De Kromme Dissel

High quality cooking

Nestled in the heart of the woods and an extensive hiking and cycling network stands the 17th-century Saxon farmhouse that houses restaurant De Kromme Dissel, part of Fletcher Hotel Klein Zwitserland. Here, Chef Tonny Berentsen crafts a modern, international cuisine grounded in classical French technique, incorporating herbs from his own greenhouse. We take our seats in comfortable armchairs at carefully set tables, and soon a parade of tempting amuse-bouches arrives. The pear and Jerusalem artichoke cream bite, along with a champagne-poached oyster dressed with Jerusalem artichoke foam and jelly and garnished with samphire, leaves a particularly pleasant impression. Tonny personally walks us through the menu. The starter features three langoustine preparations: one fried with mango, black truffle, and pine nuts; a tartelette filled with tartare, coconut cream, and pumpkin; and a bisque. They are surprising and exquisitely refined. Host Pim pairs them with a harmonious glass of Argentine Laborum de Parcela 2022. Next comes a portion of turbot on caramelized endive, served with a foamy vadouvan sauce and a truffle sauce, though the latter is somewhat overpowering. The ribeye, from the Rubia Gallega red cattle breed, is cooked to a beautiful pink and served sliced, accompanied by a quenelle of savoy cabbage, turnip green cream, mustard sauce, and hollandaise. We finish with coffee and no fewer than five house-made pastries, the madeleine with warm chocolate sauce being one we will long remember. One note: sometimes less is more, and piling plates with numerous sauces isn't always necessary to achieve a beautiful result. Score rises to 52.

Restaurant De Kromme Dissel ondergebracht in een 17de-eeuwse Saksische boerderij staat al decennia hoog aangeschreven als een verfijnd restaurant. Een evergreen in het fine dining genre waar chef Tonny Berentsen blijk geeft van zijn klassie...

We worden ingetogen maar hartelijk ontvangen en voorgegaan naar het restaurant. De inrichting is klassiek en tegelijkertijd strak. We worden geplaceerd aan een uiterst zorgvuldig gedekte tafel. Het is rustig als we plaatsnemen maar na een uur zit het restaurant vol. We beginnen met een glas champagne van Louis Roederer, droog met een fijne mousse. De eerste amuse is nog wat vlak, maar de door ons bestelde Irish Mór-oester met een subtiele vinaigrette is meesterlijk. We starten het menu met een tartaar en staart van kreeft met schuim van passievrucht en mango. Daarbij gele curry, sorbet van mango en crunch van pinda's. Een bom van smaken zonder dat de kreeft hierdoor zijn glans verliest, maar juist een boost krijgt. De gele curry is complex van smaak en een perfecte tegenhanger van de mango en passievrucht. SVH Wijnmeester Ronnie Brouwer schenkt gul een non vintage sherry van Luis Perez uit Jerez Spanje. Wat een ontzettende volle neus van veel vers fruit en citrus. Los drinken is niet echt een optie, maar wanneer de kreeft erbij komt snap je meteen waarom hiervoor gekozen is. De gelaagdheid is zeer bijzonder. Gedenkwaardig is de perfect krokant gebakken zwezerik, daarbij ravioli gevuld met kaantjes van rund, saus van kurkuma en crème van wortel en gember. Chef Tonny Berentsen heeft het koksvak volledig in de vingers. De Fleurie van Clos de la Roilette past het prachtige gerecht als een handschoen. De reebok als pièce blinkt uit in eenvoud. De cuisson is perfect en de jus had nog guller gemogen. We ervaren veel passie en uiterste deskundigheid in zowel de witte als de zwarte brigade. De Kromme Dissel is een kwaliteitszaak pur sang. Stijgt naar 53.

For over fifty years, this restaurant has remained firmly in the upper echelons of the Dutch culinary elite. That is a feat of the highest order, and there is absolutely no sign of any staleness. On the contrary: both the wine and the food here are of top quality. Both the kitchen and the service radiate enthusiasm, expertise, and teamwork. Chef Tonny Berentsen personally takes the orders and proves to be highly flexible while doing so. There is absolutely no airs about them. These people love their craft and genuinely want to please their guests. The parade of amuse-bouches is described on an original fold-out card placed on the table, just like the modest menu card listing a maximum of seven courses. Among the amuse-bouches, the quenelle of brown butter-hazelnut ice cream with cauliflower and hazelnut is a direct little flavor bomb. We opt for lunch. First, a mouth-wateringly delicious king crab tartare with furikake and kaffir lime, accompanied by algae powder. It presents a wonderful combination of subtle acidity and delicate crab meat. The Austrian Umathum Königlicher wine from 2021, with aromas of yellow apple and honey and spicy undertones, which host and sommelier Jeroen Meijer pours for us, pairs flawlessly. This is just one of the many excellent examples of white wines from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland that gifted sommelier Ronnie Brouwer has selected for the very extensive wine list. The main course is butter-soft roasted roe deer fillet with raspberry, eggplant, chanterelles, zucchini, and house jus. Perfectly prepared. Also paired here is a special wine: a fruity Nobbis Tempranillo 2021 from Ribera del Duero, Spain. Exquisite cooking takes place in this historic Saxon farmhouse, adjacent to which stands the Fletcher Hotel Klein Zwitserland. Overnight stays are therefore also an option. Score rises to 54.

