Zeta the eclectic meeting spot

If you’ve even been to the Grote Markt on a sunny day, then you will know that this is a popular meeting place. Chances are you probably didn’t even notice that there are several different cafes, as they all seem to melt into one big terras. Zeta does not necessarily stand out, but it’s literally next door to the more well known cafe the Zwarte Ruiter.

Whilst each cafe attempts to create it’s own individual style, Zeta is the pearl. Zeta serves good coffee (bonus!) and there is truly a wide range of different people to be found throughout the day. For a cafe to appeal to such an eclectic crowd is quite unique.

The hidden treasure for food lovers is the kitchen at the back of the bar, where scrumptious thai food is cooked with love and served by friendly staff. Even the most fussy eater will be happy here as they are capable to adjust to your individual needs. My tip is to order the Pad Thai, but you have been warned, only order if you are really hungry, this food fills! On my to eat list is the Crème de Brulée with lemongrass, I’ve just never been able to fit in so far.

Grand Cafe Walter Benedict – Denneweg

A couple of weeks ago I was invited for coffee at Grand Cafe Walter Benedict which had just recently opened. I was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance, service and the most important aspect: the cappuccino was really good, bonus! Walter Benedict serves breakfast all day, yes all day, they really captured the French atmosphere without overdoing it. The entire vibe is so laid back that I will definitely be going back again soon to try the food.

Few places left for the 070 Twitterlunch on April 24, 2012

The highest time to revive this blog. As it aims to bring foreign language The Hague lovers, -workers and -inhabitants together with the locals we (i.e. Me) should put more effort in keeping it a bit more up to date.

Now there is an excellent opportunity to mix with Dutch Locals from The Hague and abroad: Amsterdam Based Event Queen @Puur, together with the The Hague based @filosoof and @1espresso are organizing a 070 Twitterlunch in Pavlov on April 24, 2012.

Have a look at this Page of @Puur and leave a note if you want to participate. Cost is € 8.- for a typical Dutch “Sandwich” Lunch (you know how we Dutch are. Don’t you?)

85 rections as of the moment of publishing this post. Because as always people will not show up, the organizers believe some 30 more can be accommodated.

The above photo is from the first #twaartup I was able to attend some time ago. A twaartup is a tweetup with coffee or tea and cake rather than sandwiches. A new 070 #twaartup is in the works. I will keep you posted.

Starbucks now in The Hague

After years of speculation Starbucks finally opened it’s first location in The Hague last week. A small group of Starbucks fans met up at the end of the afternoon to enjoy their first of many drinks.  The location at Central Station is surprisingly quite big although it seems to be in a temporary spot as the entire station is being rebuilt. What is your favourite coffee spot in The Hague?

An appetizer to the outdoor cultural season …

If the longer and warmer days were not indication enough of the city’s awakening, then the flurry of press releases about the forthcoming awakening of The Hague is a sure sign that the days ahead will be different. No more crawling into winter slumber after a days work, no, the City and the weather are enticing us out of our homes and onto the streets.

Announcements about the Festival Month of June, when for a month long we will be confronted with an embarrassing wealth of choice when it comes to music, has now been given an appetizer. In May a new initiative will hit the streets and wet the appetites of Hague residents. Culinary The Hague will take place for the first time from the 2^nd through the 8^th of May and foodies can take part in a culinary tour of the city. For the fixed price of 59.50 you can enjoy a four course meal, in four different restaurants – on one evening!

Wait, there is more, for the adventurous gastronome. After you reserve your ticket you will be told which of the four participating restaurants will be serving you which course, and while traveling from one to the other you will be given a route to follow, which will take you through some of The Hague’s historic points. Information about your route, what you will see, and where you will eat will be sent to you by email following the purchase of your ticket.

And, if this were not enough – each course includes a drink!

The participating restaurants are: Restaurant Des Deux Villes – Restaurant It Rains Fishes – Restaurant Dekxels – Decibels – Restaurant Max– Restaurant Han Ting – Brasserie Buitenhof

 Den Haag City Marketing and its partners have outdone themselves with this inspiring initiative. For more information, and more importantly to reserve your seat & tour visit  www.ontdekculinairnederland.nl – be creative though, or use google translate – the site is only available in Dutch ….

