Hoofdstad Brasserie

Omg Michelin Bib Gourmand wins so, so much! For those of you that are unaware, Michelin Bib Gourmand is basically for restaurants that are deemed «Great food for good value» — not enough to earn a Michelin star, but just impressive enough for an honor to be recognized still, especially with the modest price. So, what does the menu look like here? 36 euros for 3 courses, an absolute no-​brainer (if 3 courses isn’t enough to please your greedy hunger, you have the option to extend the courses to 4 or 5 for a reasonable surcharge!).
This brasserie is located further into the De L’Europe hotel, a fancy, FANCY hotel south of the city center in Amsterdam. With this alone, the ambiance is already set, with flushing red carpets, dazzling chandeliers, and a grand hall upon entrance. The restaurant is located at the back of the hall, on the right, so patrons get to take their time taking in the sights.
The restaurant ambiance is just as nice, although slightly different — situated in the corner of two canals, the spacious window views are superb, overlooking the canals and streets. Use of mirrors as part of the interior design creates the illusion of a larger dining space within the limited dining area (reservations are recommended).
The food and wine was spot on — I had a crisp glass of Chardonnay to start the night (they also have bottles available that don’t kill your wallet). The bread, although soft and warm, was moderately simple. However, the starter was absolutely delectable — raw slices of sea bass, sprinkled with citrus juice, was outstanding. Despite being raw, it was seasoned so well that I forgot it wasn’t even cooked (although I will never mind sashimi!). The main, a beef loin with brussel sprouts, was also impressive. Cooked just right, the texture was spot on, and lightly seasoned, so that you can choose to appreciate the tender taste of the meat, or dip it with the boiling hot broth they pour next to it. As for dessert, peach ice cream, in the shape of a peach. Three words: WAH SO CUTE. I literally thought they brought out a peach, and forgot dessert was ice cream. The scoop of peach ice cream was shaped into a dimple on top, to create the resemblance of the fruit, and was powdered with a tarty sugar to replicate the fruit’s skin.
This dinner was amazing — impressive venue with lovely views, outstanding food (and creative offerings), and most of all, at a really affordable price! I honestly felt like I should have paid triple for what I got, so this was an outstanding experience.

Bad food, cold and tasteless. Inattentive staff who cannot explain the dishes and only say «if its in the menu its good»
Very expensive and not worth the visit at all.
A truly disappointing experience.

My wife and I had a nice lunch here. The Hoofdstad Brasserie is right on the water looking onto the Amstel. Food was excellent too. My wife had the pasta with shrimp, which she described as light and rich, and I had the Cod with white asparagus which was fresh and rich also. For dessert, we shared the dessert cheese. One star lost because the server forgot my order of fries. Otherwise a very good meal at a scenic spot.

A four star Restuarant inside of a five star hotel. Excellent wine by the glass selection. With a party of six we tried a variety of entrées and all were good buts little pricey. The service was excellent.

Location: 5
Ambiance: 4
Greeting: 4,5
Bathrooms: 4,5
Wardrobe: 4,5
Value for money: 4
FOOD
Variety: 4
Taste: 4
Presentation: 4
SERVICE
Smile: 4
Speed: 4
Trendy restaurant located in the ground floor of De L’Europe hotel.
Good service, tasty food.
Nice canal view…
Would definitely recommend for a business lunch or a romantic evening…

Good spot for a wine or two in the evening sitting on their waterfront terrace. The boats go by and you’re almost so close as to be on them! The staff is very friendly and cordial, and very quick to take and fulfill your order.
Prices are average, although they could do some polishing to their presentation. It’s a bit bland and non-​classy.

Having eaten in their michelin star awarded sister before (just ten feet away) I must say I’m disappointed. No that the food wasn’t bad but at a price level almost the same as Bord’eau this just isn’t cutting it. The appetizers may very well have been the best we’ve got served the entire evening. We had as main the off the menu Château Briand, which was cooked to perfection but just didn’t have that wow factor you would’ve expected. Especially served with the most salty potatoes I’ve ever eaten (and I love salty potatoes, but this was more salt than potatoes) your taste was ruined. Why the 3 stars then, the setting and the staff where absolutely great, even with our remarks about the saltiness and price point.

We got a seat in a bay window facing the river — quite possibly the best view in the restaurant. We weren’t bothered at all by the proximity to the kitchen, and the result was a cozy lunch with a ray on sunshine shining through the clouds.
We we’re offered fresh smoked salmon with Crème fraîche on a thin cracker (delicious), and fresh bread and butter.
We ordered the two daily specials — duck and cod — both of which, while smaller than expected, were quite filling.
The desert was overpriced, so we opted out; the house wine, however, was fantastic.