Tollius

The team of chef-owner Barry Hamstra welcomes us with open arms at Restaurant Tollius, located just outside the center of Amersfoort. In the urban courtyard, we are served a sparkling rosé aperitif by Anthony Rupert. The warm ambiance of the dining room and the exceptionally pleasant lighting exude luxury and comfort. Hamstra serves a rich international cuisine rooted in French tradition. We dine à la carte and begin with roasted cauliflower, accompanied by a cream sauce based on goat cheese, hazelnut, aged goat cheese, and a generous portion of black truffle. The cauliflower is robustly roasted and the flavor is quite prominent. For an intermezzo, we enjoy a small piece of crisply fried sweetbread with smoked eel, sweetbread cream, butter jus with ginger, green apple, and raw endive. The dish is intensely flavorful and flawlessly executed. Sommelier Charlie van Hamersveld sets the stage for the main course with a glass of Schwarzriesling from Weingut Stückfass. The centerpiece garners visual admiration. The pithivier, filled with perfectly cooked quail, foie gras, and mushroom duxelles, is served alongside morels, pea cream, and a butter foam. The puff pastry is crisp, the jus comforting. We find ourselves missing a grain of salt, but can easily add it to our liking at the table. The wine’s fruitiness just falls short of the pithivier’s richness. Hamstra excels with his savory dessert: Harderwijkse Zeebeer, dressed with foie gras, caramelized apples with calvados and caramel. Sublime! We conclude with coffee, pay the reasonable bill, and are seen off by the youngest member of the serving staff. We wave back, thoroughly pleased.

A sleek and atmospheric restaurant with modern art on the walls. Chef Barry Hamstra knows his classics, though he gives them a subtle twist. Crispy pan-fried veal escalope with smoked eel, ginger beer, apple, and endive is...

For eight years now, owner-chef Barry Hamstra has been behind the stove in this atmospheric building just outside the city ring road of Amersfoort. And indeed! We sit comfortably in nice light grey chairs, the acoustics are good, and due to different colors and artworks on the walls, the restaurant seems divided into three sections, which enhances the intimate atmosphere. We opt for a six-course 'Avondje Tollius' with an Italian touch tonight. And here come the chef's creations: the first honor goes to the homemade focaccia with limoncello butter, crispy fresh and deliciously flavorful. Beautiful amuse-bouches quickly follow, including 'sarde in saor' (sardines with pickled onions and pine nuts). We feel transported to Sicily and stay there for the starter: tartare of diced raw bonito with a flavorful caponata. Homemade tortellini with beetroot and runny goat cheese follows. Served with smoked eel and a fresh salad of kohlrabi, apple, and horseradish, plus a beetroot sauce and parmesan foam. Lots of flavors, but the combination is perfect. Then a masterful duo of pan-fried turbot and boiled lobster on a risotto 'alla puttanesca' with a poached quail egg. There's no shortage of creativity; the chef continues to surprise. Sommelier Charlie van Hamersveld pours a blend featuring Marsanne grapes from the biodynamic Clos Sainte Magdeleine (2017) from Provence. Refreshingly crisp, intense with a mineral undertone. We reach the main course: 'tagliata di manzo', that is, thinly sliced, perfectly cooked beef tenderloin with pea cream and fresh peas, braised beef, chanterelles, and a fried potato croquette with beef jus. A good match with the Barbera d'Asti from Huize Manfredi in Piedmont. We finish with 'salame di cioccolato' with espresso cream and a generous quenelle of very green but delicious pistachio ice cream. Bellissimo! We gladly make allowances for the fact that the young, not yet fully experienced service staff lacks a bit of Italian flair. Meanwhile, Tollius has switched to a menu featuring exclusively à la carte dishes to offer guests even more choice and let them taste what chef Barry and his team have to offer.

Owner-chef Barry Hamstra cuts a fine figure in his establishment at the foot of the Amersfoortse Berg. Last year, the interior was completely overhauled and underwent a true transformation. The main wall colors are terracotta and off-white. The comfortable chairs and tablecloths are grey-taupe. Large modern oil paintings adorn the walls. Dark parquet flooring covers the floor. Ceiling spotlights provide warm, inviting light. We choose à la carte dishes, with the maître and sommelier Charlie van Hamersveld recommending excellent wine pairings. Barry’s cooking style is surprising and intensely flavorful. We taste this in the starter of roasted cauliflower with dressing, shaved goat cheese, chopped hazelnuts, and summer truffle used generously. In the glass, we have the French Chardonnay The Challenger from La Closerie des Lys, vintage 2020. We then let ourselves be pampered by the chef with his favorite dish, the Pithiviers. The French counterpart to the English pie. Stuffed with pink-cooked quail and goose liver, spinach, and morels. A delicious jus made from roasted garlic completes the dish. It is so good we nearly eat our fingers off. We finish off with a special dessert. Pan-seared goose liver with beer caramel, apple, cassia, calvados, and brioche. The seared liver is rich and creamy inside, just as it should be. Fully satisfied, we round things off with a nice strong espresso. The bill for all this delicacy is extremely reasonable.