Bon appetite, and dare I say, happy travels!

PS The June Festivals include: The Royal Beach Concert (June 4th & 5th), Shopping Night (June 23rd) , Parkpop (June 26th), Den Haag Sculptuur (June 6^th through to September 1st), Vlaggetjesdag (June 11th), The Hague Jazz (June 17^th – 19th) , Festival Classique (June 14^th – 19th) and Dutch Veterans Days (Nederlandse Veteranendag) (June 25th). As of April 18^th www.thehaguefestivals.com will have all the up to date information.

Trendy Fushion at Mochi Restaurant

Mochi Restuarant is located just behind the Frederikstraat in the Willemspark area of The Hague. You are guaranteed a great night out with fab food at Mochi and friendly service. I have been to Mochi twice in the last 6 months, it really is a great place to have nice evening out.

While I am not a seafood person the highlight for me was most definitely their signature dish Frikandel speciaal! The chef’s menu is the most popular choice, allowing you to get the full Mochi experience. And for the dessert lovers you will not be disappointed. If you go to Mochi make sure you order the Frikandel and report back, and be sure to say hi to Lissette.

Location: Mallemolen 12-A, 2585 XJ The Hague
Telephone: 070 3635763
Website: mochirestaurant.nl
Transport: Tram 9 tramstop Javastraat; Tram 1 & 10 tramstop Alexanderstraat; bus 20 & 22 busstop Nassauplein

photo credit: charlottemeindersma.com

Sandwich Paradise

The popularity of sandwiches rose dramatically during the Industrial Revolution when the working classes made fast, portable and inexpensive food a staple. Overtime, sandwiches have become one of the most versatile meal anyone can have.  Whether you like yours with brown or white bread, baguette or ciabatta, there are a hundred ways of making it delicious and interesting with your favorite spreads, fillings, salads and anything else you can imagine.

In The Hague, two sandwiches places stand out for their thoughtful, healthy and gourmet approach to preparing an ordinary piece of bread into a delightful lunch or scrumptious dinner on those lazy nights you just don’t feel like cooking.

Bagels & Beans

Bagels & Beans, Plaats, Den Haag centrum

Popular for six varieties of bagels to choose from: 100% organic white, brown and sesame bagels, and, or sun-dried tomato, multi-grain and cinnamon & raisin bagels.  Order it with your favorite cream cheese flavor: natural, walnut & honey, dill or pesto and sun-dried tomatoes. Finish off with one of their healthy fresh fruit juices.

They have three outlets in three favorite locations in The Hague that makes them so appealing. Plaats at The Hague city center or the Aert van der Goesstraat at the intersection of the Frederik Hendriklaan in the  Statenkwartier are ideal choices for casual lunch meetings.

Bagels & Beans, Plaats, Den Haag

And the cafe at the first floor of Selexyz Verwijs bookshop in The Passage at the city center is a favorite destination to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee with a slice of one of their heavenly dessert cakes while reading a book or magazine. The date cake is to die for. Ok, I digress.

Boosty

Thoughtful food.  That says it all.

A quick glance on the menu yields wild turkey filling on a cranberry spread, smashing avocado with goat cheese and a salad mix, spicy chicken with roma tomatoes and baby spinach on aioli dressing among others… need I say more? Oh yes, their salad bowls are refreshingly everything you want to have in your salad but don’t know yet.

 

Boosty at Frederik Hendriklaan

But what makes them also really popular is their broodjetaart (bread cake) which is a large round sandwich bread filled with your choice of toppings and sliced into serving portions of eight or ten or twelve.  Perfect for that lunch birthday treat in the office or to serve with your cocktail parties. You have to order these a day before.

