Fine French dining in an industrial setting? A restaurant with the word ‘hotel’ in it, but it is not really a hotel? Ok, the combination of sophistication with yet a down-to-earth twist and a dash of confusion screams Amsterdam Noord to me. But how’s the food of Hotel de Goudfazant?

At a glance 

• Location: Amsterdam (Noord) 
• Cuisine: French
• Price: 38,50 euro for a 3 course meal
• Rating: 8.5/10

Hotel de Goudfazant

This restaurant (so not a hotel) is located in Amsterdam Noord. Amsterdam Noord is not typical Amsterdam in my opinion, it is a cocktail of industrial, hipster, stylish, but down-to-earthness. Hotel de Goudfazant def has that vibe.

Hotel de Goudfazant is a former garage located at the IJ-river, so it has a beautiful view of the water if the old garage doors are open (lucky me it was!). At the back of the restaurant you still can find some cars on display.

I really enjoyed the ‘contradictions’ (fine French cuisine in a former garage and the soft white linnen table cloths with the ‘cheaper’ looking bright red chairs).

The food

The menu is not available on their website. This is the current menu, but it changes from time to time. I think it is so refreshing. That enables the restaurant to cook what is in season and it ‘feels’ like eating at a new restaurant with every visit.

We went for dinner on a hot summer evening, our appetite was therefore not so big, so we opted for just a main course and a dessert. They always serve you a bread basket with creamy butter as a starter.

As a main course I choose the charred cauliflower with chanterelles, smoked egg yolk, oregano cream and puffed rice. This was seriously one of the best French vegetarian meals I have ever had. The combination of flavours and textures were so unique, it was a surprise every time I took a bite. It was fresh, light, yet full and rich at the same time. I never had smoked egg yolk, so good. And the cauliflower was perfectly cooked and seasoned. I was end that the ‘flavour journey’ had to end when my plate was empty. (:

As dessert I had the freshly turned raspberry and mango sorbet ice cream. This was also really good, especially the mango! You really can taste the fresh mango. It was light and fruity, perfect as a summer night dessert.

The staff

The staff were very friendly. They were quick and pro-active despite a super full restaurant. And if you are early, you can choose where you want to sit. That was a nice bonus.

Final verdict 

8.5/10. A hidden gem in Amsterdam Noord. It was one of the best French vegetarian meals I had to date, I especially recommend the cauliflower main course. I really enjoyed the industrial yet sophisticated vibe and the view on the Amsterdam IJ-river. The price-quality of the food is very reasonable. A good spot for a celebration or a business dinner as well. Would def visit again.

Information

Address: Aambeeldstraat 10H, Amsterdam (The Netherlands)

Website: https://hoteldegoudfazant.nl

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