JanZen

Since 2018, chef-owner Jeroen and hostess Natasja van Hensbergen have been running their charming restaurant JanZen near the Oude Rijn. Jeroen cooks with what the season offers, and alongside à la carte options, there is a tasting menu available ranging from three to six courses. The wine list can be viewed at home in advance, as sending an email to the restaurant will result in it being sent beforehand. Now that’s service. This level of hospitality was also evident during our visit, as hostess Natasja and her team truly excel at pampering guests completely. We decide to order a bottle of wine with our meal, choosing a biodynamic, fruity, and juicy Pinot Blanc from Domaine Marcel Deiss in Alsace. And we enjoy it. We sample a beautifully plated dish of beef tartare with fresh vegetables, crispy potato sticks, basil, and 'Utregse' aged cheese. A lovely start. The halibut also proves delicious, accompanied by celeriac and white celery, more crispy potato, meltingly soft lardo di colonata, and a lime leaf sauce. The fish is served generously as well. The pacing of service is pleasant. The dessert is noteworthy. Beautifully presented, the composition features pineapple as a bavarois and roasted cubes, paired with velvety-smooth coconut sorbet, caramel cream, and (once again) crispy white chocolate. Jeroen has a fondness for crispiness. Finally, the bill is quite reasonable, and we conclude that you get excellent value for your money here. Keep up the great work!

On the outskirts of Woerden, amidst the surrounding fields, stands a 1930s villa where Jeroen and Natasja van Hensbergen pamper their guests with genuine attention and beautifully crafted, flavorful dishes. The interior remains exactly as it was, somewhat dark and slightly worn. Yet this does nothing to detract from the quality of the food, which is top-notch. As soon as we are seated, we are treated to no fewer than two plates of amuse-bouches. We order a Xarello by Joan Sardà from the Penedès region, which tastes a bit flat. We had hoped for a more aromatic bouquet. The wine list otherwise features excellent selections from both the Old and New Worlds, along with a solid choice of organic wines. However, many labels are currently out of stock, which is a shame. We begin with perfectly cooked scallops accompanied by belly bacon, alongside delicately prepared sea bass in kohlrabi from the smoker. It’s a stunning plate presentation, full of color, featuring artfully folded cucumber, kohlrabi, cress, a nori crisp, and violets. This is followed by vegetarian bulgur generously stuffed with mushroom duxelles, steamed cauliflower florets, fresh garden peas, carrot, zucchini, wild garlic, and a rich cepes sauce. We round off the meal with an assortment of various cheeses, chosen rather conservatively. The price-to-quality ratio is excellent—truly modest, in fact, given the caliber of the dishes and the pleasant service provided by the waitstaff. A reliably excellent spot.

For years, JanZen by Jeroen and Natasja van Hensbergen has been a staple in and around Woerden. Located right next to the Oude Rijn on a through road, it is housed in a 1930s villa that once contained a clandestine distillery and a café. The interior is somewhat worn and the dining room is quite dark. A fresh makeover would work wonders. But we come first and foremost for the food, and they do it exceptionally well in a straightforward, no-nonsense way. Chef Jeroen cooks French cuisine with modern influences, and the first course immediately sets the tone. Roasted mackerel rillette is served in thin slices of marinated and rolled kohlrabi. Quinoa salad, cucumber dressing, soy pearls, and rice chips combine into a delightful dish, garnished with edible nasturtiums. We pair it with a glass of cool, fresh Veracruz Rueda. The main course features a generous piece of perfectly cooked halibut, served with a celeriac and eel salad, sweet potato cream, and a lemongrass and smoked garlic sauce. Rich and flavorful in every respect, we scrape the plate clean down to the last drop of sauce. In the glass, a Viognier, Chardonnay, and Roussanne from Folie d'Inès. Young but with a notably rich flavor. Excellent. The strawberry bomb with elderflower sauce, yogurt ice cream, and chocolate crumble makes for a perfect finish.

