Sinne

High quality cooking

At Sinne (Swedish for state of mind), all senses are stimulated. Swedish-Greek chef Alexander Ioannou and his wife Suzanne Sluijter, hostess and sommelier, run this chic yet simultaneously informal spot, characterized by abundant wooden elements and an open kitchen. Alexander cooks high-end cuisine using the finest seasonal ingredients and is, according to himself, constantly searching for ‘umami’ in every dish. The menu is straightforward: each course offers a choice between two dishes, including vegetarian options. The wine list is equally modest, featuring a dedicated section for alcohol-free labels. The delicious bread is served with beurre noisette and, together with water, is billed as a fixed amount per guest. The marinated squid with fennel and Thai vinaigrette is topped with a creative tuile made from squid. A true jewel in both appearance and taste. And just as simple as the confited potato with onion compote and Noorderkaas is in terms of ingredients, so artistic is it in its earthy flavors and presentation. The chef’s signature dish is grilled celery root with a 63-degree egg yolk and smoked garlic sauce. In our opinion, this dish should remain on the menu permanently. Suzanne pairs it with a lightly smoky Braunewell Selztal Spätburgunder. A beautiful finale is provided by the dessert: Burnt Basque Cheesecake with blueberries and pistachio sorbet. Fresh and sweet with soft textures. Sinne is a restaurant you will always want to return to.

Sinne has long since become an established gastronomic destination in Amsterdam. For nearly ten years, chef Alexander Loannou and his wife, hostess and sommelier Suzanne Sluijter, have been crafting exquisite dishes that often feature an international touch....

Restaurant Sinne is located in a relatively small, rather dimly lit building in Amsterdam's Pijp. For several years now, chef Alexander Ioannou has been cooking an idiosyncratic menu here, showcasing striking combinations of ingredients and preparation methods. He has a few signature dishes, including barbecued celeriac with a 63-degree egg yolk, hollandaise, smoked garlic sauce, roasted hazelnut, and fresh truffle. A delightful dish where the earthy flavor of the celeriac pairs well with the subtle truffle, the soft sauce, and the crunchy hazelnuts. Pure comfort food. The other starter of tomato and melon, marinated with black olive, apricot sorbet, and curry hollandaise, is extremely fresh and cheerful, yet another idiosyncratic fusion of flavors. The vegetarian main course features tortellini filled with roasted pumpkin, served with macadamia nuts, green asparagus, and a parmesan sauce. Very beautifully crafted pasta parcels that unfortunately turn out quite sweet due to the pumpkin filling. The parmesan is meant to serve as a counterbalance, but doesn't quite succeed in doing so. Afterward, we indulge in two delicious desserts. Served in elegant glassware, we enjoy various preparations of cherries with dark chocolate, along with an Amaretto Sour sorbet. The sommelier pours a few special wines: the Spätburgunder from Braunewell in Germany and Rijk's Chenin Blanc from South Africa are well-chosen for the starters and intermezzos, as is the Shiraz from Barossa (Italy) with the tortellini. The service is courteous and attentive, but what stands out to us is that the dishes are somewhat uniform in terms of preparation and portion size. There is little sense of progression in the menu. Point of attention: the price-to-quality ratio needs to be scrutinized. In particular, the pairing wines are quite pricey.

Located in the Amsterdam Pijp: a somewhat dark and sober, yet certainly not uncozy interior, with the rear section featuring light green wainscoting and adjoining an open kitchen where owner and head chef Alexander Ioannou excels. He cooks light and contemporary dishes, without shying away from classic cuisine. The amuse-bouches vary in quality: the Gouda mustard cakelet is a bit dry, but the beet and eel macaron is highly pleasant, and the filo cylinder with mushrooms and black garlic is a straight-up flavor bomb. This sets expectations, which are partly met. The highlight of the evening is a terrine of confit and crispy-baked potato with smoked eel, tarragon cream, onion, and beurre blanc. Impeccably executed and incredibly flavorful. We are less enthusiastic about the barbecued celeriac with egg yolk, hollandaise, smoked garlic sauce, hazelnut, and truffle. Rich in flavor, but too heavy for a four-course menu. Otherwise, we give it a generous pass for the marinated hamachi with langoustine vinaigrette, pear, shiso, and basil cream. An excellent dish: fresh notes and acidity are perfectly balanced. The main courses also easily withstand scrutiny: ravioli stuffed with roasted pumpkin, served with macadamia and a parmesan sauce, versus red mullet with spinach salsa, lobster sauce, and white asparagus. The latter is very tasty, but classic and somewhat heavy. Service, led by Suzanne Sluijter, is friendly and empathetic. The final note, however, is off-balance. The hefty bill is disproportionate to what is served. Not even by Amsterdam standards. The main culprit: the restaurant charges very steep prices for wine by the glass. Twenty-five euros for a single glass is hardly acceptable at this level.

