Restaurant STEEF.

The charming chef Stefan Visser and his partner and hostess Elke Valk are steadily building their reputation in their welcoming, modernly designed restaurant, housed in a former bank and post office. There is no à la carte menu here; instead, guests choose from a multi-course menu, which can be expanded with a signature dish and a cheese board. The wine list features an affordable selection of primarily European wines, served generously. The amuse-bouches deliver a zesty start! Gadogado, a carrot tartlet with tomato-curry salad, marinated cucumber, seaweed, and a tartlet filled with ginger, carrot, lemongrass, pumpkin mousse, chili pepper, and grated Olde Remeker cheese. A light brioche arrives warm at the table, accompanied by no fewer than three different butter flavors. For the starter, Chef Stefan serves yellow kingfish with Zeeland mackerel, Thai som tam, flat beans, jelly with ginger and sakura on prawn crackers. Surrounding it is a rich, velvety sauce made from tomatoes, capelin, and herb oil. Elke pours a glass of Calecara 2023 Fiano from Castiglione delle Stiviere alongside it. This Southern Italian wine, with citrus notes, pleasantly enhances the flavor explosion of the dish with Asian spices. Vegetarian celeriac follows, stuffed with horseradish salad and celeriac-lime mousse, garnished with rose radishes and lime-dill jelly. At the table, Stefan serves a sauce with green apple, dill, and green tomato. An experimental dish flavor-wise, but we say: a success. Next comes rosé-roasted lamb fillet with a manchego and chive crust, surrounded by potato mousseline, green asparagus with apple-ginger mousse, tortellini with stewed meat, nettle leaf, chanterelle, broad bean, and pommes soufflés. Our taste buds are working overtime. For the finale, pêche Melba is prepared tableside with liquid nitrogen vanilla ice cream and combined with raspberry coulis, fresh peach, and raspberries. The perfect conclusion to a very relaxed evening.

At Steef, Chef Stefan Visser creates a modern, refined cuisine presented in dishes that are each visually stunning. He is adventurous and constantly pushes the boundaries of flavor. Tender lamb cooked to perfection is truly l...

According to the restaurant itself, 'quality, purity and creativity' are the core values of STEEF, which has been run since 2021 by the passionate chef Stefan Visser and his partner and hostess Elke Valk. Located on the Tweebaksmarkt in Leeuwarden, you already get the feeling right at the entrance that everything will turn out perfectly here. Elke's welcome is warm, and you can taste the love for the craft. Stefan prepares a distinctive cuisine, translating everything he experiences in everyday life into the creation of surprising dishes crafted down to the smallest detail. Guests certainly appreciate this, as the restaurant is consistently packed. You can choose from a surprise menu of four to six courses, expandable with extras such as truffle or a selection of cheeses. A fixed charge applies for table water and bread. Accompanying wines are available, including non-alcoholic options, and dietary requirements can be communicated when making a reservation. Paired with a Forget-Brimont Brut Premier Cru champagne featuring a very refined mousse, we order Coppa di Akkrum from the bites menu: paper-thin dried and salted pork prepared according to a traditional Italian recipe, and we have no regrets. What exceptionally flavorful meat. An artfully presented plate resembling a budding flower, so beautiful, consisting of North Sea crab with orange, coriander seeds, lemon thyme, geranium, and radish, kicks off the meal. Almost too beautiful to eat. Perfectly balanced in flavor, colorful, and fragrant. That the chef is not only a master of flavor but also of presentation is proven by the dish of Wadden Sea sea bass, paired with IJsselmeer eel, mint pommes soufflé, bergamot, and vanilla. A visual treat, sophisticated in its flavor combination and excellently cooked. Chef Stefan is definitely one to watch.

The young and talented couple Stefan Visser and his partner Elke Valk are steadily building their reputation with their fine dining restaurant on the Tweebaksmarkt in Leeuwarden. And that does not go unnoticed, as their spacious, chic yet accessible atmosphere is frequented by guests who truly appreciate Visser's cuisine. Stefan builds his dishes on a French foundation enriched with numerous Eastern influences, and his team can be observed from every corner of the restaurant in the beautiful, expansive open kitchen. There is no à la carte menu here; instead, guests choose from multi-course tasting menus. The first dish blows us right out of our seats immediately. Tartare of dry-aged sea bass from the Wadden Sea with XO cream, smoked seaweed, fermented lemon and jabara (Japanese citrus fruit), coriander seed mousse, radish, shimeji mushrooms, and frozen cucumber pearls. Beautifully deep flavors and a harmonious balance between savory, sour, and salty. Langoustine tempura with sweet potato, mango, ginger salad, wasabi cream, furikake, and Ghoa cress delivers just as captivating an interplay of sweet and spicy. Following the advice of knowledgeable sommelier Gosse Hoekstra, we pair it with an elegant Château Tour de Calens Graves 2021. After such powerful starters, the split sirloin with oxtail certainly does not disappoint either. Especially the sauce based on aceto sopraffino is masterful. Cheeses are charged per piece, and it is highly recommended to explain this clearly to guests beforehand to avoid any surprises on the bill. The surface-ripened artisanal soft blue cheese Renegade Monk from Somerset, England, made from organic milk, will remain long in our memory. The kitchen brigade, led by Elke Valk, is skilled, warm, and attentive. After dinner, we even receive a nice little card featuring the menu to take home. A lovely gesture that allows you to savor the experience once again back at home.

It takes a good dose of nerve to do it: opening a restaurant during a pandemic. Yet head chef Stefan Visser and his partner Elke Valk took the plunge. In September 2021, they opened the doors to STEEF., a fine dining restaurant located on the Tweebaksmarkt in Leeuwarden. The results speak for themselves. In just one year, the young couple has established a beautiful concept that works flawlessly from start to finish. Anyone who steps inside STEEF. is warmly welcomed and immediately immersed in a lovely atmosphere. The restaurant is spacious and, thanks to the warm tones on the walls and throughout the interior, feels both cozy and modern. From every corner of the dining room, you have a clear view of the open kitchen, the central hub where the culinary team prepares pure and distinctive dishes. Here, guests can choose between a surprise menu – offering four to eight courses – or a small à la carte featuring four seasonal dishes. Stefan prides himself on cooking with bright acidity and plenty of kick. We sample the hamachi, served with smoked tea, salsa verde, white grape, jalapeño, and cucumber. We pair it with a Fundament Weisser Burgunder 2021 from Weingut Wageck, which the team discusses with great passion and expertise. The main course features tender veal loin and braised beef with truffle and brown butter, again wonderfully seasoned. The portions are generous, the price-to-quality ratio is well-balanced, and the enthusiasm of the driven team is truly contagious. Welcome to Lekker!