Since 2018, chef Jeroen and hostess Natasja van Hensbergen have been wielding the culinary scepter at JanZen, a rural yet highly accessible venue that was once an illegal distillery and later a café. Upon arrival, we are warmly greeted by Lea, the hostess for the evening, who leads us to our beautifully set table. The place is bustling with couples and small groups of all ages, and the atmosphere is cheerful and relaxed. Paired with a glass of cool, fruity Pinot Grigio Delle Venezie from Villa Sandi estate comes a light curry cookie sprinkled with pine nuts. Jeroen cooks with the seasons and, alongside the à la carte menu, also offers multi-course tasting menus. The steak tartare is coarsely chopped and dressed with a touch of olive oil, aged cheese, and chopped basil. A great opening course. This is followed by cod, confited in olive oil, served with garnishes of lamb ear, asparagus, and cauliflower. A delightful lobster sauce brings the dish to perfection. Lamb takes center stage as the main course. Roasted fillet and confit procureur. The dish is accompanied by a ratatouille made from various Dutch vegetables and a robust, full-bodied red wine sauce infused with lavender. The meat melts in your mouth. What stands out is how many dishes are enriched with a wide variety of vegetables and edible flowers. These are primarily sourced from local farmers in the Green Heart region. Kudos to the kitchen brigade, who keep their heads cool and maintain control despite the rush.

Once an illegal distillery and later known as Café De Krom, named for its location at the bend of the Old Rhine near Woerden. Since 2007, this stately building with its expansive terrace and parking lot has been known as restaurant 'JanZen', a reference to the then-owner's father and his life philosophy. When chef Jeroen (formerly of De Librije, Saffraan, and ’t Klooster) and hostess Natasja van Hensbergen took over the eatery in late 2018, the name remained unchanged. They did repaint the bar, fireplace, and walls in various shades of green, and more importantly, raised the gastronomic bar. As the sun slowly sets over the Green Heart, the attentive staff pours a fine Pouilly-Fuissé (Michel Rey) alongside a smoked mackerel tartare. The fish is seasoned with lime, cayenne pepper, olive, and avocado, and served in a clear tomato broth. Fresh, salty, and spicy. Just like the salmon on the other plate, which is lightly smoked, diced, and served with radish, cucumber, Thai curry, and crispy coconut curry chips. The pièce de résistance is the sweetbreads. A generous portion glazed with spices, soft and juicy, pan-fried to a golden brown all around, and presented on rich bulgur with yellow beetroot and vadouvan. Delicious! So too is the slow-cooked cod. The fish flakes apart into glossy pieces thanks to its exceptional freshness, resting on a flavorful accompaniment of cauliflower, samphire, and chives. An honest establishment.

Debuted in this guide last year and back again this year. This relaxed, homely restaurant, housed in a beautiful Art Deco building on the outskirts of Woerden, has been run since October 2018 by chef-owner Jeroen van Hensbergen and his wife, hostess-sommelier Natasja. JanZen is nestled in a rural setting among farms but is easily accessible thanks to its location near the A12 motorway. The spacious dining room is very comfortable, and we are certainly not the only ones who think so, as it is consistently well-occupied. The acoustics are pleasant thanks to a specially designed ceiling. Jeroen prepares beautiful, pure dishes with harmonious flavors, served generously. Currently, tasting menus are primarily offered instead of à la carte to guarantee the freshness of the ingredients. JanZen also features its own herb garden. Natasja skillfully pairs suitable wines with each dish. On sunny days, outdoor dining is available. For private dining or business gatherings, two cozy separate rooms are available. A wonderful spot! Special feature: Restaurant JanZen serves menus for guests who have had stomach reduction surgery or who, for other reasons, can eat less. This way, everyone can enjoy an evening out!

In October 2018, JanZen was taken over by owner-chef Jeroen and hostess-sommelier Natasha van Hensbergen. The building, constructed in the late 1930s, looks imposing. We have plenty of space, and the acoustics are good, despite the size of the venue. What the chef brings to the table, both in terms of quality and presentation, is good. The amuse-bouche, a salmon tartare with various textures of tomato and carrot, an edible violet, a vadouvan shrimp cracker, and puffed pepper ice cream, almost looks like a starter and is stunningly presented. However, the ice cream is slightly too overpowering in flavor. This is followed by duck liver terrine with beet, apricot, and celery textures. Served as a generous slice that disappears instantly because it’s utterly delicious. The veal tartare with crispy potato, quail egg, and lavender mayonnaise is also excellent. Paired with a surprisingly lovely French rosé, the Epicerie de Castelnau 2018. The main course features well-prepared sweetbread with celeriac, melon balls, red beet, vadouvan, and bulgur. It pairs nicely with a glass of Moda Talamonti, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2017 from Italy. Sommelier Natasha clearly knows what she’s doing. And after a fresh mint tea served with a crispy madeleine and a choice of no fewer than three chocolate lollipops, we wrap up with a very reasonable bill. Welcome to Delicious!