Aan de Poel

At Aan de Poel, it's always a delight. Whether we come in for lunch, dinner, on Wednesday or Saturday, in summer or winter, it's always pleasantly bustling. What stands out is the way Chef Stefan van Sprang gives gastronomic enjoyment a...

Excellent cooking

Being warmly welcomed at the parking lot doesn't happen at every restaurant, but it's part of the valet service at Aan de Poel. Floor manager Naduah Bronsveld seats us at a table with a view of the spectacular yet soothing water feature. After cheerful sommelier Rens Morshuis pours us a beautiful Dhondt-Grellet 'Roc Solare' champagne, chef Stefan van Sprang comes over to go through the menu choices with us. We let ourselves be tempted and choose the 'signature menu' featuring rich ingredients like caviar, lobster, wagyu, and ESF eel. To start, we enjoy four amuse-bouches, including a crackling cylinder with barbecued leek, haricots verts, and lime foam. Baked Oosterschelde shrimp comes with lobster tartare, macadamia nuts, green beans, and an irresistible yellow curry sauce. The 2022 Village Bourgogne white from Alain Chavy proves to be a reliable companion. Even more impressive is the wine pairing for the smoked ESF eel, glazed with sweet yakitori, matched with a Sauternes from Château Piada. Hats off to the sommelier! For the main course, they serve a5 wagyu. Two different cuts are presented: the slightly fattier tenderloin and the softer, leaner brisket, both cooked to perfection. The accompanying jus is sublime and so dominant that the vegetable side dish almost fades away. After the classic tarte tatin, prepared flawlessly once again, we are delightfully surprised by an impressive friandise trolley offering a variety of delightful treats. We sample salted caramel bonbons, hazelnut praline, lavender macarons, and warm pastel de nata. Aan de Poel knows how to captivate guests with lavish table presentations. One that certainly comes with a princely price tag. Drops to 31.

Haute cuisine and a mentality of “just act normal, that’s already crazy enough” go hand in hand in the relaxed establishment of owner-chef Stefan van Sprang and maître d’hôtel and sommelier Rob Veuger. The former hails from North Brabant, which may well be responsible for the laid-back atmosphere where there is room for a joke and a quip, while professionalism remains paramount. Anyway, anyone who takes a seat in the chic interior is guaranteed a pleasant lunch or dinner outing. We start with a glass of Guy Charlemagne champagne and a parade of amuse-bouches. The green apple bonbon with an olive stuffed with olive oil is divine. The menu features a lunch and dinner chef’s menu, specials, and a sweet and cheese course. The wine list is extensive, boasting over six hundred labels from both Old and New World countries. Steak tartare dressed with herbs, onions, and chives, topped with caviar and accompanied by grilled langoustines, serves as the first course. Paired with a 2022 Chablis from Christian Moreau. Tuna with foie gras and Pata Negra ham is masterful. The ingredients are stacked on top of each other in the shape of a cream puff. The foie gras is luscious, the tuna raw, and the entire dish is garnished with very crispy fried Pata Negra. The risotto with Parmesan, Madeira sauce, and truffle falls a bit short. The risotto is overcooked. When we point this out, we are sympathetically compensated with an exceptionally fine red wine, a 2011 Valpolicella Ripasso Classico Superiore 10 anni from Cà dei Maghi, served alongside a piece of excellently prepared Wagyu beef. Tarte tatin with creamy vanilla ice cream and caramel provides a worthy classic finale. It also firmly scores a 29 this year.

There are certain places where you just know from the start: this is going to be a lovely, and above all, unpretentious evening featuring refined, Burgundian-style cuisine and perfectly paired wines. It strikes a balance between an informal atmosphere and a highly professional approach. Everything feels right in the chic, modern dining room presided over by the ever-cheerful owner-chef Stefan van Sprang and the skilled maître d'hôtel and sommelier Robbert Veuger. The view of Lake De Poel is pleasantly soothing, while soft house music plays gently in the background. Stefan personally visits the table to explain the daily menu and casually mentions a few additional options to enhance your dining experience. The cheerful assistant sommelier, Rens Morshuis, serves us an elegant Guy Dumangin Brut Champagne alongside tempting starters such as a truffle dumpling and eggplant purée served on a soy-glazed crisp. The bread is perfect and gets replenished throughout the evening without being asked for, and we don’t even see it charged on the bill. The first course features pan-seared sea bass with dashi, apple, and celery, accompanied by a sardine crisp. It’s wonderfully umami-rich, with the apple adding a refreshing and intriguing twist. This is followed by pan-fried langoustine with a citrus vinaigrette and pickled strawberry, finished with a light dusting of shaved pepper. Light, fresh, and beautifully presented. Next comes a deliciously tender quail fillet, roasted in garlic with yakiniku sauce (a sweet Japanese barbecue glaze) and a jus made from red wine and port. For dessert, a lemon sorbet is paired with a light champagne mousse and a touch of shaved lemon zest. A delightful combination. The subtle tartness of the shaved lemon pieces complements the bright champagne mousse perfectly. The service is warm and friendly, always happy to share a relaxed conversation. As a guest, you feel thoroughly welcomed. Could this warmth perhaps be partly attributed to the chef’s Brabant roots? Due to new entries, it drops two places in the rankings to number 29.

