Bridges

Tussen twee van de oudste Amsterdamse grachten vinden we restaurant Bridges in het luxueuze Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam. In een restaurant met mooi interieur brengt chef Raoul Meuwese klassiek geïnspireerde gerechten met een fij...

Located in the bustling heart of Amsterdam, Restaurant Bridges sits between two of the city's oldest canals. We enjoy the grand, historic setting. The predominantly English-speaking staff is generally friendly and knowledgeable, though not always easy to understand. Sommelier Joshua Mullock is friendly and a walking wine encyclopedia. He speaks passionately about the paired wines, all of which turn out to be excellent complements to the dishes. After waiting a little too long for our amuse-bouches, the pacing between subsequent courses is otherwise excellent. Unfortunately, the first dish is somewhat disappointing: the hamachi with baba ganoush cream, onion vinaigrette, and kohlrabi lacks flavor depth, despite the fish being high quality and exceptionally fresh. Fortunately, this is redeemed by the scallop carpaccio with XO sauce, grapefruit, and hazelnuts, finished with a delicious foam featuring fish sauce and shiitake among other ingredients. Wonderful umami flavors! Chef Raoul Meuwese clearly knows his craft, as the cod with asparagus, morels, tarragon cream, and beurre noisette is delightful—especially when paired with the fantastic glass of Chardonnay Arthur from Domaine Drouhin in Oregon. The cooking is perfect, and the tarragon cream is particularly explosive with flavor. The following lamb roulade with a classic veal jus is well-executed and tasty, though not particularly surprising. The bill is steep, but appropriate for the standard of the cuisine. Rating drops to 45.

Bridges, gevestigd in het iconische Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam, is sinds jaren een gewaardeerd restaurant in deze gids. De keuken onder leiding van chef de cuisine Raoul Meuwese richt zich voornamelijk op visgerechten en trekt internationale gasten aan door de unieke ligging midden in het centrum van Amsterdam. Het restaurant, gesitueerd in wat ooit de personeelskantine van het voormalige stadhuis van Amsterdam was, ademt een sfeer van verfijning en historische charme. Het uitzicht op de gelijknamige brug, die vlak voor het restaurant ligt, draagt bij aan de unieke ambiance. Voor onze lunch kiezen wij voor het viergangenmenu. De amuses van het huis worden met trots getoond door de correcte bediening. Passievrucht met gele biet en garnaal, een krokant filobakje met foreleitjes en huisgemaakte kroepoek met een dip van soja-wasabi-crème zijn fijne binnenkomers. Het bijbehorende zuurdesembrood met miso-roomboter is een nieuwsgierig makende inleiding tot wat volgt. Het eerste gerecht, perfect gebakken forel met verse noordzeekrab, courgette en groene asperges, wordt geserveerd in een rijke bisque met druppels dilleolie. Vergezeld gaand van een glas chardonnay Massolino, 2022. De uitspraak aan het begin van de menukaart 'Vis behoort driemaal te zwemmen, in zee, in boter en ten slotte in goede wijn', wordt hier schitterend tot uiting gebracht. Vervolgens genieten we van een mooi stuk kreeft, dat samenkomt met boterboontjes, grapefruit en luchtig kokosschuim. Het derde gerecht van gebakken zeewolf in daslooksaus wordt gecombineerd met een zalvige mousseline van aardappel met meiknol en jonge prei. Tot slot genieten we van een dessert dat een waar kleurenpalet biedt: rabarberpudding op een vanille-parfait met zeer smeuïg aardbeienijs en vlierbloesem. Niks meer aan doen. Staat stabiel op 42.

Roos Stevens has succeeded Marco Westra as maître and sommelier at restaurant Bridges, and together with executive chef Raoul Meuwese, her ambition is to take Bridges to a higher level. Her expertise will certainly not be an issue, as Roos won the Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence in 2022 and became the first female sommelier in the Netherlands to achieve the gold level of the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale. Bridges is part of Sofitel Legend The Grand, housed in Amsterdam’s former city hall. We are fortunate, as the weather is beautiful, so we can enjoy our aperitif in the lush inner courtyard. Meuwese’s kitchen is rooted in classical French cuisine, which he gives a contemporary twist to. There is a menu du chef, a vegetable menu, the Bridges Experience, and the Chef’s Table Experience. The first course is pickled trout with pear julienne, a paper-thin tapioca cracker, and a pumpkin taco filled with trout tartare. A yogurt-buttermilk sauce with dill oil is poured alongside at the table. It’s a dish full of color and vibrancy, making for a fine start to the dinner. Seared langoustine and creamy duck liver follow, sheltered under a cap of celeriac and green apple. The apple’s acidity pairs fantastically with the sweetness of the foie gras. Roos completes the experience by serving a perfectly matched Riesling from Gunderloch. The main course is a generously portioned sous-vide lamb roulade with white asparagus pan-fried in beurre noisette, pearl barley, and aromatic wild garlic cream. The accompanying wine is a fruity and characterful 2019 Hungarian Kékfrankos from Balf. Another excellent find. The dessert is slightly disappointing. On almond shortbread cookies sit four minuscule strawberries, alongside goat milk ice cream and mousse, both of which taste overpowering. With coffee come two mouth-pleasing bonbons. We head home satisfied. The rating rises to 42.

