De Boet

The couple Zwanie and Cees Kramer guarantee good food, fine wines, and all of it at a favorable price-to-quality ratio. De Boet is located in a converted and modernized carpenter’s shed on the harbor of Urk. The menu features a tasting menu, which can also be entirely vegetarian upon request. Each course offers several choices. The dishes look promising on paper, with occasional Eastern influences here and there, but once served, they sometimes lack a certain refinement. Service flows smoothly. Hostess Zwanie knows her craft inside out. She offers an extensive wine list for connoisseurs, as well as a smaller selection curated for the wine pairing. The wines are excellent across the board, including some unusual selections. This applies to the 'Altesse', a Roussette de Savoie from Domaine Charles Gonnet. It works well as an aperitif, but also pairs seamlessly with the tuna tataki and tuna tartare with dashi, wasabi and dashi cream, a jasmine rice quenelle with carrot, and a garnish of green salad. By then, we have already sampled four amuse-bouches, but we find them a bit of a hodgepodge. Slightly less complexity and a touch more pure flavor would do newcomers well. Naturally, fish plays a key role on Urk. We enjoy skin-roasted IJsselmeer pike perch with an excellent mustard-dill sauce. Perfectly cooked and served at the right temperature. Also a rock-solid match in the glass: the Montenidoli Vernaccia 2023 from San Gimignano in Tuscany. For the main course, there is pan-fried cod fillet with a chorizo and tomato risotto, pumpkin cream, enoki mushrooms, and yuzu butter, alongside roasted beef filet mignon with a celeriac pavé, sauerkraut cannelloni with cat bacon, confit shallots, and braising jus. Good, but not particularly surprising. That, however, is made up for by the dessert featuring bright and tangy rhubarb ice cream and a rhubarb 'tartare'. Delicious! A solid and reliable spot in Flevoland's still-emerging culinary scene.

Restaurant De Boet is located on the harbor of Urk, in an old building that has been modernized inside. The food here is simply wonderful. Chef Cees Kramer demonstrates his craftsmanship across various menus, but especially the vegetarian dishes stand out as each and every one is excellent. In particular, the lettuce panna cotta with pea and mint foam is a fantastic little dish. Rich and creamy in flavor and very surprising. The 'Sushi Dim Sum' made of sushi rice, leek, furikake, edamame cream, and an oriental mushroom jus is also great: full of umami and a creative take on the classic version. For the other menu, we have a rich and crisp lobster-chicory soup and roasted plaice fillet with olive, cucumber, and pickled lemon salsa, plus Zeeland mussel and brandade. Elegant, flavorful, and featuring sophisticated combinations. The main course is slowly cooked short rib (beef loin), a ratatouille roulade, and artichoke and basil cream. The loin is well-seared, the rolled ratatouille is delicious, and the oregano-infused jus brings it all together perfectly. The dessert of strawberries with yogurt cream ice cream and a small farmer's curd and lemon tart is fresh, sweet, and tempting. The wines in our set menu are rather standard: pinot grigio, grüner veltliner, and chardonnay, but they do come from reputable wineries. There is still room for improvement regarding originality. It is quiet tonight at De Boet and our server is the young Willemijn, who is attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. A lovely spot in a picturesque fishing village.

High ceilings, minimalist furnishings, an open kitchen, an accessible and quiet atmosphere, and plenty of privacy. The Boet in a nutshell. Hostess Zwanie and chef Cees Kramer make a great team. Cees prepares dishes that follow classical lines, incorporating modern elements where appropriate, and works extensively with regional seasonal ingredients. With a glass of Pol Roger champagne featuring a fine mousse, we receive a greeting from the kitchen: the cauliflower panna cotta with parmesan mayonnaise is an instant hit. For the starter, Friesländer hand-cut steak tartare with pickle jelly, coarse mustard mayonnaise, brioche croutons, a small cheese bowl, sugar lettuce, and grated dried egg yolk. What beautiful, pure flavors. The lobster ravioli with avocado cream, roasted peppers, chorizo, lobster tomato sauce, and curry oil certainly doesn't fall short either. A feast on the plate. Following Zwanie's advice, we pair it with a Kalkmergel Chardonnay from the Pfalz region by Weingut Theo Minges. The halibut for the main course has been substituted with cod, but the dish is no less delicious for it. The fish is cooked to perfection and served with garnishes of nutty artichoke mousseline, fresh tomato antipasto, black olive cream, and a hollandaise-basil sauce. Simply flawless. The cheese plate features exclusively Dutch varieties, accompanied by walnuts, grapes, apple chutney, and kletzenbrot. Meanwhile, the restaurant fills up with young and old, locals from Urk and visitors alike, creating a wonderfully cozy atmosphere. Here, they work with passion and without pretense, showing genuine attention to their guests. On the threshold of the Top 100.