De Kromme Dissel, located in a beautiful 17th-century Saxon farmhouse, is part of the adjacent Fletcher Hotel Klein Zwitserland. For years now, Chef Tonny Berentsen has been cooking here at a high level, while maître d' and sommelier Ronnie Brouwer looks after the guests' well-being and the extensive wine collection, which is partly stored in a stunning wine display case and partly in the hotel's wine cellar. Noteworthy is the generous selection of Swiss wines. On the table sits a card listing a few dishes to choose from. The fried scallop is served with calamari and belly bacon, alongside squid ravioli filled with wild mushrooms and ginger, accompanied by a sauce made from them. A deliciously fresh and summery dish. The 2020 Chenin Blanc from Agnus Paul pairs beautifully with this unique flavor combination. For the main course, we enjoy veal loin rolled in black curry, with crispy-fried sweetbread, a veal cheek croquette, pea cream, polenta with lovage, and a red wine jus. Beautifully balanced in flavor and decoratively presented. The strawberry dessert features sabayon, cinnamon crumble, ginger beer sorbet, and strawberry mousse surrounded by white chocolate. Generously plated, yet so incredibly delicious that it comes back spotless. What a treat! The serving pace could be a bit quicker. Dining for four hours is quite lengthy. It scores 58 this year.

Located in an old Saxon farmhouse from the seventeenth century. Restaurant De Kromme Dissel is part of the adjacent Fletcher Hotel Klein Zwitserland. Executive chef Tonny Berentsen cooks with his team based on a classical French foundation with international influences. Master sommelier Ronnie Brouwer attends to the guests, and he does it well. A pleasant atmosphere pervades the chic interior, and you can tell that a well-oiled and highly coordinated team is at work here. The amuse-bouches are each little flavor bombs, and the slice of mackerel with avocado ice cream and puffed quinoa immediately sets the tone. The first course features grilled turbot with a parsley crust and a deep-sea prawn in a fried coating, accompanied by fennel and mango chutney accents. The turbot is perfectly cooked and juicy. This is followed by slow-cooked veal loin with black curry from the barbecue. Served with Twentse mozzarella, legumes, and red wine jus. A glass of Domenico Valpolicella Ripasso, 2016 Grotta del Ninfeo, rounds off the experience perfectly. Small tip: it might be useful to inform guests in advance if there is a large celebration table in the dining room. The increasing liveliness as the evening progresses is not to everyone's liking.

The atmospheric Saxon farmhouse that houses De Kromme Dissel dates back to the seventeenth century. The restaurant is nestled in the heart of the Heelsum woods and is part of Fletcher Hotel Klein Zwitserland. The ambiance is classic, featuring tiled floors, subdued lighting, carefully set round tables, and modern, colorful chairs that are highly comfortable. Art exhibitions are regularly on display here. Chef Tonny Berentsen and his team deliver a creative cuisine rooted in classical French techniques but infused with modern international influences. This results in beautifully plated dishes, adventurous flavors, and exceptional quality. Every dish achieves a perfect balance of flavors. Maître sommelier and SVH Wine Master Ronnie Brouwer, along with his assistant and fellow maître sommelier Bastiaan Besaris, pour carefully selected wines that offer excellent value for money. Compliments to the entire team; their passion for their craft shines through, and their genuine joy in pampering guests is unmistakable. A truly delightful establishment.

