Recently I was in the Peperstraat (pepper street) in Amsterdam, for a nice French dinner at Gebroeders Hartering. It’s a lovely, warm and cosy living room restaurant with an open kitchen and views on the canals of Amsterdam (Rapenburgwal) and the picturesque Montelbaanstoren. The cuisine is totally based on seasonal ingredients of the highest quality. Same for the wines. Brothers Paul and Niek Hartering run this place with heart and passion and try to create often a new seasonal menu.
It’s all about the product
The tables are crisp white , the glasses are thin and crystal and the bread fresh and very French. This place is all about luxury but simplicity. The best products, the best, most exclusive wines, and excellent service. But not over the top. It’s not a fine dining place. But then with the fine dining prices. Do you still understand? Paul and Niek Hartering, the brothers (“Gebroeders”), want to create a place were local, seasonal products – coming from secret hidden places near Amsterdam – are the key to success. They work with the best suppliers and they do not choose the easiest way to find their ingredients.
Have I told you already you can wake me up for oysters? These ‘Zeeuwse’ flat ones were a very pleasant start to a very pleasant dinner.
The menu
At Gebroeders Hartering one can choose 5 or 7 courses (55 and 80 euros). Five is 3 starters to share, one main, and one dessert. Seven is all that, plus a raw milk cheese platter from Fromagerie Kef and it includes Rib Roast (six weeks ripened ribs, prepared on the charcoal grill) for two. Besides the two menus there is a small à la carte menu as well, with for example Charcuterie (15 euro), Fish du jour (27,50 euro), Meat du jour (27,50 euro), Bone Marrow (15 euro) and Rib Roast for two (39 euro per person). We decided to go for the full monty and ordered the 7 course menu.
Clockwise: vin naturel Crémant with delicious French bread and farm style butter, amuse bouche with celeriac and hazelnut, sardines with olive oil, burrata….
Our favourite dish of the evening (together with the next – the cabbage): pork with crispy pork, asparagus and herbs.
Barbecued cabbage with hazelnut and the most delicious sauce made out of fermented fish stock….. This was delicious…. my other favourite of the evening.
Rib Roast… personally I found this course a bit lousy…. 2 slices each and a bowl of garden salad….. Can do that at home too. But maybe I am a snob. Meat wasn’t as outstanding to me, as the other products were.
glouglouglou… – Hi there! – glouglouglou…
Cheeses from Kef is always a good idea.
Maybe a bit boring, maybe a bit simple. On the other hand: nothing beats a good crème brûlée.
Conclusion
My French style dinner at Gebroeders Hartering was lovely. It’s a very cosy, warm, happy place. The styling is just what I like; white tables, wooden chairs, open kitchen, lots of empty wine bottles everywhere, the feeling of a French literary café, open windows and nice glassware. Service is good and the food delicious; maybe a bit simple sometimes, but that is what they stand for. Product and quality is everything, not the presentation, creativity or the modern cooking methods. Maybe I expected that a little but more (I mean; I can also place 3 sardines on a plate and drizzle with olive oil…..), but again: that’s not what they claim to be so I have no right to say so. And the products were really outstanding. I would recommend Gebroeders Hartering to anyone with a love for good quality French food, simplicity, good wines and a romantic environment. Make sure you bring your credit card as it’s not a cheap place, but if you like quality without the fuss it’s definitely for you.
The Facts
Gebroeders Hartering is situated in the heart of Amsterdam city centre, but still in a lovely and quiet street; Peperstraat 10. They open daily for dinner from 18:00 till late. Brothers Paul and Niek and their team will do their very best to make your dinner one not to forget. If you are fussy with food maybe it’s better to go somewhere else as they work with table d’hôte (eat what’s available) system. On the other hand I’m sure they’ll make something you like if you tell them at your reservation about your preferences or diet.