Located at Pal aan de Haven, Cees and Zwanie Kramer run a beautiful restaurant with a robust aesthetic, achieved through the extensive use of wood and metal in the interior. The atmosphere is straightforward and unpretentious, which suits the mentality of the former Zuiderzee island perfectly. We are warmly welcomed by a young waitstaff. Kramer prepares classic cuisine with contemporary twists and Asian influences, though it could occasionally be a bit more creative. The starter features a carefully plated dish of gently poached anglerfish, lobster salad, potato cream, piccalilli cream, and basil. Expertly prepared, though a touch more seasoning would have elevated it to an even higher level. The second plate presents a terrine of tenderly cooked Gaasterland pork, served with potato cream, gherkin mayonnaise, pickled mustard seeds, and a fresh wild carrot salad. Beautifully executed with harmonious flavors and served at the perfect temperature. Served alongside a Wöhrle Lahrer Weissburgunder 2020 from Baden, Germany. A lovely complementary, aromatic wine featuring notes of apple, citrus, and minerality. For the main course, there is tender roasted corn-fed chicken with root vegetables and a duck liver sauce. While not particularly groundbreaking in its creativity, the flavors are solid across the board. Delicious! Especially when paired with the Clos de la Roilette 2020, a red Burgundy made from Gamay grapes, offering earthy notes and soft tannins. The wine list boasts many excellent bottles available by the glass, yet the pours are somewhat modest, which could otherwise be seen as a gesture of hospitality. The pace of beverage service is brisk. One drawback is the lackluster espresso, served with a small pitcher of coffee cream and a single sugar packet. It simply doesn't align with the restaurant's overall standard. There are still a few minor details to polish up.

De Boet was once used to build wooden fishing boats. Today, owners Cees and Zwanie Kramer have been operating their premium restaurant at this stunning location for many years. The interior exudes a rugged charm, featuring abundant wood and metal, plush sofas, comfortable armchairs, curated art pieces, and a view of the open kitchen. A relaxed atmosphere pervades the space. Led by chef-owner Cees, the kitchen brigade prepares food that is both generous and pure. As an aperitif, we sample the Danish non-alcoholic sparkling tea beverage BLA. Refreshingly crisp and highly recommended. For starters, we enjoy salmon with grilled gambas, alongside salmon filet americain served with grilled pepper dressing and lemon mayonnaise. Every dish is meticulously crafted and of the highest quality. Flawless glasses of Chablis from Domaine Sébastien Dampt Les Vaillons 1er cru accompany the roasted veal ribeye with oven-roasted roseval potatoes, green asparagus, and a robust, herbaceous oregano jus. Bravo for the dessert, which arrives beautifully plated and features pine nut parfait, caramelized nectarine stuffed with elderflower foam, amaretto marshmallows, and honey panna cotta with honeycomb. The wine list deserves special mention, offering an excellent selection at very fair prices. A must-visit!

De Boet, run by Zwanie and Cees Kramer, consists of two historic buildings at the harbor: De Boet (1865) and the KSM building (1915). Originally, De Boet served as a workshop for constructing wooden fishing boats (botters). Later, the old structure was demolished and rebuilt in its original style. The KSM building has been renovated, and the two properties are now connected by a glass wall. Here on the shores of the IJsselmeer, Cees and his team prepare meals with professional expertise and skill. The kitchen delivers high-quality, refined, and generously portioned dishes, which hostess Zwanie and her cheerful, highly competent team present to guests with great flair. Cees, head chef and owner, says: “My wine list features affordable options because I operate with a fixed markup. My suppliers are all experts and specialists who supply me with excellent wines. I find Austrian wines particularly beautiful and pure, and I also have a strong preference for wines from the Rhône region. Of course, there are simply so many wonderful and delicious wines to choose from.” The wine list therefore offers a wide selection, and the non-alcoholic sparkling BLA, crafted from various teas, is highly recommended as an aperitif (and beyond). When the weather is fine, the inviting terrace awaits, where guests can enjoy delicious terrace snacks selected from a dedicated menu. A clever addition: right at the start of their seasonal closure, De Boet launched a weekly rotating takeaway menu, complete with accompanying cooking videos. This initiative has been warmly received, including by boat guests from the harbor.

