Versaen

High quality cooking

In the picturesque town of Ravenstein, on the banks of the Meuse in North Brabant, you'll find restaurant Versaen, run by owner-chef Hans Derks. It is housed in a beautiful historic building that was once a butcher's shop. Versaen champions Dutch Cuisine, cooking seasonally using primarily local and Dutch produce. They are also mindful about reducing food waste. A multi-course seasonal menu is available to order. Wine lovers will also find their match here: the wine list boasts no fewer than five hundred references from both old and new wine regions. An extra bonus is the Coravin setup, which allows you to taste exclusive wines by the glass. Upon entering, we nearly walk right into the wine cellar; we look down into it through a large glass panel in the floor. To accompany a fresh, elegant Henriot champagne, we are served amuse-bouches such as a tartelette with quinoa, avocado, and jalapeño, and a small bowl featuring a sourdough crisp with tomato, olive, and burrata foam. A burst of Mediterranean flavors. For the starter, salmon trout sashimi with pickled radish, roe, green apple, shiso leaf, seaweed, and seaweed powder. A true little work of art. Every bite brings new flavors that represent the sea. Paired with this is a harmonizing Knipser Riesling from Germany's Pfalz region. The monkfish with spinach, sesame, garlic, and a foamy dashi sauce is equally captivating. We finish off with rhubarb, spices, and vanilla ice cream. This dish is incredibly beautiful and delivers a spectacular finish. Not only because of its lovely colors and edible flowers, but also due to the various facets, flavors, and textures that come together perfectly and beautifully complement each other. A wonderful spot. Drops to 87.

In the heart of the rustic and atmospheric old center of the fortified town of Ravenstein, chef Hans Derks at Restaurant Versaen offers a classic cuisine with modern accents. It's lovely how he creates beautiful and surprising combinations without any fuss, bed...

The Dutch cuisine restaurant Versaen has long been a staple in the beautiful fortress town of Ravenstein. In the elongated historic building, owner-chef Hans Derks cooks at a high level in the partially open kitchen. Upon entering, the glass floor offering a view into the wine cellar immediately catches the eye, as do the round loop-holes looking out onto the old interior walls. The atmosphere is pleasant and relaxing, with excellent acoustics. Accompanying the aperitif—a 2021 German Riesling from Dönnhoff—comes a fittingly appropriate Brabant sausage bread roll with mustard cream. A promising start. For the starter, perfectly pan-fried trout is topped with Dutch seaweed, served alongside white asparagus, an algae powder cracker, trout roe, and a wild garlic and algae powder sauce. Accompanying it, talented sommelier Bodhi Titselaar serves a beautiful 2021 Pinot Gris from Dr. Heger, sourced from the volcanic Kaiserstuhl region in southern Germany. The main course features three preparations of veal: rosé-roasted veal loin, cannelloni with braised veal cheek, and crispy fried veal escalope, garnished with Jerusalem artichoke cream, artichoke, and black garlic. A rich veal jus brings the dish to perfection. For dessert, we are presented with a white chocolate bonbon filled with lime and lemon. Simply delicious. Finally, we enjoy vanilla cream with rhubarb ice cream on a bed of fresh rhubarb, garnished with shaved rhubarb and crumble. A little masterpiece on the plate and a feast for the taste buds. Kudos to the back-of-house team, who intuitively understand what true hospitality means. Versaen fully deserves its rise to number 86.

Chef-owner Hans Derks is thriving in the Brabant fortress town of Ravenstein. Versaen is located in the old center, and you could easily walk right past it because of its simple facade. Once inside, you are surprised by the contemporary and calming interior, where the wall with round illuminated openings that offer a view of an old monumental stone wall is a particularly original touch. Just like the glass floor at the entrance that gives a glimpse into the wine cellar. It was busy during our visit with well-dressed guests, and the atmosphere is warm and relaxed. Hans describes his cooking as no-nonsense. We would translate that into sublime. He elevates regional seasonal produce to a higher level with sophisticated preparation methods, surprising flavor combinations, and visually stunning presentations. The amuse-bouches are explained by friendly service, and the carrot cream meringue with green curry, sweet-and-sour carrot, and sea buckthorn berry gel brings all flavors to the fore. This bite of sweet, sour, salty, and umami melts on the tongue and, together with the aperitif Domaine La Colombette, Pays de l'Hérault 2022, forms a heavenly start to the lunch. We indulge in a refined, fresh salad of Dutch prawns with crab cream, various preparations of cucumber, green apple, and a vinaigrette based on cucumber and jalapeños. An edible flower from the herb tower in the back garden completes the dish. Juicy pink-roasted lamb in its own jus follows, served with green asparagus, parsley cream, morels, and crispy potato. A plate full of happiness. In the glass, a Domaine de la Janasse, Côtes du Rhône 2021. Alongside the piping hot double espresso, a warm madeleine is served that tastes exactly as it should: crispy on the outside and wonderfully crisp yet soft on the inside. Versaen rises to 87.

The exterior of Restaurant Versaen, located in the historic heart of Ravenstein, does not look particularly special at first glance. And perhaps that is precisely the point. Here, they do not pretend to be a top restaurant; here, they simply are one. Delicious dishes pair cauliflower, potato, kohlrabi, and celeriac with sea bass, smoked eel, lobster, Dutch shrimp, and Black Angus, complemented by comforting and flavorful sauces such as liaison. Owner-chef Hans Derks presents, alongside a modest à la carte selection, a multi-course meat and fish tasting menu next to a multi-course vegetable tasting menu. Mouthwateringly delicious across the board, like the piece of sea bass pan-seared skin-side down in a foamy sauce of green eel and butter. Or the roasted pine nut cream served with the Black Angus entrecôte. Also included is a steak tartare made from the same beef, accompanied by a velvety celeriac sauce: perfectly soothing against the spicy tartare. Every plate comes back spotless. Both the front-of-house and kitchen teams work in a relaxed manner, with great enthusiasm, craftsmanship, and a pleasant kind of natural ease. Special mention goes to the wines. They may seem chosen for their humorous names or attractive labels, but turn out to be genuinely delicious as well. No wonder then that this welcoming atmosphere, featuring a dark floor, light walls, and as a focal point a wall with round porthole-like windows through which you can see an old plastered wall, fills up night after night. Welcome to this guide’s Top 100. Enters at number 88.

