Rotterdam Archives - Wander-Lust

26 Oct 2019

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in LUST, Tasty Hotspots With No Comments Permalink

Plantastic’s Streetfood Kitchen | Vegan Asian Streetfood

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On October 26, 2019 With No Comments

If you are looking for a new vegan hotspot in Rotterdam, look no further! Plantastic’s Streetfood Kitchen is the place for vegan Asian fusion food.

Formally known as the Plantastic’s Health Hub, a place where you could get healthy breakfast and dinner and buy vegan products. A couple of weeks ago the owners Tom and Cilla changed the name and the concept of the restaurant.

Plantastic’s Streetfood Kitchen Pop-Up

Currently, it has now become a pop-up vegan restaurant for lunch and dinner with all kinds of Asian snack food. The owners found a partner, chef Hong Nguyen, who makes the nicest Asian dishes. I talked with Tom about their new concept and he was so passionate about vegan food and a vegan lifestyle. He really wants to inspire especially meat lovers to become more aware of what they eat, experience and taste vegan food, and show that you can cook delicious dishes without any animal products.

Plantastic’s Streetfood Kitchen has a cool interior!

It’s the perfect place to eat street food that is cruelty free

On the menu

The menu is full of tasty fingerfood, like springrolls, sushi, fried shrimp, lumpia and sate, which you can share with others. There are also many main dishes to choose from, like burgers, bowls and noodles with a variety of ingredients. You can also pimp your dish with extra ingredients, so you can customize your dish however you like. If you don’t know what to choose, order the Mega Plantbeast XXL which is a plate stacked with a burger, shrimps, sateh, sweet potato and more. Furthermore, the menu offers fresh sushi, Japanese noodle soup, Korean fried ‘chicken’, roti, vegan shoarma and bami. And you don’t have to feel guilty about eating here, because everything is vegan and thus cruelty free!

Vegan Sushi, yes please!

My review

Last week I was at the restaurant to try some of their best vegan food. Honestly, if I hadn’t known that everything on the menu was vegan, I wouldn’t have tasted the difference! Especially the chicken sate and the fried shrimps tasted like it was real meat and fish. I also tried the spicy dynamite sushi roll and the crazy crunch roll with tempeh, which were really tasteful. There’s so much on the menu, so I have to go back to try more. Since the opening it has been really busy, so make sure you book a table in advance if you want to taste all these delicious streetfood dishes!

Plantastic’s Streetfood Kitchen
Mariniersweg 64A, Rotterdam
Website

Love,

Merel

*Merel is one of our guest editors in Rotterdam. She describes herself as a daydreaming student who loves to travel. She just came back from a 5-month backpacking trip through Asia and can’t wait to see more of the world. Check her out on Instagram: @merel_d94.

04 Jul 2019

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Netherlands With No Comments Permalink

5 x picnic in Rotterdam

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

Summer has officially started and we are looking forward to all long summer nights and picnics in the park. To make things a little easier, we’ve listed 5 restaurants that sell really nice ready-to-go lunchboxes for perfect picnic in Rotterdam.

Karakter

Restaurant Karakter uses fresh and biological ingredients daily and they also make special picnic boxes with meat, vegetarian or vegan food. The Karakter Picnic Box consists of BLT sandwiches, carrot and beetroot wraps with tasty fillings, avocado sandwiches, fried cheeseballs, a salad, some fresh fruits, pastechi with chicken and/or vegetables and some sweet bites. The box comes with either wine or local apple juice. Me and a friend tried the vegetarian box and it tasted really good. We especially liked the wraps, the cheeseballs and the BLT sandwiches with vegan bacon. The Karakter Picnic Box costs €37,50 for two persons and you can order it one day in advance. www.restaurantkarakter.com

Picnic in Rotterdam by Karakter

Spirit

At Spirit they have loads of food options. Instead of a menu they have a big buffet with 50 different dishes. Everything is vegetarian and seasonal. You can easily mix & match the variety of foods for lunch or dinner. How about some grilled green asparagus, chickpea salad, risotto balls or a seaweed salad? You can make a full and varied take-away box which will cost you €2,50 per 100 grams. You can choose as many ingredients as you want, you will pay for the weight later. www.spiritrestaurants.nl

Lot en Daan

If you are looking for an all-day breakfast and lunch place, then go to Lot & Daan for guilty pleasures. You can order the Urban Picknick box to-go. The box is filled with fresh juice, fruit, olives, a fresh salad, bread with dips and a surprise piece of pie. If you pick it up at the restaurant you will be rewarded with two free Kaapse Brouwers beers or a small bottle of cava. Or you can use Thuisbezorgd. The box is for 2 persons and costs €18. Lotdaan.nl/picknick

Picnic by Lot & Daan

Little V

Little V is a Vietnamese restaurant and a popular spot in Rotterdam. They serve many Vietnamese dishes like Banh Mi baguettes, Pho soup and Banh Xeo pancakes. They also have a Street Style Lunchbox on their menu which contains 4 delicious dishes. The lunchbox costs €13,50 and it’s a surprise what’s in the box!

