De Oude Smidse

What a thoughtful touch: chef Martin Veenstra calls in advance to discuss how many courses we would like. Hostess and sommelier Eva Veenstra is highly skilled and executes her role in a very natural manner. This is a place where you feel like a truly welcome guest. The restaurant offers a monthly rotating menu, with an optional wine pairing that features original wines. We begin with a beautifully crafted beet foam, finished with tartare of popped celeriac and topped with eel. We pair it with the wine selected for the first course: a Pinot Blanc Réserve 2023 from Fernand Engel in Alsace. Next come two preparations of beekridder. First, marinated in salted lemon and dill, served with kohlrabi broth and dill-parsley oil. Then, a tartelette with tartare, capers, and cornichons, garnished with a strip of bergamot zest, served under a small glass cloche filled with blown-in smoke. Spectacular to watch and extraordinary to smell. A lovely bottle of red wine then arrives at the table: Galante Sangiovese Apassimento from Emilia-Romagna, Italy. It proves to be a dream pairing with braised entrecôte in its own sauce, accompanied by a sphere of sukade meat, grilled spring onions, caramelized onion with balsamic vinegar, salt-marinated mustard seeds atop stewed broccolini, and a puree of broccolini and kohlrabi. The creativity leaps off the plate, and fortunately, the taste is equally delightful. Before dessert, a dessert amuse is presented: magnolia ice cream and a cherry foam. Finally, a magnificent dessert based on beet (parfait and ice cream) and dark chocolate (mousse and a piece of 'bros'), a highly successful combination. Dining here is a treat in every respect, and the value for money is also thoroughly excellent.

Martin and Eva Veenstra’s De Oude Smidse is housed in a former blacksmith’s workshop, as the name suggests. Accordingly, the interior is lavishly decorated with elements from its previous life. The atmosphere is warm and relaxed. The outstanding and surprisingly personalized service pampering us; the staff are attentive, highly professional, and offer expert wine recommendations. There is no fixed menu; instead, they serve a rotating surprise menu that naturally accommodates specific dietary preferences. Chef Martin is frequently on the floor, personally explaining his creations to guests. To start the aperitif, we’re served a risotto and porcini mushroom croquette alongside a puff pastry parcel filled with goat cheese and quince mousse. Delicious little bites that set the tone for a wonderful evening. The wine list features a generous selection of remarkably affordable bottles, offering a lovely blend of Old and New World options. We opt for the wine pairing, which is also available by the half glass. The culinary journey begins with smoked lettuce, avocado cream, Tuscan kale chips, crème fraîche with chives, potato salad, toasted almonds, and a potato crisp. It is paired with a glass of 2022 Godello from Galicia. Simply fantastic. This is followed by ravioli stuffed with mushrooms, ricotta, and celeriac, drizzled with a Pineau des Charentes sauce featuring beech mushrooms and hazelnuts. Absolutely delicious! The sauce has beautiful acidity, and the dish is perfectly balanced. The dessert amuse is equally delightful: a Jerusalem artichoke parfait with coffee cream, hazelnut, and pistachio. And all of this at very reasonable prices. A definite return visit!

In a short time, Patron chef Martin Veenstra and hostess Eva Stoffels have created a very affordable little dining palace here. Every month features a new surprise menu of three to six courses. The chef calls in advance to ask how many courses you plan to have and whether there are any 'not-dones'. This allows him to focus completely on preparing the dishes, which he regularly serves himself to share all sorts of delicious details about them. Eva pairs them with slightly less well-known but excellent wines that consistently create beautiful wine-and-food combinations. With a glass of mild, pure Deakin Estate Viognier 2021 from Southeast Australia, we savor a lollipop of goat mousse dipped in beetroot jelly and a tartlet with eggplant cream, pomegranate seeds, and goat yogurt. Subtle flavors that promise a wonderful continuation. The tartare of yellowtail kingfish, farmed in Zeeland, with avocado, avocado mousse, marinated cucumber, seaweed crackers, and a light sauce with yuzu and za'atar is an absolute highlight. Just like the wine: the Santa Marta Viñaredo Godello 2020 from Galicia. Also excellently prepared and beautifully rich in flavor is the roasted veal fillet with a croquette made from veal neck, served with its own jus and popped garlic, alongside a savoy cabbage roll. We pair it with the Château Mauleon Caramany 2016 from Roussillon, a spicy yet smooth blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan. The fresh dessert with sorrel, apple, and white chocolate cream comes as a pleasant surprise. A top-notch spot.