This culinary palace run by owners Stefan van Sprang and Robbert Veuger remains such a delightful spot. The ambiance is luxurious and chic, the view over the water is panoramic, the use of ingredients is rich, the wine list is surprising, and the atmosphere? It is exceptionally relaxed without any stiff formality. Extremely professional and highly knowledgeable, though. It is fully booked with stylishly dressed guests, both for business and private dining. Soon, maître-sommelier Robbert brings our aperitif, an excellent R.H. Coutier Brut Tradition champagne. The feast can begin. On chef Stefan’s menu – who was steeped in cooking with a traditional Brabantian wooden spoon, as everything at home revolved around food – there is a regularly rotating chef’s menu alongside signature dishes, desserts, and cheese. We sample crisply fried langoustines with a creamy, foaming hollandaise sauce plus crispy fennel and asparagus. The presentation on a rugged plaster plate is visually stunning. Monkfish is perfectly pan-seared skin-side down and accompanied by vongole, garlic chives, green herbs, and beurre blanc. Absolutely delicious! And beautifully paired with a glass of Chenin Blanc from Brookdale Estate Mason Road in South Africa. The slices of wagyu shortrib and sukade are melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the dessert amuse of caramelized barbecue pineapple with white chocolate crumble and shaved Indian pepper earns applause. Such abundance comes with a price tag, but the generosity of both food and wine (they easily pour extra servings without it showing on the bill) is worth every penny. Top establishment. Rises to 27.

The ingredients on the menu are lavish: scallops, caviar, langoustines, turbot, truffle. And the wine list offers surprising selections, ranging from unknown gems to renowned labels, spanning from very affordable to incredibly expensive. But then again, you're dining at Aan de Poel. A luxurious restaurant with a panoramic view of the water. In comfortable upholstered armchairs, at impeccably set tables. Surrounded by large vases filled with artistic floral arrangements. In the company of affluent patrons, who rarely blink at an extra euro or two. In the open kitchen, a team of chefs led by the originally Brabantine maestro Stefan van Sprang is hard at work. And maître Robbert Veuger, along with his young black brigade, ensures a nicely relaxed atmosphere. Because that must be said: the ambiance is refined, yet relaxed, and alongside a professional approach, there's room for a joke and a hearty laugh. There is a five-course tasting menu that changes regularly. We indulge in raw scallop tranches with sea beet and caviar, followed by delicious turbot on grilled leek with an aromatic sea urchin foam, dashi, and paper-thin pommes soufflées. In the glass, an elegant golden-yellow Rully and Bas de Vauvry from Domaine Jean-Baptiste 2019. The veal fillet is served roasted to perfection, accompanied by shaved truffle and rich truffle jus, alongside a stew topped with a delightfully crisp parmesan tuile. We could easily have had three of those! The pear tarte tatin with caramel sauce could have been crisper, but that is indeed the only minor point of criticism. All this beauty comes with a hefty price tag. Yet, on the weekday of our visit, Aan de Poel was booked up to the last table.

For many years now, owners, head chef Stefan van Sprang, and master sommelier Robbert Veuger have been running their gastronomic restaurant on the shore of a small lake in the Amsterdamse Bos. Once inside, you are enveloped by opulent luxury. Soft materials take center stage, featuring carpeting, floor-to-ceiling curtains, and comfortable armchairs upholstered in velvet. The tables are impeccably set with fine linens and gleaming crockery, with impressive chandeliers serving as focal points. In his open kitchen, Stefan and his passionate team craft sophisticated, refined dishes full of pure flavors and elegant structures. He describes his culinary style as international, but with a fresh and creative twist. The chef’s menu, featuring six small courses, changes regularly. Robbert pairs them with exquisite wines, from renowned estates in Burgundy or Spain to undiscovered gems from the New World. Private dining is available upon request in the wine cellar (for up to fourteen guests). It is no surprise that this luxurious and exceptional cuisine comes with a hefty price tag, but for what is offered, you truly get your money’s worth. Van Sprang and Veuger are also laser-focused on their goal: “We want to be among the best in the Netherlands.