 

Sandwich Filling Counter, Boosty

 

Organic Cafe – a home away from home

One dreary day in February on the Veenkade we noticed a busy group of people painting what had been a drab and sad dark brown take-away cafe. The look was retro circa 1950, canary yellow flowery vinyls, mis-matched pretty china cups and Grandmas teapots. Cheerful fun, friendly, organic, vegetarian, happy to pass the time and talk food – Baklust had arrived and we were so, so glad. It has the feel of a home away from home and it has the best carrot cake this side of Sydney.  It serves only vegetarian and organic food and we think it gets better by the day. They make a good Sunday brunch opening at 10 sharp, have whole-meal scones on the weekend, make a scrummy salad and soups. Do check the board for their specials which reflect the seasonal produce available and feel free to share ideas and recipes with them. We have! My daughter loves their tapenade toasted sandwich and the chocolate cake.

But the really, really difficult part is to resist those cakes – carrot cake with icing neither too sweet or tart, cheese cake, tartlets, slices and others.  But the really fab thing is what nice folk they are which makes you happy to pay up and come visit again. OK, it’s not molecular cuisine but it is good, honest food made with passion. What more could one ask?

Find them at Veenkade no. 19 – closed Mondays, opened 10 – 18.00 www.baklust.nl

The Fabulous Farmers Market

My name is Kathy Voyles and I am passionate about food – honest, local organic food if I can get it. I grew up in the green grasslands of the Waikato, in New Zealand, in prime dairy farming territory where we had a large veggie garden, seemingly acres of fruit trees and loads of creatures hanging about from peacocks to muscovy ducks, bantams, goats and our arch enemies, the prize rose eating ‘possums’.  Since then I’ve come a long way via various countries to somehow end up in the international city of The Hague. I can tell you I like it better each day, especially on such golden autumn day as this one is. I am also a most avid food forager, seeking the best of what this city has to offer and sharing that knowledge with others.

Since living here I have also become a bit of an urban activist, encouraging kids to look upon their city spaces, green and otherwise, as an environment for all to share and to enjoy.  I also encourage all I meet to grow edible plants and flowers in their garden (should they be lucky enough to have one) or on a balconey or even just a few herbs on a kitchen window. Then I tell everyone I meet, know, email or exchange even a few words with to visit the wonderful farmers market in The Hague. This is my idea of heaven on a Wednesday. I head out early, trundling a hip green shopping trolley already in a foodie flutter of anticipation. There is disappointment if a favourite stand is vacant. I head straight for the far right corner where conference pears are at their autumn best and the flowers are glowing with purple flame. Then I pick up some crusty bread baked by Menno and discuss the merits of spelt flour. After that it’s over to the wise women of the wild mushroom stand. Their knowledge of preparing fungi is legend. We contemplate how best to serve the autumn truffle that nestles on the white rice and I cannot resist the large beige portabellos which are destined to be served with lashings of rosemary basalmico and soft goats cheese that evening.

I purchase my olive oil, red rice, cranberries and nuts from the friendly ladies in the middle, buy my cheese, milk and eggs from the laughing cheese chap and finish with the always calm and kind marketeers at the far left opposite. My trolley brimeth over with a rainbow of fresh herbs, vegetables and gorgeous produce from simply the most friendly, laid-back market in this town. It’s open from 9 until 5ish every Wednesday close by to the entrance of the Binnenhof opposite the Novohotel entrance to the Passsage. I will be the one in the hat, but not in my full Green Witch regalia which is mainly used for story-telling these days. Do come over and say hello. I would be delighted to share my food foraging knowledge with you.

 

HanTing Cuisine top restaurant in The Hague

HanTing Cuisine wins top restaurant in The Hague in the SpecialBite guide 2011. It is no surprise that Chef Han’s newest restaurant has become one of the top 10 restaurants in The Netherlands. We ate there last year when it had just opened it doors and it was a real food lover treat.

Chef Han is so passionate about food and he aims to please each guest that walks in the door. The five course meal we had was out of this world! I ate things I never ate before and loved every single one of them. His love for food and dedication to perfection are the secret to his success. Congratulations to the whole team at HanTing Cuisine!

2009 review on TheHagueOnLine.com: Refined Fusion is Perfection at HanTing in The Hague

Location: Prinsestraat 33, 2513 CA ‘s-Gravenhage
T: 070-3620828
E: info@hantingcuisine.nl
W: www.hantingcuisine.nl

Originally posted on cookfolio.nl