Asian food Archives - Wander-Lust

04 Sep 2019

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6 x NEW AMAZING ASIAN RESTAURANTS IN AMSTERDAM

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On September 4, 2019 With No Comments

We have a weakness for Asian destinations and Asian food. It may have something to do with the fact that I have Indonesian roots and growing up with eating various spices and herbs. This always results in sheer joy when I hear about a new Asian restaurant opening in Amsterdam. These are some newcomers we want you to hear about.

Intisari Bistro Indonesia, Balboastraat 24

If you know the Dutch, you know that Indonesian food has always been important. Most people know their way around with GadoGado, Saté and Nasi Goreng. We’re happy to mention that Intisari Bistro Indonesia recently opened its doors and the reviews are praising positively. www.intisari.nl

BAOHUIS,Van Limburg stirumstraat 115

This Asian street food newcomer has opened as of early summer and is partly run by renowned chef Justin Brown. The serve no nonsense bao buns (with pulled pork or veggie), cocktails, finger licking Asian bites and Asian beers! They are close by the Westerpark, and have an outside terrace with plenty of seats. baohuis.nl

Benji’s Toko & Benji’s Bro, Baarsjesweg 188 / Maassluitstraat 243

After the success at Benji’s East, they quickly made plans to open a second café. This time, with Indonesian flavours. During breakfast and lunch you can enjoy healthy Bali style dishes such as Buddha or Acai bowls, but at dinner the real Indonesian flavours come out. You can order a mini “rijstafel” for meat, fish eaters or vegetarians. In addition to these, there are also Indonesian side orders are available. The toko is a place where you can drink Bali style cocktails at night and cool events with DJ’s will follow. The interior is amazing and the staff is friendly. Benji’s is not wasting any time and opened their 3rd location in Amsterdam New West, Benji’s Bro, which will also become a co-working space. In conclusion, you will see us here often!

Boi Boi Southwest, Heemstedestraat 27H

Some say that Boi Boi is the best Thai restaurant in Amsterdam. They established back in 2015, but recently opened a new place near Hoofddorpplein in Amsterdam New West. To begin with, they serve the best Thai dishes we love to eat in Thailand. We can’t wait to try it! www.boiboi.com

Koma House, Krugerplein 2

This small Vietnamese restaurant has been getting amazing reviews by many customers, as well as from Asian influencers and trendsetters. The food is just as good as the ambiance, plus the staff is lovely. The owner is also Vietnamese so they know what they are doing. From rice bowls to buns, salad and catering, they do it!

Paku Paku Amsterdam, Beukenplein 3H

Besides being the first Japanese fondue restaurant is the Netherlands, Paku paku is also a language bar where expats can meet to learn and speak Dutch to and from each other. What better way to get to know the Dutch culture then by sharing food and meeting locals! During dinner, guests drop their favourite fish, meat or veggies in the bubbling hot pot. You can compare it to a traditional fondue, but better and also a bit healthier because you are not frying your ingredients.

So which of these Asian Restaurants are you going to visit first?

Enjoy the spice!

Elke

12 Jun 2019

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Yuan’s Hot Pot | Traditional Chinese Fondue

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On June 12, 2019 With No Comments

Preparing food in a hotpot is a traditional Chinese cooking method where a simmering pot of Chinese soup base fills the middle of the dining table. During dinner, guests drop their favourite fish, meat, frogs (oh yes) or veggies in the bubbling hot pot (Chuan Chuan Xiang). You can compare it to a traditional fondue, but better and also a bit healthier because you are not frying your ingredients. Yuan’s Hot Pot is the first of its kind based in Amsterdam.

How it works

You start off by picking the base of your soup.Tip: be careful with your choice in the level of spice. These levels are curated on the tongues of the Asians, therefore, the half-half spicy is already very spicy! You can try it out anyway if you’re a bit stubborn, they can also make it less spicy by adding some more cooked water. Whatever you’ll choose, there are enough ingredients to choose from. At Yuan’s Hot Pot, you order your favourite dishes and drinks on a tablet and add them into your digital basket. Very 2019. What you order arrives at the table on bamboo skewers. The hot pot keeps simmering while you place the skewers into the soup and wait a couple minutes until it’s cooked and ready to eat.

Bring your friends!

In my opinion Yuan’s Hot Pot is not the kind of restaurant you’ll bring your date to, but I’ll leave that up to you. The interior doesn’t scream “Instagram hotspot” but this is what makes it authentic and traditional. As a result, you will see a lot of Asian customers and this is always a good sign! You’ll have more fun with family or friends around the table and time flies by while the soup boils. It’s also nice to reserve a table with more people than two, because you will be able to try and share more. This way you might be brave enough to order the frog legs, which are a real recommendation! Another option and less scary than the frog legs: shrimp dumplings (we ordered this up to five times). If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you have plenty of choice too!

Yuan’s Hot Pot is the first restaurant in Amsterdam with this Hot Pot concept.

Why visit?

In conclusion, at Yuan’s Hot Pot, you’ll experience the real authentic taste of the Chengdu Hot Pot. This is the first restaurant in Amsterdam with this Hot Pot concept. They pamper their customers with much kindness and their secret family recipe and dishes. Sounds good right? A recipe that has been passed down from generations must be good!

YUAN’S HOT POT
Rijnstraat 51, Amsterdam
Website / Instagram
Monday – Sunday: 12:00 – 22:30

Love,

Larissa

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07 Sep 2018

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HappyHappyJoyJoy South is Open! (And they serve rainbao’s!)