Restaurant Bridges is located in the prestigious Sofitel Legend the Grand hotel. Raoul Meuwese is the executive chef, and he prepares classical and traditional French cuisine with international influences and his own signature twist. Sommelier Roos Stevens gladly pairs exquisite wines with each course. We enjoy our aperitif, a lovely Heretat de Lacrima Baccus cava, in the beautiful inner courtyard before being escorted to our table by maître Marco Westra. The mural by Karel Appel at the entrance is a true eye-catcher. The elongated, modern dining room features wooden floors, meticulously set tables with white linen and gleaming crockery, and offers a stunning view over the Amsterdam canals. The menu offers multi-course options, optionally paired with a custom wine selection. We begin with smoked trout on white asparagus, served with a wild garlic sauce and a garnish of radish and watercress. Elegant and refined. Next comes a modest portion of pan-fried monkfish with eggplant mousse and a barbecued eggplant sauce, accompanied by green asparagus, pickled caper leaves, and an orange gel. The dish arrives at the table like a small painting. In the glass, a flawlessly complementary Chablis 2017 La Colline éternelle from Vezelay, France. The dessert is masterful: a composition of chocolate mousse, yeast ice cream, and lemon and ginger jelly. Elegantly adorned with marigold. Priced at €44.

After an aperitif at the bar of Hotel The Grand in Amsterdam, we are escorted in by host Sasja Moonen and take our seats in the chic private dining room of Restaurant Bridges. Chef de cuisine Raoul Meuwese serves classic cuisine with a creative twist, and the menu is dominated by seafood dishes. The chef’s openness to international influences is immediately evident in the amuse: a true flavor sensation of carrot with wasabi herbs and nori. The stunning squid-ink-colored river crayfish tail prawn crackers served with vadouvan mayonnaise are equally delightful. For the next course, restaurant manager Marco Westra enthusiastically recommends a Casa Agricola Blanco by Pepe Mendoza, produced in Alicante from three local grape varieties. A beautiful, restrained tribute to the Mediterranean: wonderfully dry, with aromas of jasmine and citrus, minerality, and a briny tang. A perfect match alongside the lightly seared langoustine in dashi broth, served with foie gras, apple, and celeriac. With the classic beef tenderloin in bordelaise sauce, accompanied by morels, green asparagus, and a potato and Fromage de Herve cream, a surprising Barbera d’Asti La Vigne Vecchia from Piedmont is poured. We taste notes of ripe cherries and a light spiciness, but the freshness is preserved thanks to a special aging process. Bring a full wallet, as it is not cheap here. But the quality is indeed of a very high standard.

Raoul Meuwese is chef de cuisine at Bridges, part of The Grand Hotel, located in the heart of Amsterdam’s 1012 district. He describes his dishes as ‘classic French creations with international influences and a modern twist’. “Where possible, we use regional products,” he says. “We also have our own rooftop garden where we primarily grow herbs.” Each dish is bursting with pure flavors and presented as beautifully as a little painting on exquisite tableware. Sommelier Lex Deelder currently has more than 440 different wines on the list, mainly from France, Spain, and South Africa. Earlier this year, they were even honored to receive an award from Wine Spectator. It feels comfortable in the chic restaurant with a cozy ambiance, made intimate by partitions and a marble bar that separates it from the adjacent bistro. Kudos to the restaurant team, who are extremely friendly and helpful, escort you gallantly to your table upon arrival, and guarantee a delightfully luxurious evening out throughout the entire dinner.