Beautiful location on the IJsselmeer: this is where Zuiderzee botters were once built. The interior of De Boet is tasteful and timeless, with subtle references to Urk's former status as an island. The team of owner-chef Cees Kramer and his (guest)wife Zwanie is professional and skilled. Thanks to the high-quality and delicious amuse-bouches of beetroot structures, cheese tuile, and beef tartare on crispy toast, expectations are high. Kramer's cuisine is flavorful and generous. The starter is a beautifully executed chicken, apricot, and pine nut terrine with mushroom tapenade and airy chicken liver mousse. The classic combination is well-balanced in flavor and temperature and pairs nicely with the recommended Gelber & Roter Traminer Umathum, 2017 from Austria's Burgenland. An aromatic wine with hints of honey. For the main course comes a substantial piece of pan-fried turbot with mushroom sauce, a somewhat mild oxtail ragout, and sweet potato purée. The fish is cooked exactly right, and the accompaniments are flavorful. Zwine serves it with a Pouilly-Fuissé Cheveau, 2017, whose gentle acidity pairs beautifully: a safe yet tasty choice. To finish, a banana cheesecake cream, marinated pineapple, and mascarpone ice cream. Delicious and generously portioned. This charming restaurant drops to 93 due to the crowding at the top.

Pal aan de Haven hosts Cees and Zwanie Kramer’s beautiful restaurant, characterized by a robust aesthetic dominated by wood and metal. The atmosphere is straightforward and no-nonsense. While this fits the setting of a former Zuiderzee island, it unfortunately leaves us missing a certain sense of passion. Chef Cees isn’t afraid to experiment, as seen in the halibut fillet served with crispy pan-fried belly bacon, and for dessert, a ‘Snicker Surprise’ (a golden Snickers-style bar featuring caramel mousse, caramel ice cream, and crunchy, salted peanuts). Over a glass of organic Grüner Veltliner from Austria’s Kamptal region, Hiedler, 2017, we begin with amuse-bouches, particularly the cauliflower mousse and crumb with parmesan crisps, which leave a lasting impression. The favorite starter is a savory tompouce filled with fried sole fillet, lobster salad, fresh salsify mayonnaise, and sugar lettuce, especially when paired with the Rheinhessen Silvaner by Michael Teschke, 2015. On the other plate: tataki of lightly smoked venison sirloin, celeriac salad, fried apple, salted almond cream, blood sausage croutons, and raisin dressing. Paired with this is the Rioja Monte Llano by Ramón Bilbao, 2013. The sea bass for the main course was pan-seared skin-side down and, unfortunately, slightly too dry. It is rescued by a delicious risotto with roasted cauliflower florets and a light, foamy hollandaise sauce. Also served is a ‘Tournedos Rossini 2.0’ with shredded beef, duck liver, and potato rounds. The innovation here lies more in the presentation than in the flavor. Paired with both main courses is a delightful, full-bodied Limoux Clocher de Gardie, 2016. We are pleasantly surprised by the dessert amuse: blood orange ice cream with chunks of orange and a crumble drizzled with olive oil. This is followed by the aforementioned ‘Snicker Surprise’. Due to a few careless oversights, De Boet drops to 92nd place.

We really enjoyed the amuse-bouche: cauliflower soup with raw salmon. Savory, salty, and warm. We would have loved to sit on the beautiful terrace at the Urk harbor, but it’s no hardship to watch the fishing trawlers and pleasure craft braving the wind and rain from inside, with such a steaming bowl of soup right in front of you. This establishment by Cees and Zwanie Kramer, newly built within an old boat shed, stands as a beacon on the former Zuiderzee island. We pair it with a delicious German Chardonnay (Theo Minges, Pfalz) alongside turbot fillet pan-seared in olive oil, served with a salad of lobster, potato, green beans, and grapefruit dressing. Along with soft avocado cream and lobster mayonnaise. Just as delicious is the other starter: braised IJsselmeer eel with a crumble of dry Drents sausage, potato cream, green bean jus, and a sweet-and-sour salad of celeriac, wild carrot, and fennel. What classic creativity in that open kitchen! We switch to another grape variety, Viognier: glasses of wonderful Condrieu (Contours de Deponcins, François Villard) accompany red bream with bacon, roasted vine tomatoes, cauliflower carbonara, and a dressing of roasted garlic and lime. Alongside perfectly cooked plaice with kohlrabi, wild carrot, roasted fennel, potato mousseline with parsley, and hollandaise foam. Finally, there is a small cheese tasting. On another visit, we try the endive-truffle soup. It contains roasted pollock, some smoked eel, and the bitterness of the endive is quite noticeable, while the truffle flavor is barely detectable. We pair it with glasses of crisp Sancerre (Chavignol). On the other plate: fresh smoked salmon with langoustine tartare. Nice, but not extraordinary. To finish, a lime tart with meringue and white chocolate ice cream. De Boet recovers somewhat, but slips four more places to number 81, partly due to rising prices at the top.