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On September 7, 2018 With No Comments

Hotspot alert for all Asian food lovers: Julius Jaspers’ HappyHappyJoyJoy has opened her third hangout in Amsterdam! The vibrant ‘De Pijp’, is the lucky place where they’ll bring you the very best of an everlasting Asian food fest. Dim sum, rendang, pad thai, the world’s first “rainbao’s” and off course…ice cold Bintangs. Get ready for a dose of Asian goodness guys!

Even though I’m not the biggest Asian food fan, I really recommend this bustling spot.

High time for some Asian soul food? Definitely drop by at this kind of a newbie. At HappyHappyJoyJoy South you’ll find everything that makes you (and your tummy) smile. Think about some typical Asian cities, and the first associations that will pop-up are probably ‘the overload of bright colors’, ‘sizzling woks’ and ‘enormous turbulent streets.’ Even though I’m not the biggest Asian food fan, I really recommend this bustling spot. You ask me ‘why?’ Because of their huge variety of sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami yumminess with Thai, Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese and Indonesian influences. They absolutely have enough appetizing street food dishes in store for you, no doubt. And how did the Rainbao’s taste? Delicious actually! Too cool too eat maybe, but great for sharing! HappyHappyJoyJoy are the first restaurant in the world (as far as we know) that serves these colourful bao’s.

Source: HappyHappyJoyJoy

For me it was like a staycation for one night in the heart of Amsterdam. Sounds great right? Go and get that lovely feeling too!

Cheers,

Sharmaine

HappyHappyJoyJoy South
Ceintuurbaan 256, Amsterdam
Website / Facebook

22 Jul 2018

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Branie, a surprise Indonesian restaurant with Balls

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On July 22, 2018 With No Comments

When I arrived at new joint Branie, on the Ten Katestraat in Amsterdam, I had no idea what to expect. The front window had a crack in it, and there was only a small sign. You would walk straight past it, to be honest. Once inside, I was welcomed by the owner and the wonderful Indonesian hostess (who is also co-responsible for the menu). I was totally blown away by the innovating dishes and incredible spices. Let me introduce..

Branie stands for guts
I’m told that the name Branie is a combination between an Indonesian and a typical Amsterdam word. It means daredevil, but in a cheeky way. It totally reflects the menu and cocktails. Owner Remco, previously owner of secret cocktail bar Porem, tells me that he wanted to combine his Indonesian roots with the Amsterdam spirit.

Branie brani, b[a bakje]ráni, is an Malaysian word that means cheeky daredevil, someone with balls

The Menu
In Asian countries, people share their food. At Branie they do the same. You are advised to order about 4 to 6 different dishes and you are welcomed with some spicy popcorn. We decided to go for the soft shell crab bao (which is served as a whole crab), the tea salad, the squid, prawn wangton (available upon request), some traditional chicken saté, and the Jackfruit Semoor, that has a meaty texture but is completely vegan. The tea salad needs a little more explanation because it actually contains tea and is specially imported. It has a sour flavour and great as a cold starter. The magic truly happens in the kitchen and behind the bar.

The Branie “KFC” mushroom bucket

Remco is a cocktail master and gives a modern twist to his cocktails. From Pandan Daiquiri, to Crying at the Piscoteque or the Damsko Fizz. You must try at least three!

The decor still needs some finishing touches, but once the details are added (such as a neon light, and some plants), Branie is set to be your next “local” Asian with balls.

Branie
Ten Katestraat 26, Amsterdam
Website

Love,

Elke

07 Dec 2017

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Back in Amsterdam » Modern Asian Cuisine, Umami by Han

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On December 7, 2017

If you love Asian food, you’re going to be pleased about the return of Umami by Han in Amsterdam. The restaurant concept was first brought to live in Utrecht with then many restaurants to follow. Amsterdam used to have a all you can eat location on the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal but this closed 2 years ago due to a difference in vision between Michelin chef Han (known from Michelin Star HanTing Cuisine in Den Haag) and his business partner.

The Concept
Now, Han’s original concept returns back with the modern Asian dining experience that is all about the Umami philosophy. The word Umami is all about keeping different flavours in balance. The tastes of sweet, salty, bitter and sour are familiar to us, but there is a fifth taste we can perceive with our tongue, umami. Its taste has been described as rounded, rich and savoury. It’s usually matched with salt to add depth and complexity to foods that may lack depth and complexity on their own. “If you take ginger for example, your body actually needs something to balance it out, this could be cucumber.” We try to implement this to all our dishes” Chi, the restaurant manager tells me.

The Overtoom
The location is something you may have been before. At the beginning of the Overtoom, where concept store Friday Next used to be. They have completely changed it and you won’t believe your eyes. The restaurant is deep and spacious, with a Asian style bar at the entrance. The open kitchen looks amazing and the latern lights plus Asian wall art completes the look & feel. The restaurant is also open during the day for a quick business lunch or à la card meal, but you can also walk in for a coffee or glass of wine.

The open kitchen

The Menu
You can choose between the 3-course Social Dining Menu for €27,50 or the Menu Gastronomique for €31,95. You can find signature dishes like Teriyaki Chicken, Bangkok Prawns or Orange Duck, alongside Truffle Paksoi, Spicy Eggplant or Little Gem. You can order an extra course for an additional 8 euro per dish. Deserts are available for only €5,- and the menu consists of Matcha Cake, Pandan Créme Brûlée or a Choco Brownie, yum!

Beautiful balanced food for a small price

Scallops à la Umami by Han

This desert is ready to be eaten!

I can’t believe that a modern Asian cuisine can be so good and yet so affordable! Get your hungry ass over here, cause this place is of of the best food discoveries of this month!

Umami
Overtoom 31H, Amsterdam
020-2801379
Website

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