Rijsel

good quality, good value cooking

Rijsel is so popular that it's nearly impossible to secure a table on short notice. On the first day of each month, the booking lines open, and you're lucky if you manage to get through for that month. The reason guests literally line up to taste Chef Iwan Driessen's cuisine is his no-nonsense cooking style. His approach is French with Flemish accents. The crispy spit-roasted chicken has long been an undisputed signature dish, just like the renowned huzarenslaatje that will never leave the menu. Additionally, the menu changes regularly depending on what the season offers. The acoustics in the former household school leave something to be desired, but nobody minds. The atmosphere is cheerful and upbeat, and host Pieter Smits and hostess Stephanie Lücken ensure everything runs smoothly. To start, we enjoy an impeccably prepared duck breast and liver terrine, accompanied by a lovely earthy morel vinaigrette. Morels also feature in a robust poultry broth enriched with Madeira. The tender quail is served with stewed endive and cèpes. We finish with spring on our plate: Lambada strawberries with a Brussels waffle and vanilla cream. A lunch to truly savor. Merci Rijsel!

The interior of this lively restaurant still exudes the spirit of the old home economics school, although the classroom has now been swapped for an open kitchen where chef Iwan Driessen sets the tone. From the dining room, you look directly into the culinary stage...

Restaurant Rijsel, named after the northern French city of Lille, lives up to its name with a French-oriented cuisine that occasionally picks up a Flemish touch. The former school building is packed to the rafters with cheerful guests who are attended to by hosts Stephanie Lucken and Pieter Smits. Maître Merel Schenkeveld ensures courses move quickly, allowing the restaurant to run two tight seatings per evening. This is done with complete ease. Sommelier Eelke Leeuwerink offers a predominantly French, generous wine list and excels at catering to guests' preferences. Non-alcoholic options could use a bit more attention. Breton fish soup is served with nearly perfect rouille and Gruyère. However, the skin-on pan-fried mackerel with pickled onions, Little Gem lettuce, saffron, and almonds lacks cohesion. Chef Iwan Driessen’s signature dish, spit-roasted chicken, is crispy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside. It remains a standout. The 2021 Arman Heitz Bourgogne from Pinot Noir grapes has sufficient body. The vegetarian main course features fried cauliflower accompanied once again by pickled onion, almond cream, and roasted almonds. Tastes great with a bowl of classically dressed leaf salad and fried potatoes with homemade mayonnaise. Don't skip dessert here, as you simply can't miss the pastries from the pastry chef. The rhubarb tart has a crisp shortcrust base and comes across as very refreshing with yogurt ice cream. And the warm chocolate fondant with raspberry cream ice cream is still hot, crispy on the outside, and boasts a delightfully molten center. The acoustics are fairly poor, but they simultaneously create exactly that ambiance that can make you incredibly happy. Au revoir, Rijsel!

Restaurant Rijsel, housed in a beautifully renovated former household school, has developed into a celebrated institution in Amsterdam's hospitality scene. The restaurant offers its diverse audience, ranging from friendly chefs and wine enthusiasts to romantic couples, regulars, and neighborhood residents, a relaxed atmosphere and a hearty, Northern French cuisine also known as 'nouveau ruig'. The menu features iconic Rijsel creations, such as Hussar salad, Breton fish soup, and juicy roasted chicken, complemented by rotating dishes. The extensive wine list is a true delight, pages filled with wines primarily from the 'Old World'. Just for champagne lovers alone, there are more than 40 bottles to choose from! You feel transported to France when a basket of crisp bread with salted butter is immediately placed on the table. Alongside it, thinly sliced dry sausage and cubes of celeriac with salsa verde. For an aperitif, a sparkling, alcohol-free riesling from the renowned German winemaker Johannes Leitz. We start off with tartare of ultra-fresh mackerel fillet, dressed with lemon and a grassy olive oil. The lightly sweet mayonnaise with cockles makes a delightful accompaniment. This is followed by perfectly prepared monkfish with an antiboise sauce, served with fresh fennel. And let us not fail to mention the excellent fried potatoes, rightly a Rijsel classic. Although the food is excellent, the service leaves us disappointed. Our request for suitable wines by the glass is ignored. There is no explanation of the dishes, and during coffee we are unexpectedly treated to loud party music. The waitstaff lacks the finesse expected of such an established name as Rijsel. A point to note.

Do not expect culinary masterpieces at Rijsel Rotisserie by Pieter Smits, Iwan Driessen, and Stephanie Lücken. Instead, expect solid, hearty dining based on French cuisine with a wink toward Flanders. The welcome is exceptionally warm. It is packed and pleasantly lively during our visit: booking in advance is a must. The atmosphere is relaxed. The menu is simple: a single A4 sheet featuring about four starters, mains, and desserts, plus a few off-menu dishes. The wine list is extensive, with many wines by the glass that aren't the absolute cheapest. After an amuse-bouche of tasty fried Dutch prawns with lobster mayonnaise, the starters arrive: duck liver terrine and braised oxtail. The excellent flavors of this terrine blend beautifully with a dessert wine jelly. This is followed by two outstanding main courses. The rotisserie poussin with celery and walnuts boasts impeccable cooking and delivers a deliciously fresh-grilled young chicken. The côte de bœuf is perfectly seared and the traditional béarnaise sauce is top-notch, just like the sides, consisting of potatoes fried in goose fat and a classic French-style butter lettuce salad. We pair it with generous glasses of Domaine des Escaravailles Les Sablieres 2019, Côte du Rhône. To finish, a delicious sour cream cake with rhubarb compote and salted caramel ice cream. The capable and enthusiastic staff do not offer explanations when serving, but that is hardly necessary anyway. What you see is what you get. The value for money is excellent. It remains a truly delightful spot!

