Since May 2015 Druten, a sleepy quiet but beautiful village in the eastern part of the Netherlands, is the place to be when it comes to fine dining. From the moment Old Skool restaurant opened its doors nothing will be the same again here! In an old characteristic school building in the Hooistraat, you’ll find this trendy and upmarket restaurant. The restaurant offers intimate à la carte dining, but is also suitable for bigger groups, functions or events. We were the lucky ones to dine here recently at the end of August… and it was fantastic! Today I will show you the delicious menu we had.
Oysters and Cava to start with.
The terrace of Old Skool restaurant. The yellow chairs are cool !
Amuse bouche. Watermelon with wasabi mayonnaise and wasabi sesam seeds. Exciting tastes together, delicious… makes you feel like having more food, which is a good thing for an amuse bouche.
Fresh bread with farm butter, garlic aioli and romesco.
Starter: Tartare of watermelon with tomato and feta. Very elegant, light and tasteful.
Starter: Steak tartare with crispy egg. Best steak tartare I had in months (probably years)!
Second course: Cold potato-leek soup with mussels. Vichyssoise new style!
Lobster with ‘lettuce’, old (as in matured) cheese and vanilla oil. Beautiful presented with the lettuce in a rectangular shape.
Third course: Capellini with hazelnut and sage.
Third course: Scallops with figs, grapes and bisque foam (the photo is a bit dark, on the table it was more pretty)
Main course: Plaice (white fish) with haricots and a puree of artichokes.
Main course: Veal entrecote with parsnip and fennel.
Not on the photo but most definitely in our tummies: fantastic homemade hand cut fries with mayonnaise. Made from the best Dutch potatoes and much better than the ones you often get in restaurants.
We shared the dessert: Strawberry with sorbet ice of raspberry and sponge cake of pistache. Yum!
The interior. Very warm and stylish.
Our experience at Old Skool was great again. It wasn’t our first time here, probably the third or fourth time since they opened. All dishes were fantastic, the wine list is extensive and creative, service is adequate and the atmosphere is good! We would recommend you to go here for a special evening out. With family, friends or together; it’s a hidden gem in the province called ‘Gelderland’, the eastern part of Holland. The city of Druten is surrounded by rivers, farm land, cows, good cycling paths, interesting old cities as Arnhem or Nijmegen and it’s also not too far from the Kröller-Müller Museum. Druten itself is small but has everything; from a supermarket to a big church and a hairdresser and some nice shoe- and clothing shops.
The Facts
Restaurant Old Skool is situated on Hooistraat 22 in Druten, the Netherlands.
Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday from 6pm for dinner. For more information, road directions, the current menu, or to make your reservation, click here.
Do you prefer lunch? Go to Genieten & Meer, the more casual lunch restaurant of the same owners Johan and Milena. What to order there? Fantastic fresh sandwiches, salads and soups. Or go there for a barista-style coffee and cake. Once a month they do a high tea on Sunday! Keep an eye on their website or Facebook page for the dates.
*Note: We were invited as guests of Old Skool restaurant, but writing about it was my own idea and my opinion is honest. All photos are mine and made with a Canon EOS M3.
