Let me start by ruining the ending for you - Betty's is vegetarian heaven and one of the most wonderful eating experiences I've had. Simply amazing.
In Sydney there used to be a place called Betty's Soup Kitchen on Oxford st. It was somewhat of an institution, but a bit of a dive. So when we pulled up to Betty's in Amsterdam, I was carrying some connotations of a venue offering late night nosh to clubbers wearing glow stick necklaces and mesh shirts. When we stepped in the door however, we were met with a small dining room, creamy understated furnishings, a large wall of spices, oils and candles, and a calm atmosphere.
We were seated at a large country style family dining table in the front window, and soon the rest of the restaurant was filled and new comers were being turned away. Betty's is unassuming from the outside, but clearly has a reputation!
Owner and host Gido Schweitzer served the entire restaurant single handed - he tells a passionate story (in a selection of languages) about the Michelin starred chef who couldn't find spices fresh enough for his cooking, so decided to make his own - these flavours form a key part of the Betty's experience, and Gido explains them with fervor before administering a sprinkle there and then to your meal at the table.
Don't expect to see a menu - Gido explains the courses to you (the offerings change weekly, so don't expect to eat the same thing twice!) and also makes suggestions on accompanying wine. Dishes are served mostly to share around the table, creating a very fond atmosphere amongst the diners at each table.
Betty's dishes include so many flavours and unique pairings of vegetables that I'm sure I'll fail to recreate the dishes with the detail they deserve - but I'll try to paint a picture of the general magic!
We started with a soup of capsicum with a knob of dairy at the bottom and a sprinkling of spices on top. It was a small portion that packed an incredible amount of taste, and was matched with a beautiful country style walnut bread. We then started on a medley of three salads, including (in no order of combination) asparagus, celeraic, broccoli with a beautiful sesame oil, and a flower on top. . . I was so engrossed in the experience of each mouthful that I didn't commit each ingredient to memory - I wish I had!
Our main was baked polenta with a rich and intense tomato sauce. It was paired with a beautiful salad of beetroot, capcicum, apples and seeds, and a separate dish of fresh green seasonal peas. We also had a side of patatas gratis with another intense tomato sauce - the peas and salad cut through the richness of the sauce beautifully.
For desert, we chose 3 cakes - an apple, sticky date, and a rhubarb - each was incredible and it was hard to choose the best - I selected the rhubarb for it's sweet but not sickly characteristics, while my friend chose the sticky date pudding. Upon finishing Gido told us the secret to the pudding is roasted turnip which gives it it's beautiful sweetness. The passion for vegetables really comes to the forefront with this ingenuity for desert!
We finished two bottles of beautiful wine across our delectable 3 courses and left feeling light and so satisfied. Gido is an unassuming host, and yet he is able to create a unique experience for each table, and well deserves his glowing reviews. It's clear that this is a man with a passion for vegetables, and he tells us he has been a vegetarian for over 30 years. I'm glad to have benefited from his decades of experimentation and enthusiasm for flavour ~ truly a special experience.
Address: Rijnstraat 75 huis, 1079 GX Amsterdam
Phone: 020 644 58 96
Web: http://www.bettys.nl/
In Sydney there used to be a place called Betty's Soup Kitchen on Oxford st. It was somewhat of an institution, but a bit of a dive. So when we pulled up to Betty's in Amsterdam, I was carrying some connotations of a venue offering late night nosh to clubbers wearing glow stick necklaces and mesh shirts. When we stepped in the door however, we were met with a small dining room, creamy understated furnishings, a large wall of spices, oils and candles, and a calm atmosphere.
We were seated at a large country style family dining table in the front window, and soon the rest of the restaurant was filled and new comers were being turned away. Betty's is unassuming from the outside, but clearly has a reputation!
Owner and host Gido Schweitzer served the entire restaurant single handed - he tells a passionate story (in a selection of languages) about the Michelin starred chef who couldn't find spices fresh enough for his cooking, so decided to make his own - these flavours form a key part of the Betty's experience, and Gido explains them with fervor before administering a sprinkle there and then to your meal at the table.
Don't expect to see a menu - Gido explains the courses to you (the offerings change weekly, so don't expect to eat the same thing twice!) and also makes suggestions on accompanying wine. Dishes are served mostly to share around the table, creating a very fond atmosphere amongst the diners at each table.
Betty's dishes include so many flavours and unique pairings of vegetables that I'm sure I'll fail to recreate the dishes with the detail they deserve - but I'll try to paint a picture of the general magic!
We started with a soup of capsicum with a knob of dairy at the bottom and a sprinkling of spices on top. It was a small portion that packed an incredible amount of taste, and was matched with a beautiful country style walnut bread. We then started on a medley of three salads, including (in no order of combination) asparagus, celeraic, broccoli with a beautiful sesame oil, and a flower on top. . . I was so engrossed in the experience of each mouthful that I didn't commit each ingredient to memory - I wish I had!
Our main was baked polenta with a rich and intense tomato sauce. It was paired with a beautiful salad of beetroot, capcicum, apples and seeds, and a separate dish of fresh green seasonal peas. We also had a side of patatas gratis with another intense tomato sauce - the peas and salad cut through the richness of the sauce beautifully.
For desert, we chose 3 cakes - an apple, sticky date, and a rhubarb - each was incredible and it was hard to choose the best - I selected the rhubarb for it's sweet but not sickly characteristics, while my friend chose the sticky date pudding. Upon finishing Gido told us the secret to the pudding is roasted turnip which gives it it's beautiful sweetness. The passion for vegetables really comes to the forefront with this ingenuity for desert!
We finished two bottles of beautiful wine across our delectable 3 courses and left feeling light and so satisfied. Gido is an unassuming host, and yet he is able to create a unique experience for each table, and well deserves his glowing reviews. It's clear that this is a man with a passion for vegetables, and he tells us he has been a vegetarian for over 30 years. I'm glad to have benefited from his decades of experimentation and enthusiasm for flavour ~ truly a special experience.
Address: Rijnstraat 75 huis, 1079 GX Amsterdam
Phone: 020 644 58 96
Web: http://www.bettys.nl/
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