Amused Food & Wine

On one side is the wine bar Next, where you can enjoy delicious wines, cocktails, mocktails, and craft beers, whether enjoyed on their own or alongside small bites from the snack menu. And on the other side is the fine dining restaurant Amused Food&Wine, where passionate Chef Chiel de Groot and his team prepare artisanal yet innovative dishes using plenty of seasonal ingredients from their own garden, with a strong focus on pure and fresh flavors. Hostess and sommelier Corine Vink ensures the wines pair perfectly with each course. Given their reliance on seasonal harvests, there are several surprise menus to choose from: the four-course Chef’s Choice, the five-course Chef’s Delight or Chef’s Special, and the seven-course Chef’s Exceptional. The ambiance is contemporary and warmly designed, and guests feel right at ease from the moment they arrive. The starter of kingfish with cucumber, cream cheese, and sea beans is not only a visual treat but also shines with a harmonious palette of refreshing flavors. An excellent start. The same applies to the skrei with mushrooms, presented tableside with a robust shallot broth. In the glass, a Von Winning Weissburgunder with refined aromas of peach, apricot, and a hint of citrus. The black brigade deserves a moment in the spotlight, as nothing escapes their attention, and the enthusiasm with which they work is highly contagious. We finish with a cheese platter that is perfectly composed and served at the ideal temperature. A restaurant you will want to return to often.

In het hart van Hardenberg biedt restaurant Amused Food&Wine een schitterende culinaire ervaring waar innovatie en gastvrijheid hand in hand gaan. Na een recente verhuizing en uitbreiding met wijnbar Next, verwelkomt het restaurant zijn gasten in een sfeervol en modern interieur, waar warme houten elementen en strak design samensmelten tot een uitnodigende ambiance. Chef Chiel de Groot leidt een keuken die internationale gerechten met een moderne twist serveert, met een sterke focus op seizoensgebonden producten en ingrediënten uit de eigen groentetuin. Op de menukaart keuze uit menu's die per gang aangeduid worden met ingrediënten die in het gerecht verwerkt zijn. Het blijft dus een verrassing wat er op je bord komt. Een hoogtepunt is het gerecht van kingfish, geserveerd met tartaar van zongedroogde tomaat en bouillon van tomaat en sinaasappel, begeleid door een Grillo uit Sicilië. Deze wijn, met zijn exotische fruit- en bloemaroma's, complementeert de frisheid van de vis. De wijnkaart, samengesteld door sommelier Corine Vink, biedt een indrukwekkende selectie die echt elk gerecht naar een hoger niveau tilt. We sluiten af met een uitgebreide kaasplank waarvan het roodbacteriekaasje uit Wallonië met een toastje van kletsenbrood, vijgen en dadels en koffiegel bonuspunten scoort. Hierbij wordt een passende Churchill Tawny port, 10 jaar oud, geschonken. Hulde voor het deskundige en gepassioneerde team. Dit juweel in Hardenberg is een must-visit voor iedere fijnproever op zoek naar topkwaliteit en creativiteit.

Chef-owner Chiel de Groot and his partner, hostess and sommelier Corine Vink, have established a true culinary paradise in Hardenberg. You won’t find traditional à la carte here. Chiel prefers to work with produce from his own vegetable garden and with whatever the season offers. His cuisine is innovative and surprising. The same applies to the wines that Corine carefully curates and pairs with each dish, drawing on her exceptional expertise. We begin with a cocktail as an aperitif, and the lightly sparkling cava with crème de cassis and a cinnamon stick is refreshingly crisp. The amuse-bouche of shellfish bisque, puff pastry sticks with avocado cream, Dutch shrimp, and eel tastes promising, and we are quickly proven right as the evening delivers one gem after another. For the starter, lightly seared tuna with a crispy sesame crust is served alongside radish, seaweed, and fried shiso leaf ravioli, all nestled in a tangy ponzu vinaigrette. It is paired with a Dr. Loosen Riesling 2021 from the Mosel, which features a very subtle hint of sweetness. This is followed by tender-roasted short rib on smoked paprika cream, garnished with crispy potato and onion bits, and finished with Indian cress. It is divine alongside a glass of Cabernet Franc 2020 from the Raats estate in Stellenbosch, whose earthy notes elevate the dish to a whole new level. We continue with a Cahors Malbec 2019 from Château de Haute-Serre, poured alongside steak tartare and pan-fried skirt steak, before moving on to the cheese board featuring five international varieties. Each cheese comes with its own accompaniment, and the honey-syrup crisp served with the French raw-milk cheese is our favorite. Truly an establishment that brings pure joy.

The decor of the intimate restaurant belonging to young owner-chef Chiel de Groot and his hostess and oenologist Corine Vink is atmospheric and bright. The view over the Vecht is simply fantastic. Chiel prefers to cook with seasonal ingredients from his own vegetable garden. There is a surprise menu that progresses course by course, with dietary preferences taken into account. The menu lists ingredients you can choose from, which are then used to prepare your dishes. You decide the number of courses yourself. During the aperitif, beautifully presented amuse-bouches are served, with the bapao with peppers and crispy onions served in a steamer basket being the most surprising. The langoustine tartare is accompanied by baked gnocchi, a parmesan crisp, mushroom-filled ravioli topped with hollandaise sauce and langoustine foam, garnished with lamb’s lettuce and sea samphire. The dish is intensely flavored. It is paired with an aromatic 2021 Les Travers Cairanne Blanc from Domaine Brusset. The red deer loin fillet is beautifully roasted to a rosy pink, and the lamb’s lettuce sauce pairs well with the marbled sweet potato. The separately served venison stew braised in vinegar with balsamic onions and fried button mushrooms is accompanied by a robust 2021 Artuke made from tempranillo and viura from Rioja. Visually stunning is the dessert featuring pistachio ice cream with tiramisu sauce, shards of brittle chocolate, pistachio sponge cake, and a warm almond stick filled with almond paste. Many ingredients are used in the dishes, and in our opinion, it could be a bit more restrained and slightly better balanced. Nevertheless, Place 99 retains its spot in the Top 100 thanks to the ambition and talent of Chiel and his team.

