Troef

Restaurant Troef, located on a small tributary of the Amstel in Amsterdam-Oost, has been a regular haunt for several years now for the chic crowd from Amsterdam-Zuid, boat owners, and nouveau riche from 't Gooi. Even on the terrace, with a crisp, bone-dry glass of L'Aigle à deux Têtes crémant du Jura, it becomes clear: everyone knows each other and everyone embraces each other. "You're doing well, huh, with the bubbles," says our waiter as if he's known us for thirty years. Joviality, hospitality, good food, and high prices—that's Troef in a nutshell. Chef Raymond Plat cooks, drawing on classic French cuisine with plenty of butter, cream, and sauces, but with a modern twist, serving a few very tasty dishes, including a vegetable tartelette with pistachio cream and wild garlic oil, and North Sea mackerel with rhubarb broth, pepper, strawberry, watermelon, and basil. Both excellent starters. We pair them with a Viognier from the Languedoc by Domaine Guillaume Aurèle: fresh yet with considerable depth. The red bream as a main course is filleted whole, perfectly cooked, and incredibly fresh. The fish sits in an abundantly rich piccalilli sauce, but unfortunately, vegetables are missing. So we order fries – very salty – and iceberg lettuce salad with lots of dressing and grated cheese as extras. The Spanish light red wine from Guimaro, Menica Camino, pairs well with the fish. The other main course is also delicious: a Dutch shrimp pie with crayfish jus and a pike perch quenelle. But this dish too is almost made too soggy by all the jus and foam surrounding it. Troef is lavish and lively in every respect, and while the food is certainly well-cooked, a bit more refinement would be welcome for that price.

Troef raises the bar once again and undoubtedly ranks among the finest bistros in Amsterdam. It is one of those places where understated chic seamlessly blends with warmth. On the terrace, you sip an aperitif accompanied by a small amuse-bouche, ...

It soon becomes clear that Dat Troef serves as a meeting spot for friends and business contacts. There’s a steady stream of mostly affluent forty-somethings who, after exchanging hearty hugs (the kiss has been banished), pull up their chairs to resume or launch into boisterous conversations. The place is certainly lively, but it never detracts from the ambiance. In fact, it’s genuinely enjoyable to watch everyone having such a good time. The dining room is spacious, with small wooden tables and fairly Spartan-style chairs, though the wall benches are wonderfully comfortable. Each table is presented with a card listing available bites (including bread) and aperitifs to choose from. We begin with a glass of Hatt & Söner Blanc de Blanc champagne and indulge in top-quality Coppa di Parma, drizzled with a mildly peppery juniper oil and served on an antique silver platter. The cutlery is also antique silver, matching the charming little round dish filled with olives. The menu features starters, intermezzos, and main courses, while desserts are listed on a separate card. For the starter, we have eel from Giethoorn served on a crispy potato rösti, accompanied by a frothy horseradish sauce and finished with a herb salad. The horseradish is quite pronounced and occasionally overshadows the rich fattiness of the eel. To drink, a straw-yellow 2021 Ossian Quintaluna Verdejo, featuring notes of ripe citrus, green apple, and gooseberry. The North Sea mackerel poached in rhubarb broth, garnished with pepper flakes, strawberries, watermelon, basil, and cumin, is a true delight for the palate. A genuine discovery by Chef Raymond Plat, who clearly excels at crafting exquisite flavor combinations that are perfectly balanced. His preference for bold flavors shines through in the ravioli stuffed with savory mushrooms, cooked to a perfect al dente, and infused with star anise, laver, and trompette de la mort mushroom garum—the umami practically bursts forth. Kudos to the service team—young, cheerful, swift, and highly attentive. A delightful spot. Just on the cusp of making this guide’s Top 100.

Since early 2023, Amsterdam-Oost has gained another culinary gem. Named Troef, it stands for “always having something up your sleeve to surprise with.” Four key figures are at the helm: Chef Raymond Plat (formerly of 212), Willem Alberts and Roderick Kunst (owners of Escobar), and Niels Leijssenaar (previously manager at Ron Blaauw restaurants). The generously sized dining room features an open kitchen in the center, surrounded by a bar where you can take a seat, and a wine cellar packed with bottles spanning all price ranges. You can pick one yourself. There’s a wonderfully lively atmosphere, and the team’s joy is palpable. We start with a lightly sparkling glass of bubble tea, a surprising 0.0% alternative. The menu featuring exciting bites and cocktails is already on the table. We opt for crispy pain carasau with anchovies and lardo, promisingly so. For the starter, panzanella. Not prepared the way Italians typically do, but we request extra bread so as not to leave behind any of the velvety basil sauce holding the tomatoes, strawberries, and watermelon. Something we’ll definitely return for: grilled brioche with mussels, sweet-and-sour cucumber, smoked bacon, and Pernod foam with dill oil. Finger-licking good. The Bernhard Eifel Riesling 2021 pairs perfectly. Back to Italy: a surprising vegetarian celeriac risotto with puffed rice and a robust beurre blanc sauce. Kudos to whoever sourced the vintage grandmother-era tableware. The dishes look absolutely stunning presented this way. While Troef is now completely full to the last seat, we dive into the monkfish. The mild, sweet flavor of this unassuming but flavorful fish gets slightly overshadowed by the powerful shrimp bisque. That’s a pity. In the glass, an eighteen-month oak-aged white Rully from Burgundy, 2021. Strawberries, sambuca ice cream with pink peppercorns and elderflower. If the trump card can be played once more, we’d gladly hand it over to the gentlemen at Troef! Welcome to Lekker!