The restaurant by Stephan van Sprang and Robbert Veuger is beautifully situated on the shore of a small lake that is part of the Amsterdamse Bos. The interior is luxuriously lavish, featuring many soft materials for acoustic purposes, such as carpeting, floor-to-ceiling curtains, and velvet-upholstered armchairs. The tables are set with white linen, there are artificial trees in rich pink 'bloom', and the curly chandeliers are strikingly modern. Also impressive is the wine list, with hundreds of choices across all price ranges and large sections dedicated to Burgundy and Bordeaux. The house wine starts at a reasonable five euros per glass. The service is friendly, attentive, and professional. From the open kitchen of chef Stephan van Sprang comes thinly sliced marinated salmon prepared as gravlax, crispy soft-shell crab, cucumber preparations, a soy and yuzu vinaigrette, and cornflowers from their own garden on the lovely terrace. It is a sophisticated feast of flavors and textures. The friendly and knowledgeable sommelier Erica Verweijen pours a surprisingly well-pairing Louis Bovard Saint-Saphorin 2017 from Switzerland. Then a sliced, rose-roasted beef tenderloin and a similarly styled piano-cut dish with truffle jus. Separately, softly cooked brisket appears, along with a basil and pea gazpacho, and paper-thin strips of crispy dried stewed beef. The dessert features fresh cherries, vanilla, white chocolate mousse, sponge cake, a soft cherry sugar galette, and a ginger and tarragon vinaigrette. Two baked semi-transparent chips made of sugar and cherry coulis provide a pleasant textural contrast. This delicious dessert also looks absolutely picture-perfect. Aan de Poel rises to 54.

Risen like a phoenix from its ashes, this beautiful establishment by Stefan van Sprang and Robbert Veuger. A scorching fire put an end to the eleven-year-old restaurant by the lake in Amstelveen in midsummer, but it was renovated and re-furnished in just eight weeks. Resulting in an atmosphere that is now warmer, more elegant, and more chic than ever. Van Sprang’s kitchen remains just as flavorful and inventive. In the spring, we dined on the magnificent terrace enjoying tacos with eggplant cream, curry, and citrus. Followed by a surprising combination of sea bass with ponzu, raspberry mustard, coriander, and kaffir lime, accompanied by cucumber preparations. The excellent sommelier, Erica Verweijen, paired it with a Müller Thurgau from Alto Adige (2016). Main course: asparagus tips with Oosterschelde shrimp, shellfish foam, and the classic garnish of oak breadcrumbs, butter jus, and chopped parsley. Paired with a delightful white Bandol (Château Salettes, 2016) made from Clairette and Vermentino grapes. After the fire, we taste lobster steak tartare in a remarkably relaxed atmosphere, served with a separate egg filled with lobster hollandaise. Ostensibly simple but oh-so-refined. We pair it with a lovely Vouvray Le Portail from Chenin Blanc grapes from the Loire (Champalou, 2014). Baked langoustine on a marbled base of fennel and bacon with a Pernod dressing is equally refined in flavor. And over the fried eel with cold and warm foie gras, frozen apple balls are sprinkled at the table: a delightful combination of flavors, textures, and temperatures. To finish, tarte tatin with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream, alongside a pistachio macaron. Accompanied by a glass of Austrian Rotgipfler Auslese (Johanneshof Reinisch, 2014). Unfortunately, due to the crowded field at the top, it has to drop back to 56.

We are enjoying a beautiful evening with a sparkling aperitif, the waterside garden, and the friendly service at this lovely restaurant run by Stefan van Sprang and Robbert Veuger. A macaron with passionfruit, lightly smoked coriander mousse, and orange mousse, served in a hollowed-out cucumber; soy krupuk with crispy early new potatoes; an oyster in a crisp pancake, and other amuse-bouches promise a fantastic dinner. The meal begins with langoustine tartare and a fried langoustine in jus, accompanied by pomegranate, radish, and green herbs. The cheerful and skilled sommelier Erica Verweijen pours a matching wine made from the Pedro Ximénez grape from Chile. For my dining companion, there is a North Sea crab salad on a crouton of Brabant rye bread, radish, and a pea and sea bean dressing. In the glass: a delightful Austrian Umathum rosé made from three black grape varieties from Neusiedlersee (Burgenland). Exceptional wines paired with beautiful dishes, expertly crafted with rich flavors and beautifully presented by head chef Jasper Hermans and his team. The main course features slow-cooked short rib and loin. The spiced flavor pairs beautifully with an Australian Cabernet Sauvignon-Shiraz (Barossa Valley). On the other plate: sea bass with celeriac, carrot and shellfish sauce, breadcrumbs, and Dutch shrimp. Excellent! Just like the wine: Oppidum Limoux (Gaure, Languedoc), made primarily from Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. A dessert of chocolate, blueberries, and blackcurrant in three different presentations, including yogurt ice cream and sugar crisp, rounds off the dinner. As an extra touch, a perfectly matched Rivesaltes (Domaine Gardiés). On a previous visit, the lamb stew on a side plate was not warm enough. Nevertheless, we consider Aan de Poel a top establishment. It rises two places to 55.