The subtitle of restaurant Amused, run by owner-chef Chiel de Groot and sommelier Corine Vink, is 'food and wine', which means that wine plays an important role here. Corine therefore offers a superb wine list featuring French classics, alongside beautiful wines from Southern Europe, Germany, and the New World. The ambiance is calm and atmospheric, with contemporary furnishings and a lovely view over the small marina and the Vecht river. Chef Chiel de Groot prepares a surprise menu, accompanied by unconventional wines at a reasonable price. He prefers working with regional ingredients. First, marinated yellowtail kingfish with various preparations of cucumber in a cucumber and dashi dressing. A lovely start with fine acidity. But we are particularly impressed by the fried and lacquered sweetbread with a crisp element topped with truffle mayonnaise, shaved truffle, and a truffle sauce finished with a few drops of white truffle oil. What a flavor explosion, enhanced by a glass of Gran Sasso Nero d'Avola 2020 from Sicily. The venison fillet and stew are perfectly prepared; the stew takes on a special dimension as it is served between two slices of toast. It remains a delight, as the Japanese magnolia ice cream with a verbena center, accompanied by summer fruit in a peach and elderflower juice, is also excellent. On the threshold of the Top 100.

Debuted in this guide last year and once again in the culinary spotlight this year. Entrepreneur and host Willy Huisken and executive chef Chiel de Groot are steadily building their reputation and operating a lovely restaurant on the outskirts of Hardenberg. It is a pleasure to step inside into a cozy and tranquil atmosphere, tastefully decorated in a contemporary style with sweeping views of the surrounding area. The kitchen offers creative dishes based on regional ingredients, complemented by surprising wines poured by the charming and knowledgeable sommelier, Corine Vink. Chiel de Groot and Corine Vink: “We prefer to work with regional vegetables and ingredients as much as possible. We have our own vegetable garden and grow our own herbs. Our fish supplier is Bunschoten from Huizen. For meat and game, we work with a local butcher, hunters, and Van der Zee. Mr. Hazeberg delivers specialty items, such as mushrooms and unusual vegetables, twice a month. During the coronavirus crisis, the entire team remained on duty. During this period, we offered a four-course menu for home delivery: Amused@Home. Most of the preparation was done by our team in the restaurant, allowing guests to finish the four-course meal themselves at home. During the mandatory lockdown, we also developed our new wine list. It features 38 wines from eight different countries. The selection consists of Corine’s personal favorites, resulting in a thoughtful combination of classic and modern New World wines. Prices range from €39.50 to €92.50. The majority of the wines come from France, primarily from Burgundy. The list is clear and user-friendly, featuring a personal touch with brief tasting notes. Additionally, we have invested in a new climate-controlled cabinet, glassware, and crockery. Our vegetable garden was also established during this time. Our beautiful waterside terrace has also been completely renovated. We want to keep growing, continuously improve, and innovate where necessary.” Guests can choose from a four-, five-, or six-course menu, and a three-course menu is available for order on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. What stands out is the generous portioning; hospitality at its finest. A new addition is the ‘Boat Trip Arrangement’. It includes an hour-long boat ride on the Vecht river, complete with champagne and a snack for the journey, followed by a four-course meal in the restaurant accompanied by wines, table water, and coffee. In case of bad weather, an all-inclusive five-course menu is served instead, with champagne upon arrival. That’s delicious!

Owner-chef Chiel de Groot and host-sommelier Willy Huisken have established an excellent venue on the outskirts of Hardenberg. The restaurant offers views of the surrounding landscape and expansive skies. Inside, the space is calm and modernly furnished with quality furniture and wall-mounted plants. With regional produce and carefully paired wines, Chiel and Willy aim to make the 'culinary hearts of the Vechtdal beat faster,' as stated on their website. They achieve this exceptionally well. Innovative and distinctive dishes and flavor combinations are served, perfectly matched by Sommelier Huisken's wines. We taste beet-juice-marinated salmon with eel, avocado cream, and dashi broth. Next comes a 'little bird's nest' of crispy Greek pasta over parsnip, containing an egg cooked at 63 degrees, topped with a Jersey cow milk sauce and herring roe. We then savor lobster atop a celeriac and hazelnut mash, accompanied by a delightful beurre blanc and gnocchi. In the glass is a 2018 Teperberg Impression Chardonnay. A dry white wine from a vineyard at the foot of the hills in Judea, Israel; an oak-aged 100% Chardonnay with a full flavor and long finish. The festive dessert features an elderflower and white chocolate parfait alongside a rhubarb jelly. The portions are generous and all the dishes look picture-perfect. Bravo, a warm welcome to Lekker!