In the heart of Amsterdam's 1012 district, The Grand Hotel and its restaurant Bridges are true oases. The chic (seafood) restaurant has been designed with an intimate layout featuring partitions, and is separated from the bistro by a marble bar. The menu reads: 'Fish should swim three times: first in the sea, then in butter, and finally in good wine,' and the kitchen delivers on this promise. Chef Raoul Meuwese has succeeded Andrès Delpeut, and Lex Deelder has taken on the role of sommelier. Meuwese cooks French cuisine with international influences, as shown in starters such as a waffle with cream, dill, and salmon roe; carrot with wasabi herbs (a beautiful contrast between the spicy kick of wasabi and the mild sweetness of the carrot); and asparagus salad with asparagus cremeux and potato croquant. This is followed by lightly smoked trout with broth sauce, radish, and edible petals. Beautiful fresh notes complement the smoky flavor, presented with a stunning color palette. Deelder pairs it with a glass of the briny Clos de Midi Albert 2018 from the Saumur region. Delicious skin-on pan-seared turbot arrives with shrimp, beurre blanc, peas, artichoke, and potato mousseline. The fish features a crispy outer layer that flakes effortlessly off the bone. The wine: a full-bodied and rich 2017 Chablis by Patrick Piuze. Finally, a thrilling and elegant combination of strawberry, white chocolate, lime, and fennel. We pair it with an apple cider from Brännland in Sweden. Lightly sparkling and surprising. Another achievement from the pastry chef is the selection of sweets served with coffee: white chocolate bonbons with passionfruit and tarragon; chocolate cake; dark chocolate bonbons with red fruit; and raspberry madeleines. Bridges firmly scores 30 points.

In the old heart of the capital, Sofitel Legend the Grand has restyled its restaurant, Bridges Dining. The light walls are now black-brown, and a chefs' table and a private dining area have been created. A massive white marble bar separates the fish restaurant from the bistro section. Tables and window sills have also been polished from the same marble, while room dividers with mirrored glass provide more intimacy. Nothing has been changed regarding the inventive and light cooking style of head chef Andrès Delpeut – who previously earned his stripes at De Roggebot and Brasserie Paardenburg. His tuna tartare is an old favorite. The fish meat is encased in a cylinder of furikake, drizzled with Japanese soy sauce, and balanced with soft wasabi cream cheese. Delicious! The infectiously enthusiastic trainee sommelier Lex Deelder pairs it with Quant Carl Loewen, 2016, a fresh-sweet Riesling from the Mosel. Fine choice. Just like the mackerel pairing with the glass of Force Majeure, an unfiltered South African Chenin Blanc from Meyer 2016. The slowly smoked and rolled fish is served in slices atop a beurre blanc infused with lardo di Colonnata. A delightful dish, finished with sage oil, silver onions, rye bread toast, and gherkin meringues. Veal and cod form the pièce de résistance. The juicy meat is bathed in a robust sage jus, served alongside spinach, onion powder, and bone marrow raviolis. The brined and pan-fried fish rests on a mirror of black sesame sauce, accompanied by a thoughtfully curated side of kimchi, shiitake mushrooms, and crab cakes. In the glass: the white Cérvoles Les Garrigues 2016, a top Spanish wine made from grapes such as Macabeo and Chardonnay: rich, smoky, and floral. To finish, delicate cake slices of almond-cherry and lemon foam. Excellent spot. Firmly stands at 30.

Formerly the canteen of Amsterdam’s former town hall, it is now a culinary hotspot overlooking the city’s oldest canal and its picturesque little bridges. It’s a wonderful spot thanks to its location (the grand Sofitel Legend The Grand hotel), its atmosphere (urban, romantic, and cozy), its cuisine (modern with exquisite flavors), and its service, which, under the guidance of Lotte Wolf—the restaurant’s wine director—quickly makes you feel at home. We start with a Crémant de Loire (Beaumard), accompanied by briny bites such as a coffee bun with nori crunch and seaweed, and a sponge cake with yogurt foam. Delicious in flavor and wonderfully appetizing. Also presented is a layered sandwich of quail, crispy lettuce, lardo, and a quail egg. A homemade black tomato gin ketchup adds a spicy kick and freshness. Perhaps slightly too cold. The main course of cod with escargots, anchovy butter, citrus gel, and spinach is an outright success. The fish is beautifully cooked, the snails crisp, the butter sauce savory, and the citrus imparts an overall freshness. Lotte pairs it with a Mâcon-Villages Vieilles Vignes (Verpailles, 2015). Soft, fresh, and creamy. The roasted kohlrabi with a shiitake, miso, and tofu dumpling is also a feast for the eyes, with flavors striking a beautiful balance of savory, salty, earthy, and sweet. The Wairau River Pinot Noir (Marlborough, 2015) complements it perfectly with its suppleness and earthy notes. The savory dessert of banana tarte tatin with pan-fried duck liver and salted caramel may not be light, but it is utterly delightful. Chef Andrès Delpeut has truly found his stride. Bridges holds a firm spot at number 30.