Versaen is housed in a former butcher’s shop in the historic heart of Ravenstein. The interior of this sixteenth-century building is atmospheric yet modern, featuring a dark wooden floor, meticulously set tables, and comfortably cushioned chairs. The standout feature is a long white wall punctuated by circular openings that reveal the original historic masonry behind it. Patron-chef Hans Derks prepares French-Mediterranean cuisine, unafraid to incorporate Eastern influences. The kitchen relies on regional seasonal ingredients, preferably sourced from small-scale producers. It is evident that great attention is paid to detail, as every dish is plated with the care of a miniature painting. Regarding the food, we can be brief: it is flawless. The dorade tartare with oyster, accompanied by various cucumber preparations, puffed rice, and bathed in a soy vinaigrette, is sublime. The same holds true for the tender Black Angus entrecote cooked in its own jus, served with double-peeled garden beans, chanterelles, fried button mushrooms, fresh garlic cream, and lavender oil. Assistant sommelier Rick van Grinsven presents here (in the absence of the newly appointed head sommelier Lars Verbakel) an excellent Spanish Arenisca, Tinta de Toro Tempranillo 2018 from winery Manuel Cantalapedra. The service team is seamlessly coordinated and clearly takes pride in their work. They are highly competent and genuinely warm. In short, dining here is both excellent and deeply enjoyable. It earns a place in the Top 100 of this guide at position 00.

Where the Versaen butcher shop once stood, you will now find Restaurant Versaen. The historic building, dating back to the sixteenth century, boasts a sleek interior featuring dark parquet flooring, light wood round and square tables, upholstered comfortable chairs, and a white-plastered wall with round openings that reveal the original rough stone wall behind it. The atmosphere is relaxed in this long, narrow room: the clientele is diverse and Brabantine hospitality is abundant. In the open kitchen, chef-owner Hans Derks crafts high-quality, light cuisine using seasonal and regional ingredients—ideally sourced from small producers. Derks explains: “French cuisine forms the foundation, supplemented by flavors from across the globe and all the finest produce the Netherlands has to offer.” This yields refined dishes with a strong emphasis on vegetables and expertly executed cooking techniques. The young host-sommelier Lars Verbakel, a former biology student, speaks passionately and knowledgeably about his wines, which are predominantly sourced from Europe. Hans Derks notes: “We select our wines based on flavor and purity, aiming to minimize human intervention in both the vineyard and the winemaking process.” What a wonderful spot. And, importantly, the bill is remarkably modest.

Long ago, the butcher shop of one Versaen was located here in the center of Ravenstein, hence the name. In the open kitchen of this 16th-century, sleekly designed building, owner-chef Hans Derks prepares original dishes. The interior is clean, modern and comfortable, yet traces from the past are deliberately left visible. The atmosphere is convivial and the guests are jovial. We embark on a surprising culinary journey through Asia and the Mediterranean, among other regions. From the beautiful, predominantly European wine list curated by sommelier and host Lars Verbakel, we select a sparkling Riesling from Germany’s Pfalz as an aperitif. It is accompanied by beet preparations, complemented by balsamic for the necessary acidity. Then comes a flavor bomb: a Christmas tomato with basil and Parmesan. The following steak tartare features bold accents of miso and eggplant, quite extraordinary. The accompanying wine, an Austrian “Gemischter Satz,” is mineral and complex, perfectly rounding out the tasting experience. The pan-seared turbot is truly perfect, as is its accompaniment of grey shrimp, spinach, capers, and beurre noisette. Paired alongside is a glass of Clot del Roure from Penedès, made from the Xarel·lo grape, familiar to us from cava. A beautifully balanced combination. The finale is crème brûlée. Unassuming at first glance but delightful in reality: luscious vanilla ice cream, rich layers of dark and milk chocolate, and warm chocolate mousse. Life is good in the Brabant region.

In the open kitchen of chef-owners Hans Derks and Wouter van Orsouw, French-Mediterranean dishes are prepared using seasonal ingredients. For an additional charge, we can order amuse-bouches, choosing from four different bites. We indulge in succulent Pata Negra ham with mini gherkins and Amsterdam onions, served on a tree stump slice. The atmosphere is excellent in this comfortably spacious, modernly designed restaurant. The starter features glazed Berghem asparagus, cooked to perfection, accompanied by potato mousseline, egg yolk cream, more Pata Negra, parsley oil, and a light asparagus cream, alongside various tomato preparations, parmesan cream, herbs, black mini olives, and olive oil. Both dishes are artfully plated. Delicious. A lovely pairing with the Chardonnay Palena, Central Valley 2017 from Chile, poured by sommelier Tim Bongers. The main course consists of Dutch young goat, roasted and braised, with wild carrots, couscous, and its own jus seasoned with ras el hanout. The braise is particularly fantastic. The dish pairs excellently with the Beaujolais (Morgon) 2015 by Jean-Paul Thévenet from France. Fresh and light with beautiful flavor notes. We finish off with various preparations of Dutch strawberries and basil ice cream. Thanks to the friendly and attentive service, we receive a reasonable bill at the end. Our verdict: welcome to Lekker!