Bridges Amsterdam

Seafood hotel fine dining in Amsterdam

Trout, Pumpkin, Buttermilk, Dill, Pear

There are more than 20 Michelin starred restaurants in Amsterdam, so it is not easy to pick a place when you are not familiar with the city. However, as I am a seafood addict, and the city is pretty much surrounded by water, Bridges stood out to me as it is not too far from my hotel, and has a big focus on seafood. It is located inside a grand hotel and oversees by Ron Blaauw, the famous Duch chef that also runs the Ron Gastropub empire. The Bridges is a proper posh hotel restaurant, it has a modern, stylish decor, with eye-catching bar space and large windows overlooking the canal. It has a 7-course tasting menu on offer, besides the standard alc format where fish play center stage.

Oysters

Cavier, potato, Crème fraîche,  Chives

Langoustine, Celeriac, Granny Smith,  Duck liver

I opted for the tasting menu, the signature langoustine dish was stunning, it was garnished by foie gras which created such a contrast of taste. The lightly charred langoustine delivered a lovely hint of smokiness and the sweetness of dashi added a lovely floral aroma. The pike perch was another solid dish, the fish was seasoned wonderfully, and the skin was crunchy with the injection of artichoke. Pike is a meaty fish so the garnish of black pudding worked well thanks to its bold, earthy taste, which enhanced the freshness and sweetness of the pike. Bridges is a seafood focus restaurant, but the venison was done pretty well too. The meat was cooked medium rare and had a super tender texture. The unusual addition of pistachio and mushroom offered a lovely nutty and mild flavour, and in turn, it worked great with the meat.

Pike, Jerusalem artichoke, Sauerkraut, Black pudding

Venison, Pistachio, Parsnip, Red cabbage,  Chartreuse

Mandarin, sweet potato, almond

Bridges cookery was top notch, all the savory dishes were remarkable. The same can not be said about the dessert, which was average at best. That aside, overall the meal at Bridges was very enjoyable. I liked how the chefs came up with an idea of matching seafood items with unusual combinations and somehow managed to enchased the taste of the seafood. The service on the day was standard, nothing too special which I was expecting from a grand hotel. Our waiter spoke limited English and she appeared to have limited knowledge about the food and drink. To sum it up, Bridges is a great fine dining seafood restaurant just off the busy city center, but far from faultless.



Food 4/5


Average cost without drinks and services:
£90


Oudezijds Voorburgwal 197, 1012 EX Amsterdam, Netherlands

https://www.bridgesrestaurant.nl/