After a five-month break and a renovation, we can once again take a seat at this relaxed living-room-style restaurant in the upscale Bergkwartier district of Amersfoort. The welcome is a bit chaotic as staff are still tidying up and setting tables. However, the aperitif arrives quickly: an Idilicum Cava Brut from Dominio de la Vega with fresh, soft bubbles, accompanied by two savory amuse-bouches. We opt for the Avondje Tollius menu. The Harderfilet, wrapped in radish, is served with horseradish, soy sauce, dashi, and ginger. This pairs perfectly with the Austrian Platter Grüner Veltliner Fidesser 2020. Next comes a vegan rendang made with vegetables, sweet potato, beech mushrooms, wasabi foam, and Indian cress. A vegetarian dish can indeed be this delicious and full of flavor. Excellent. Chef Barry Hamstra is always striving for simplicity in his dishes, but he doesn't quite pull it off with the monkfish fillet served with lardo di collonata, chanterelles, softly poached egg yolk, snap peas, and beurre blanc. The complex dish is overly seasoned. That makes up for it, however, with the pièce de résistance: tender Veluwe summer venison, consisting of a slice alongside a beautifully soft confit, black garlic, and a cherry stuffed with beetroot and Moroccan spices. Sommelier Charlie van Hamersveld pours a well-chosen Spanish Ribeiro Casal de Armán 1919 to accompany it. Tip: private dining is available in the Tollius Wine Cellar.

A celebrated address, situated in a cozy nightlife street in the historic stone city. It’s packed on the weekday evening of our visit, and there’s a relaxed atmosphere. Executive chef Barry Hamstra took over the establishment in 2016 from SVH Master Chef Peter Gertenbach, and business has been booming ever since. While we enjoy fresh bread with miso butter, we take in this dark-stained, living-room-style restaurant featuring wall hangings and rugs, comfortable built-in benches, and set tables adorned with dried flowers. We pair a crisp white Gascony Sables Fauves, Laballe with langoustines wrapped in phyllo pastry. Crispy on the outside, beautifully glossy on the inside, served alongside a flavorful garnish of tomato, cream cheese, and lime leaf. Before that, we had already sampled appetizers where the chef unapologetically reveals his fondness for Asian flavorings: a Japanese-style mini pancake with ginger, bonito, and spring onion, and a corn soup with yellow curry, lime, and coriander oil. Salty, sweet, subtle acidity: simply beautiful. The main course features perfectly roasted partridge. Accompanied by a juicy breast and rolled cutlet, green asparagus, potato mousseline, and a robust poultry jus. The attentive service, led by Laura Ostermeier, pairs it with a fruity German red wine, a Kleinheppacher Greiner Lemberger from Klopfer: a surprisingly excellent match. On the other plate, pan-seared turbot arrives in beurre noisette, accompanied by broad beans, chanterelles, and potato foam with Iberico ham and truffle. Wow! Clearly, there’s another rockstar chef behind the stove here in Amersfoort.

Run by owner-chef Barry Hamstra at the foot of the Amersfoortse Berg, Tollius pays homage to everything that makes gastronomy beautiful. It invites guests to savor authentic living through honest, pure cuisine and exceptional wines, set within a comfortable interior, accompanied by effortless service and culminating in an enchanting wine cellar. We can safely say they succeed admirably. The dishes crafted by chefs Barry and Gert van der Heijden feature a classic European foundation infused with New World influences. Each plate is irresistibly delicious, bursting with flavor and innovation. The wine list is extensive, boasting a curated selection of French and Italian labels alongside notable German and South African offerings. The interior blends homely warmth with sleek modernity, adorned with stunning artwork. Service is both warm and professional, while the wine cellar is truly imposing. Within this space, guests can indulge in bespoke private dining experiences personally served by Barry and his brigade. In short, it is a delightful and intimate venue where joie de vivre can be savored in every facet. A fun fact: during the mandatory closure, Barry and his team prepared approximately 14,000 three-course takeaway menus, featuring a new combination each day. Thanks to its tremendous success, it remains possible to enjoy Tollius from the comfort of your own home.

The dining room at Tollius, located at the foot of the Amersfoortse Berg, has been restyled. The chairs have been replaced with comfortable bucket seats and the walls have received a fresh coat of paint. It looks sleek and modern. The philosophy of owner-chef Barry Hamstra is “experience, surprise, share, and taste”. We are eager to see how it plays out. Generous amuse-bouches of mackerel ceviche and nori cannelloni with river crayfish are highly promising, expertly prepared and bursting with flavor. There is a ‘On Land and at Sea’ menu from which you can assemble a three-, four-, or five-course meal. The wine list features classic and very affordable options. North Sea crab with a kombu and yuzu vinaigrette, along with radish and green apple, green and purple cress, sesame, and truffle mayonnaise, offers a beautiful balance of soft, fresh, and sweet flavors. This is followed by a ray wing with oyster sauce, shaved almonds, and green herbs. Boldly paired with an amontillado from Bodegas Rey Fernando de Castilla in Jerez. What a fantastic discovery! Sous-vide cooked beef brisket is a visual treat on the plate and a delight for the taste buds. We pair it with a fruity Ogier Lirac from Lou Caminé in the Rhône Valley. Chef Barry is not afraid of bold combinations, and they all turn out brilliantly. The cheese trolley offers a rich selection to choose from. The French morbier is simply divine. We will definitely be back!

Tollius is located in a 1930s house with a lovely inner courtyard where it is pleasant to linger on sunny days. Red-colored carpets hang on the restaurant walls. They are good for the acoustics, though they do look a bit dated. The kitchen, led by owner-chef Barry Hamstra, offers an international cuisine that draws on a variety of flavors and influences. Guests can choose from menus ranging from three to six courses or dine à la carte. We try the fried scallops served with sea beans, cauliflower, small pieces of lamb, parmesan, and brown butter topped with shaved truffle—an excellent dish. This is complemented by a glass of refined Roter Veltliner from Anton Bauer, featuring mineral notes. Next comes Dutch grass-fed lamb: a generous piece of leg and tender short ribs with Indian masala, accompanied by briefly grilled cut green beans, a papadum, and a goat hangop. It is paired with a glass of wood-aged Bobal 2014 with pronounced acidity. The wine tastes slightly bitter but certainly provides a good counterbalance to the dish. Every course is beautifully presented on elegant plates. The service is professional and maintains a clear overview even during the busy dinner rush. A really nice spot.