordered the Sichuan soup, Sesame Prawns as an appetizer and Kung Pao Prawns for my main dish. My friend ordered the same soup, shared the Sesame prawns with me, and for a main plate choose a Sichuan chicken dish, which the waitress promised would be very spicy. I also ordered a large pot of hot tea to wash everything down.

The jasmine tea and soup arrived quickly, and my taste buds were soon reeling from the intensely flavoured and delightful Sichuan soup, which featured mushrooms, chili peppers, herbs and tofu in a great broth. The sesame prawns arrived soon thereafter, along with a spicy dipping sauce made with a base of soy, salty and wonderful. The main dishes arrived on platters as large portions, with a huge bowl of steaming jasmine rice and individual plates. My Kung Pao Prawns were fabulous, clean-tasting and fresh, cooked perfectly and the rest of the dish was classic kung-pao, with the peanuts and vegetables in a light brown sauce spiced with bits of red pepper. The sichuan chicken dish wasn’t quite as good, but it was uniquely flavored and delicious in its own way. The pieces of chicken were cooked with the shreds of skin still attached, adding a certain greasiness to the dish, but the addition of allspice to the seasoning almost fooled me into thinking this was a dish made from duck…

Our meal was good, with efficient service in nice surroundings. The table we had in the front window proved to be a great place to watch the never-ending parade of humanity passing through the Red Light District. Our table was also cigarette-smoke free being by the open door, an added benefit indeed.

The bill for our great Sichuan Chinese meal was f72. I will visit again and have more soup, their menu has an extensive selection of hot pot meals as well.

Since ourt original review this restaurant has moved from the Zeedijk to the Warmoestraat, see the map below.

De Peper Cafe and Academie OT301

Formerly the Netherlands Film Academie, it was squatted on 14th november 1999 and ultimately legalized as a public space with 2 large performance/rehearsal spaces, cinema, cafe and gallery space with busy programmes of [sub]cultural activities and events.
de peper is a non-commercial, not-for-profit vegan and organic café project located in the building on the Overtoom.
Part of Vereniging Eerste Hulp Bij Kunst (EHBK), De Peper also serves as a meeting place for people working in, or visiting, the building. De Peper crew are always happy to provide information about the events that are going on.

Park Cafe-Restaurant

This is the Hotel Arena’s cafe and restaurant on the Oosterpark. They say “located in the Oosterpark, in a vibrant neighbourhood in Amsterdam Oost. The cafe-restaurant is divided into a laid-back lounge, a cosy bistro and a restaurant with table linens. The large terrace is practically in the Oosterpark, but is every bit as comfortable as it is inside. At Park cafe-restaurant the menu focuses on vegetables, with full flavours, bright colours and exiting preparations. We cook along with the seasons and use plenty of fresh herbs, that if at all possible go right from our own herb garden to your plate.”

Barney’s Uptown

Welcome to Barney’s Uptown, the biggest and best “smoker-friendly” bar and restaurant in the whole of Amsterdam!

If you’re looking for exceptional food, great value drinks and an exceptional service then you’re in the right place. Come and enjoy the massively varied menu in the comfort of our beautifully decorated building.

New York Pizza

A chain of NINE shops now. Once upon a time this was a refuge where you could find a decent slice of pizza in Amsterdam. Unfortunately like many Dutch establishments, they keep pizza in display cases, sometimes for hours before you happen to come along. Yes, they reheat it, and it can be a decent bite if you’re desperate. But why settle for something that’s been sitting out for who knows how long, when you can get it fresh and hot (and much better) in almost any Italian restaurant in Amsterdam for just a few guilders more.

Who am I to criticize? Only a native New Yawker (or as I call it, “New Amsterdam”), who knows good pizza when I see it and especially when I taste it! So any place that’s going to call itself “New York Pizza” had better live up to the reputation, and unfortunately when it comes to freshness, this place just doesn’t measure up. Perhaps they should call it Heart Burn City Pizza.

Me Naam Naan

There are so many Thai restaurants in Amsterdam, it’s difficult to keep track of them all. But here’s one you won’t soon forget, Me Naam Naan, located just off the Nieuwemarkt. A friend recommended this place, and I’m glad she did. It seems the Dutch have been keeping this little gem a secret.

We were very fortunate that we arrived earlier because all the other tables were already booked, and our whole meal was punctuated by new arrivals being told there were no tables available. Most of the customers, who were Dutch seemed to know this place fills up fast, and were consequently unperturbed.

I love Thai food having spent a few months there back in the 80s. And the more authentic the better. This means making your own curry pastes and using fresh ingredients, not dried. This place is not only authentic, but better than any I’ve found in Amsterdam.

The true test of a good Thai restaurant is how well they excute the most common dishes, like Tom Yam Koong (Shrimp soup with lemongrass) Pad Thai (rice noodles) and Red Curry. Well this place does these standards so well, I could find no fault. In fact I was amazed to discover they could be done like this. I guess I’m jaded since so many Thai places adulterate these fine dishes with canned pastes or tomato ketchup. Not here. The food is refined, the service was good (suprise!) and the waiters were quite the exotic vision dressed up in traditional, yet elegant Thai fashions. And best of all the price was quite reasonable for such quality food and service.

It seems the owners of this restaurant also own the little Thai market across the street which has a very good selection of authentic Thai ingredients including a varied assortment of those very same homemade curry pastes (my favorite is Penang). Don’t miss out on the restaurant, as it’s a true find!

Get there early or the place will be full. No reservations accepted, so it’s first come, first served.