Iyumi

Fancy a Japanese picnic? Iyumi serves many Japanese dishes and their whole menu is available for take-away. Besides sushi boxes, you can get traditional bentoboxes (Japanese lunchboxes) with a variety of fish or meat together with a salad, fried snacks, fruit, rice and warm vegetables. Perfect for a picnic. The prices for the bentoboxes vary from €10,50 to €15,95 for one person. The larger sushiboxes vary from €10,25 to €33,50.

Are you looking for the perfect picnic spot in Rotterdam?

The Vroesenpark
Het Dakpark
De Kralingse Plas
The Park at the Euromast are all great places to get together for a picnic gathering.

Find out which places in Amsterdam offer a traditional picnic basket!

Enjoy!

Love,

Merel

* Merel is one of our guest editors in Rotterdam. She describes herself as a daydreaming student who loves to travel. She just came back from a 5-month backpacking trip trough Asia and can’t wait to see more of the world. Check her out on Instagram: @merel_d94.

29 Apr 2019

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Amsterdam Guide, LUST, Tasty Hotspots With No Comments Permalink

Bakers Dough is serving Dough ice-cream and we want it!

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On April 29, 2019 With No Comments

Time to indulge yourself to the max because cookie dough bar Bakers Dough just got better.

After the successful opening in Rotterdam, the insta-famous Bakers Dough came to our capital city almost 2 years ago. Never heard of this sweet food trend before? Well, it’s pretty simple; remember the dough you used to secretly eat when your mum baked a cake? It’s just like that only this is the kind that doesn’t make your tummy hurt at the end. The cookie dough is topped with all sorts of things like chocolate, sprinkles, m&m’s or fresh fruits. They even have a gluten free and vegan option!

Bakers Dough has visitors from over the whole world and this summer its getting even better because they just announced their Bakers Dough Ice-Cream cones! It’s not your typical ICE-cream, but dough balls in a cone, topped with anything you may like. WANT!

Check out their Facebook Page for more info.

Love,

Elke

*All the images in this articles are courtesy of Bakers Dough

13 Apr 2019

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Spots, Travel Essentials With 2 Comments Permalink

7 x Must Visit Vintage Stores in Rotterdam

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On April 13, 2019 With 2 Comments

Big cues, everyone having the same T-shirt, and the unsustainable waste produced by fast fashion? Forget the high-street chains and get ready to rummage! From cheap and cheerful thrift shops to more high-end vintage stores, there’s something for everyone when it comes to second-hand and vintage stores in Rotterdam!

1. Dearhunter Vintage, Eendrachtsweg 55A
My first experience with Dearhunter was love at first sight. It’s definitely my favourite vintage store in Rotterdam. Instead of all racks being completely stuffed, they have made a selection of only the most beautiful items. The owner selects with her eye for colour, shape, prints and material, a collection of unique vintage items that makes every fashion person happy. All items are cleaned and steamed before being hanged in the trendy and well-arranged shop. When you plan to visit the shop, be aware that you are going to spend money. In fact, you would like to take home every item hanging in the store (especially when you look at the price tag). For only 50 euros I came home with a leather brown pants, a red belt and a leopard top. You won’t leave the Dearhunter empty-handed!

2. Sweet Rebel, Schiedamse Vest 89B
Sweet Rebel is a small, but definitely must-visit vintage shop in Rotterdam. The prices are low and you can find real affordable gems. The shop has a wide selection of regularly renewed and incredible vintage items, as well as a selection of carefully curated designer items. All their vintage clothes have been carefully selected for style, quality and comfort. Here I scored an oversized denim cowboy-ish blouse with suede patches and sturdy studs for 17 euros.

3. Cheap Fashion, Meent 25
This one is for the real treasure hunters who love to dig through mountains of clothing. They have 2 floors stuffed with all kinds of clothes and accessories; leather jackets, skirts, blouses, boots, sunglasses, shawls.. If you are a fan of ‘hunting’ then you should definitely visit this store! It is is also the place to go to score outfits for theme parties. They have for example hysterical ski-suits and crazy disco outfits.

4. Episode, Witte de Withstraat 19A
Episode is a chain with stores in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Brussels, Antwerp, London and Paris. They have an extensive collection of second-hand and vintage clothing that emphasize on the 70s and 80s. You can find all kinds of styles from casual to nightwear. There is also a large selection of vintage shoes, bags and accessories such as hats, belts, sunglasses and jewellery. Tip: for a good vintage levi’s jeans you should definitely visit Episode!

5. Margootje Vintage, Zwaanshals 276B
The store is owned by, guess who, Margot. She offers all her special finds for sale in the shop. You will mainly find clothes and shoes, but on the wall and in the cupboards you will also find other special trinkets, such as old school plates, stuffed animals and jewellery. The old records on the wall, the rugs on the floor and the small, special trinkets in the old-fashioned closets make the shop very atmospheric. Margootje Vintage also organizes a Garage Sale in the back garden every last Saturday of the month.

