This is an amazing restaurant, one of the most creative I've ever ate at. We had the six course tasting menu. First we were seated in the bar and given three snacks, more like amuses: freeze dried vegetables, a one-bite fish taco, and a cucumber...based drink. Then we were seated in the very spacious dining room which had two tables for groups of 10 and maybe 8 tables for couples. It is very modern style, with very high ceilings. At night it is very atmospheric, with low lighting.
We had the wine pairings with all six courses. The wines were excellent selections to go with the food, and unusual wines that I did not know (a Slovenian wine, a sweet French white, etc.).
Five of the six courses were centered around a seasonal vegetable: celeriac, beetroot, corn, fennel, and mushroom, while the desert was centered on pear. Each course had several components, and multiple ingredients. Even though a vegetable sets the theme, various courses included oyster, shrimp and chicken.
However, the meats and shellfish could be removed from individual dishes for vegetarians and those allergic to shellfish. The tastes were intense and wonderful. I loved them all. They are all quite small, just a few bites, so I wasn't full even after six courses. Each course is smaller than a typical American appetizer. Each course was incredibly artistic in its presentation. This is very modern, state-of-the-art cuisine, not for the traditional or faint of heart.
Like the hotel, most of the staff are students at the university studying hospitality sciences, but there are instructors and professors supervising the students. Since there are many staff and few tables, there were plenty of staff. Nonetheless, the meal took more than two hours. The service was a bit amateurish as expected, but very enthusiastic and helpful. Our servers explained each course and wine.
The price for two six course tasting menus and 12 small glasses of wine was $112. It was worth far more than that. My guess is that the restaurant is subsidizing the costs because it is using student labor and is not trying to make a profit. In any case, it was a fabulous meal at a cheaper price than anything comparable.
I honestly would give this restaurant a Michelin star. It is easily the best restaurant of our trip to the Netherlands. The other reviews confirm this opinion.More