The original Twente farmhouse housing this restaurant could certainly use a little renovation, but that’s immediately the only criticism: the gastronomic temple run by chef Tonny Berentsen scores highly on all other fronts. We sit in antique surroundings on modern chairs and feast on starters such as cheese crisp with piccalilli, a cheese ball from Duuvense Kaes, smoked salmon, and rye bread topped with chopped snap peas and egg cream, braised veal cheek cooked in Bronckhorst brown ale with savoy cabbage, and scallops with bacon and beurre blanc. Adventurous flavors. Followed by new herring with black sesame cream and a prawn wrapped in kataifi pastry. Maître-sommelier Ronnie Brouwer pairs it with a Spanish Silius Bucce (Atrium Vitis, 2017), whose beautiful, dry profile complements the herring perfectly. Slipper lobster and lobster arrive in a light lobster sauce with sweet-and-sour carrot, orange, and sweet potato. Paired with it is the best wine of the evening: the 2018 organic Vouvray Cuvée Silex. Another intermezzo dish: lamb stew in puff pastry, finely sliced green beans with bacon, some sweetbread, and eggplant sauce. In the glass now, the South African Pinotage Olifantsberg, 2017. For the main course, there’s a classic clafoutis with cherries and pan-fried foie gras, featuring cherry jelly and beautiful slices of Anjou pigeon in the center. Served with endive and pistachio cream. The accompanying wine comes from Macedonia (Vranec, 2017) and is surprising and flavorful. Finally, a small pistachio cake topped with a white chocolate bonbon infused with rosewater and cream, rose ice cream and raspberries, cream cheese, and bergamot sorbet. The Clairette de Die (Jaillance, Cuvée Impériale) in the glass provides a pleasant fizz to accompany the dessert. Everything clicks here: it climbs to number 53 in the Lekker Top-100.

It remains a pleasure to dine at the restaurant that, year after year under the leadership of head chef Tonny Berentsen, lives up to its star-class reputation. In the cozy living-room atmosphere of the 17th-century Saxon farmhouse next to Hotel Klein Zwitserland. We have barely settled in with our beautiful Blanca Cusiné by Parés Baltà 2016 when we embark on an amuse-bouche journey through Central and South America. Featuring among others baked plantain from Colombia, an elegant black corn tortilla from Mexico, and a highly refined chuño wafer from Peru. Each one presented fantastically. A lovely start to the evening. And what flavors: we savor everything long after eating while looking over the menus handed out by the chef. For the first course, there is seared salmon with lemon jelly, hazelnut, avocado, and dashi foam. Host-sommelier Ronnie Brouwer pairs it with a good red wine from Bierzo 2016. Excellent combination. Next, the young kitchen brigade serves red mullet with sweet potato cream, a piece of lobster, and razor clams. Wow, we certainly would have liked more of that. What a delicacy! We drink it with – served in modest pours – a Soave Classico Monte Carbonare 2015. The cooking of the veal cheek afterwards is excellent. Beautifully tender meat, delicious flavor, served with sweetbread, artichoke, leek, and pepper in its own jus. In the glass: Spätburgunder from Pfalz Sauer, 2015. Even the dessert course is surprising: panna cotta made with Brie de Meaux, candied kumquat, pecan nut, and apple sorbet. Paired with a delicious vintage port, Sequeirinha 2013. Delicious food in a beautiful setting: De Kromme Dissel remains a top choice. Dropping one spot to 55.

Hidden in the woods, this former old Saxon farmhouse, painstakingly rebuilt stone by stone, stands proudly beside Hotel Klein Zwitserland. The classic restaurant is famed for its exceptional cuisine and for holding a Michelin star longer than any other in the country. Chef Tonny Berentsen has been behind the stove here for years, maintaining undiminished enthusiasm. Drawing on postcards from Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, and South Korea, he takes us on a culinary tour of Asian cuisines with a selection of amuse-bouches. We are particularly taken with the pad Thai noodles and bao buns stuffed with veal tenderloin. The wild sea bass ceviche provides a delicious continuation, especially when paired with the Cargol True Vi (Alemany i Corrío, 2015) from Penedès, poured by sommelier Ronnie Brouwer. The lamb loin fillet with its own jus is also a highlight: cooked in a Green Egg, the meat develops a crisp, caramelized edge. The eggplant and lavender side dish leans French classic, but the wonton with lamb curry and lemongrass brings us back to Asian flavors for a while longer. The classically prepared whole lobster with a robust jus and risotto feels somewhat overpowering in this context, despite the shellfish meat being tender and juicy. The South African Semillon 'Tin Soldier' (Thorne & Daughters, 2015) proves to be a fine companion. Finally, the sweet 'little Picasso painting' is highly photogenic and almost a shame to eat. Unexpectedly executed and adorned with the 'signature' of the artist himself. De Kromme Dissel excels at combining classic French cuisine with Asian influences. It rises two places to 54.