This charming spot near Sarphatipark might easily be overlooked, but once inside, you are embraced by a warm and informal atmosphere. The team, led by patron-cuisinier Alexander Ioannou and co-owner and sommelier Suzanne Sluijter, is dedicated to ensuring guests fully enjoy their food and wine. At the back is the relatively small open kitchen where concentrated effort goes into preparing French and Mediterranean dishes with an Eastern twist. Alongside several multi-course menus, there are plenty of vegetarian options on the menu. The extremely friendly staff brings out special amuse-bouches. The cylinder of pea mousse with cumin and black olive, along with the tartelette featuring a smoky barbecue chestnut filling, immediately stimulate our senses. As a starter, a beetroot millefeuille with kimchi-sesame and tarragon. A light and sweet-and-sour combination bursting with flavor. The ponzu caviar brings balance and perfection to the dish. A light and fresh Wetshof Chardonnay pairs beautifully with it. Applause for the vegetarian celery root flan with a 63-degree egg yolk, hazelnut, smoked garlic hollandaise sauce, and fresh truffle. How delicious a dish without meat or fish can be! The main course features perfectly cooked, buttery-soft veal shank with a rich jus, apricot, enoki mushrooms, and endive. In the glass, a Spanish Pirineos Crianza from 2015, a fruity Cabernet Sauvignon. Excellent. Kudos to host and sommelier Yordi Bon. A true master of his craft. Ask about the special wine discoveries booklet. You won't regret it.

Eastern and Western influences converge in the characteristic pipe design of chef Alexander Ioannou and hostess and sommelier Suzanne Sluijter. Sinne is Swedish for senses, which are optimally stimulated by Alexander's culinary creations. There is an à la carte option as well as several set menus. The wine list offers a nice variety of options by the glass. There is a slight preference for Greek wines; we read that this stems from the chef's heritage. Alexander is half Greek and half Swedish. We begin with an appetizer of marinated Zeeland mussels with a Thai vinaigrette, yellow curry, lime leaf, radish, and a tapioca krupuk. The dish tastes intense and concentrated. A refreshing choice to pair with it is the Greek white wine Alpha Estate 2020, Malagouzia. The main course features tender leg and neck of lamb accompanied by pomme soufflé, eggplant, gremolata, and aromatic lamb jus. Delicious comfort food. The robust Pirineos Crianza 2015 holds its own easily against the pronounced lamb flavor. The sweet dessert is original: banana kalamansi cremeux with chocolate, peanuts, and salted caramel. We almost lick our plates clean. Because there are multiple service shifts, the pace quickens somewhat, which is actually a pity for the overall experience. The kitchen truly deserves attention; it should be allowed a bit more time for that.

Sinne" is a Swedish term for senses, mind, mood, and "state of mind". At the very least, the senses are thoroughly stimulated in this characterful narrow alleyway off the busy Ceintuurbaan. A sleek bar, rough stone wall, graffiti art, upholstered wall benches, and grey tub chairs at closely spaced wooden tables. Chef and owner Alexander Ioannou, who is half-Swedish, works with his large kitchen team with disciplined precision in his open kitchen at the back of the restaurant, from which the most enticing aromas drift toward the guests. His culinary style carries a classic French character with a modern twist drawn from Mediterranean and Eastern cuisines. This yields dishes that deliver surprising taste sensations. Ostensibly simple combinations excel in refined nuances and beautiful textures. Owner and sommelier Suzanne Sluijter, who fosters a highly accessible atmosphere in the restaurant, pours excellently matching and unconventional wines. The service is smooth and friendly. And the bill? It is very reasonable for the quality served here.

Flemish speakers say “goesting,” whereas we would describe the Swedish word “sinne” as a craving or desire. Here on the capital’s Ceintuurbaan, this feeling is certainly well stirred up by the large kitchen team passionately at work behind the open counter under the guidance of owner and half-Swede Alexander Ioannou, from which divine aromas waft out. The interior features characterful exposed piping, a sleek bar, a rough stone wall, graffiti-style artwork, playful pendant lights, upholstered banquette seating, and tin-clad tub chairs around uncovered tables placed close together. Add to that an informal atmosphere, hyper-friendly service, and surprisingly reasonable prices for a starred dining experience. Take the yellow curry flan topped with ponzu caviar, puffed quinoa, lemon cream, and brown seaweed—a truly stunning vegetarian dish that is feather-light yet packed with flavor. House sommelier Suzanne Sluijter pairs it with a perfumed South African Chardonnay Wetshof 2017. Accompanying the goose liver terrine with smoked goose breast, marinated beetroot, cèpes, and toasted brioche is an off-dry Sauvignon Blanc from Rueda by José Pariente 2017. Absolutely delicious. Earlier, Ioannou surprised us with what looks like a simple but utterly delicious welcome bite of mashed potatoes, chestnut foam, and roasted kimchi sesame seeds. The main course is equally perfectly balanced with Asian-inspired accents: a sweet-and-sour kumquat sauce, lightly spicy bimi broccoli, and nutty crosne tubers make ideal companions to the butter-soft, barbecued veal cheek. The entire experience is rounded off with an intense veal jus and a glass of Pirineos Crianza 2012, a fruity Cabernet Sauvignon from Somontano. Simply excellent.