My Dutch food diary

Fresh salad at Zondag

I spent a week in the Netherlands, where I had the chance to try some of the local food. Lots of cheeses (gouda, in particular) and freshly baked breads were characteristic of most of the breakfasts and lunches. Dutch dinners, however, are, like the people, usually warm. I tried their traditional mustard soup on a couple of occasions as well as some seafood (salmon and white fish) served with sides of carrots or french fries. I loved it all!

Dutch dinner at Groningen

The local fish, although cooked with only a mild level of spice, was delicious. White fish is commonly found on menus. I tried this in several restaurants cooked in different styles including French. It was generally fresh and often accompanied by a side of veggies that you should not miss. Not sure if it had something to do with the time of the year I was visiting (summer), but I really enjoyed the veggies served with the main course.  My favorite was a veggie salad with fresh mozarella cheese along with baked salmon and potatoes that I had at Zondag in Groningen. Finally, the famous Dutch fries with mayo is a must try at least once. They were made to order and not very salty.

Although I did not have a chance to try the popular Dutch pancakes (pannenkoek), I had waffles with a chocolate sauce in Bruges at a tea room. These were pretty good. Then there were the Belgian chocolates which you must try if you have a sweet tooth.

I got some gouda cheese and Belgian chocolate to try some home-made fondue. Looking forward to trying it.

Belgian Waffle with chocolate