Having been somewhat disappointed in Lille last year (too crowded, too noisy, too sloppy), we are now enjoying a top-notch evening at one of the capital's hotspots run by Iwan Driessen and Joris van Dijk. It begins with the warm, relaxed welcome from Pieter Smits and continues with the quality on the plate. After the starters—the now-classic Hungarian salad and the excellent monkfish with squid, paired with a glass of elegant and crisp 2019 Piaugier Sablet—two outstanding main courses follow. The cod with spinach and truffle beurre blanc is simple yet delightful, and the biggest surprise is the vegetarian main course: fennel with Taggiasca olives and roasted garlic. It is one of the most flavorful and satisfying vegetarian dishes we have had in ages. The vegetables are cooked to perfection, the onion and garlic combination is superb, the olives add a lovely touch, and the jus is rich with a deep, complex flavor: simply fantastic. Following a solid cheese board featuring exclusively Dutch cheeses comes a simple dessert of melon, vanilla ice cream, and a slightly heavy baklava. Our cheerful sommelier on duty makes excellent wine-pairing choices, though the by-the-glass prices are quite steep. Keep this in mind to avoid any disappointment when the bill arrives.

Rijsel, hosted by Pieter Smits and sommelier Stephanie Lücken, has long since become an institution in the capital. Born out of a passion for French cuisine with a nod to Flanders. Don't expect any pretentiousness here, but rather a solid, unpretentious kitchen paired with smooth service in a carefree atmosphere. The dining room is located in a former classroom of an old home economics school in Amsterdam-Oost. The decor is understated; occasionally you might receive a chipped plate, but hey, you're mainly here for good food and a pleasant evening. Pieter Smits, a big snowboarding fan: “We learned an enormous amount from the coronavirus crisis. The team has grown even closer. Especially the kitchen and front-of-house staff came together more during this period. We kept the name Rijsel alive by adapting our concept to takeout and home delivery. On the night of the mandatory closure, guests could pick up meals at Rijsel or have them delivered. We spoke with entrepreneurs from Italy and Belgium where the coronavirus had already started spreading. Thanks to that information, we were able to pivot quickly.” On the modest menu, you'll find the now-famous young poussin from the rotisserie with lemon and rosemary, served with potatoes fried in duck fat and fresh butter lettuce, and not to forget the cowboy salad that brought chef Iwan Driessen national recognition. Stephanie pours generous glasses of wine alongside your meal, as desired. Booking in advance is an absolute must. Fun fact: During the coronavirus crisis, Rijsel also launched a butcher shop: SlageRijsel. You can still pick up spit-roasted chicken and have it delivered within the local area.

Good food and drink are what it's all about in Lille. Unpretentious with excellent service. In the former classroom of an old home economics school in Amsterdam-Oost, we immediately feel at ease, thanks in no small part to the warm handshake from owner and host Pieter Smits. It’s packed and pleasantly noisy during our visit; booking in advance is a must. The atmosphere is relaxed. On the menu, chef and co-owner Iwan Driessen presents classic French cuisine with a wink toward West Flanders. Everything on the plate is pure, honest, and unadorned. After a glass of sparkling Crémant de Loire Baumard, we start with fresh mackerel tartare served with a shaving cream vinaigrette. Nothing wrong with that. The beef fillet, red mullet, and squid are also excellent: sparkling fresh, perfectly prepared fish in an aromatic broth. The poussin with lemon boasts impeccable cooking: we lick our fingers clean over it, such a delightfully tasty freshly grilled little chicken. The side dish, consisting of potatoes fried in goose fat and classically dressed butter lettuce, is also well executed. We pair it with generous pours of the 2015 Italian Vernaccia di San Gimignano Simone Santini, recommended by the charming and knowledgeable sommelier and co-owner Stephanie Lücken. It’s wonderful here!

Do not expect culinary masterpieces at Rijsel Rotisserie. Rather, you will find good, hearty food rooted in French cuisine, fine wines, and warm service that combined with the bistro-style décor creates a relaxed atmosphere. This is likely what makes the restaurant so incredibly popular in Amsterdam and the surrounding area. On our visit, we start with the braised oxtail and duck liver marbré. The 2006 Spätlese by August Kesseler, one of the few non-French wines on the list, pairs beautifully. The cured ham, however, is accompanied by little more than a raw radish and a cooked silver onion, keeping it from rising much beyond snack-board level. The simple but excellent main courses are highly enjoyable: the cod with shellfish sauce, leek, and Dutch brown shrimp tastes great, as does the onglet (tenderloin) with Café de Paris sauce. The desserts prove to be the surprise of the evening: the chocolate cake is rich in flavor yet remarkably light in texture. With a bite of the apple croustillant, you almost feel as though you are sitting with your eyes closed on the terrace of a French restaurant. The bill aligns well with what Rijsel offers its guests. It could occasionally benefit from a touch more refinement, but this pleasant spot more than deserves its place in Lekker.