De Librije’s Zusje (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
The place
Restaurant Librije’s Zusje Amsterdam is the gastronomic restaurant of the Waldorf Astoria Hotel Amsterdam, an exclusive five-star hotel that opened its doors in May 2014. The hotel is an exceptional place where history, luxury, architecture, art and elegance blend together into one of Amsterdam’s finest and most exclusive hotels. The property is located in the heart of the city just next to the famous canals.
To extend its exclusive character, the Waldorf Astoria opted for a high-end gastronomic restaurant right from the start. Restaurant Librije’s Zusje Amsterdam is located on the ground floor of the hotel and guests enter through the hotel lobby. From the dining room, diners enjoy a great view on the gardens of the hotel. When visiting the place in the tulip season, one will be astonished by the colourful beauty of the garden. The interior is in line with the rest of the hotel: luxurious, classical and elegant.
The chef & the food
To offer a top-quality experience from the very first day, the management attracted a highly skilled staff to operate in the restaurant. In the kitchen, Executive Chef Sidney Schutte is responsible. Sidney worked at De Librije for ten years and moved to Hong Kong afterwards for a two-year during career at the famous Amber restaurant. In the dining room, Restaurant Manager Sascha Speckemeier receives the guests in style. Sascha has an international experience as well, working in top restaurants such as La Vie in Germany, Palais Coburg in Austria and Ultraviolet in China. Sascha manages a team of skilled staff members, resulting in an impressively professional service.
Executive Chef Sidney Schutte learnt the cooking profession from some of the world’s best chefs and this is translated into his dishes today. From De Librije in Zwolle he brings a love for locally sourced ingredients, from Amber in Hong Kong he imported an international twist. He combines these two elements to create fine dishes, where top-quality and recognisable products prevail, served with an eye for details and with a creative twist.
The chef’s menu consists out of 8 courses and is highly recommended to get a good view on the chef his cooking philosophy.
Appetisers
Oyster, champagne, tonkabean
Puffed rice, eelhead, eggyolk, mint
Chickenliver, raisins, chicken skin and bacon
Bacon, blue cheese, coconut and sherry vinegar
Tuna, crème of brioche
Bread & butter
We tried two different tasting menus
MENU 1
Young mackerel
Puntarelle
Zeeland flat oyster
Carabinero
Cod loin
Glazed sweetbread
Foie gras
Aubergine
Taco
MENU 2
Red mullet
King trumpet mushroom
Perle imperial caviar
Foie gras & yuzu
Slowly cooked sea bass
Miéral duck
Crispy egg-crêpe
Aubergine
‘Spring’
Mignardises
Wines are served by Assistant Head Sommelier Floris Altink. He and his team do a tremendous job combining liquid gold with the chef’s culinary explosions. An array of international wines is served and even the most demanding guests will be surprised by the knowledge and suggestions of the team.
The “Belgian Taste Buds” Experience
Restaurant Librije’s Zusje Amsterdam made an exceptional start in Amsterdam’s culinary scene. In just a few years, Executive Chef Sidney Schutte, Restaurant Manager Sascha Speckemeier and the whole team managed to create a fine-dining hotspot where quality meets creativity. A restaurant that cannot be missed when visiting the capital of The Netherlands.
Belgian Taste Buds:
- Food Buds 9/10
- Wine Buds 9/10
- Price/Quality Buds 8.5/10
- Service Buds 9/10
- Experience Buds 9/10
Restaurant Librije’s Zusje Amsterdam
Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam
Herengracht 542-556,
1017 CG Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Phone +31 20 718 46 43
www.librijeszusje.com
Original review made for wbpstars.com. Discover the ultimate guide for food lovers, travellers and the restaurant business. Discover many thousands of images and hundreds of films of the most amazing culinary wonders in the world. An exclusive documentation of the very best.