6. Ruby Lee and the Vintage Factoy, Nieuwe Binnenweg 206A
Ruby Lee is a cozy vintage store with handpicked items. The owner used to work as a fashion designer, but her love for vintage took over eventually, so she opened Ruby Lee and the Vintage Factory. The shop has a mixed collection of ruffled blouses, leather skirts, Japanese kimonos, woolen coats, crazy jackets and much more. In addition, they sell all kinds of fun gadgets, such as notebooks made from old, recycled books.

7. SeventiesDesign, Schietbaanlaan 45G
SeventiesDesign buys and sells vintage furniture from the 50’s-60’s & 70’s. In the store you will find a very nice collection of chairs, benches, lamps, umbrella stands, cupboards, ottomans, glassware, art, coat racks and more. All these items are from the bigger names among the interior designers, making it a slightly expensive collection. If you are at home in the world of design this is a must-visit shop for sure.

Overall, I don’t mind hunting through overfull racks in vintage stores in order to find some treasure pieces, but it does take quite some time. What I noticed in Rotterdam is that many vintage stores, such as dearhunter, sweet rebel, margootje vintage, and Ruby Lee, have a pretty good selection of vintage pieces already sorted out what is saving you a lot of time going through ‘junk’. Visiting Rotterdam is a must for every vintage lover!

Love,

Iris

*Iris is one of our guest editors from The Netherlands. She’s got a big interest in photography, fashion, spirituality and traveling. She was 3 months old when she was on the plane for the first time and has been to every continent in the meantime. You can follow iris on Instagram.

01 Feb 2019

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in Uncategorized With No Comments Permalink

A Day at the Park Festival is back! (but not in Amsterdam)

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On February 1, 2019 With No Comments

Remember when A Day At The Park Festival announced they would call it a day after 10 years? Well, they decided to return, but this time at a completely new location..

The Festival
For 10 years, people from all over the Netherlands came to dance in Het Amsterdam Bos to the biggest artists. Besides the music, A Day At The Park has been a place to get creative, play games, sing to Karaoke, enjoy the market and you could even get “married” at the festival. But in 2017, they decided to call it a day and it might had something to do with the disappointing ticket sales over the last couple of years.

Wander-Lust at A Day at the Park Festival back in 2016

Always fun & games at ADATP

The Comeback
But there is light at the end of the tunnel and on the 21st of September A Day At The Park will return on the grass, but in Rotterdam! Yes, from one park to another. The festival will be held in the Kralingse Bos in Rotterdam. They call it the place where they will retrieve old memories and make new ones. What to expect? The old A Day at the Park, but fresh and richer, showing you what Rotterdam has to offer.

What do you guys think? Will ADATP 2019 be a success?

Love,

Wander-Lust

17 Dec 2018

Sticky Post By Wander-lust Posted in LUST, Tasty Hotspots With No Comments Permalink

Hotspot in Rotterdam » WES Eettentje

Sticky Post By Wander-lust On December 17, 2018 With No Comments

Last month our new guest editor Katrin, visited recently opened WES Eettentje in Rotterdam. The guys behind the all-day breakfast joint, By Jarmusch, opened their 2nd food business this summer and attracts locals for coffee, mediterranean food and chitchat.

WES Eettentje is a café, restaurant and bar in one, located in the “Oude Noorden” of Rotterdam, a picturesque local neighborhood. In the busy Rotterdam Noord, WES quickly became a popular hang out spot for locals and visitors alike. This is the perfect spot if you like Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. They offer a wide range of healthy and delicious dishes (also a lot of vegan options) with a little twist for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

It is a lovely decorated and cozy café with seating options inside as well as outside.

Smoothies and Salads
Inside at the counter you will already find a mouth watering display of cake, fresh salads and smoothies making it very hard to choose what to go for. If you find it hard to decide the mixed platter is the perfect choice. It’s perfect for sharing as a starter or a nice option for lunch if you are keen to try a wide selection of spreads, salads, falafel etc. As main course they have a lot of delicious dishes to choose from such as grilled fish, lamb, chicken- the food is inspired by Jewish and Persian cuisine. In this culture hospitality and food plays a very important role and WES perfectly mastered both.

TIP: If you wish to get some of the things as takeaway and bring your own container, they give you a discount. A great way to take extra care of the planet!

From coffee to cocktails
Of course WES also has a large selection of drinks available. Along with delicious coffee, tea, freshly made smoothies and juices, they also have alcoholic drinks on their menu such as wines, beers and cocktails. Whether you are just dropping by to have a coffee or fresh smoothie outside in the sun, want to get some work done while grabbing a bite to eat (yes they have fast WiFi) or a dinner in the evening with friends- Wes is for all occasions. It is open from Thursday to Monday from 10am till 10pm.

Photo by Mitchel van Voorbergen

Whether you are from Rotterdam or planning to visit, put this new hotspot in town on your list.

WES Eettentje
Benthuizerstraat 94a, Rotterdam
Website / Facebook

Love,

Katrin

*Katrin is our guest editor based in Rotterdam. She lives there with her boyfriend and when she not home, she is traveling the world. Being a flight attendant, she combines her love for food and travel and publishes on her blog TravelersLittleTreasures. Follow her on Instagram!