Restaurant Review: Rijks, Amsterdam, Netherlands

One of the must-see places on our recent trip to Amsterdam was the Rijksmuseum for its stunning overview of arts and history in the Netherlands.  In November 2014, the Rijksmuseum opened a new restaurant called Rijks in its newly renovated Philips Wing.  A high-caliber team of chefs is at the helm: executive chef Joris Bijdendijk with chefs Jos Timmer and Wim de Beer, all three who have previously worked at Michelin-awarded restaurants.  This team uses locally sourced ingredients as much as possible, and their dishes are inspired by the range of flavours that have influenced Dutch cuisine through the centuries.  When we found out about this amazing restaurant attached to the Rijksmuseum, we had to stop for lunch after a walk through the impressive collections at the museum.  Please read on for photos and details of our meal at Rijks.

The wait for a table was about fifteen minutes, so we started in the bar with a house cocktail and a glass of Dutch wine.  Rijks serves a great selection of Dutch wine on their menu, keeping with the locally sourced theme.

The space is bright and airy, with an open kitchen so that you can watch the chefs at work.

House appetizer of a mustard aoili with cucumber and thin sheets of flatbread for dipping.

 Half a lobster poached in El Andalousie butter with coconut bisque, spinach, and Crosness.

Roasted langoustine tail with curry cream, trout caviar, and puffed buckwheat.

Oakwood smoked vealtongue with spring onions, potato foam, and Maggi plant.

Beef cheek with Dutch turnip, horseradish, cheese ravioli with mustard seed, red wine gravy.

 Spit roasted pork with dashi, herring caviar, and glass noodles.

 Slow braised lambsneck with cauliflower, wild garlic, korma sauce, and millet.

I would absolutely recommend dining at Rijks if you find yourself in Amsterdam.  We greatly enjoyed our lunch, and would definitely return for another meal on our next trip to this vibrant city.  I hope you enjoyed reading this review, and thank you for visiting my blog today!  I hope you have a great weekend.