THE DUCHESS

De entree in The Duchess, gevestigd in de oude bankhal van het W-hotel in hartje Amsterdam, is overweldigend. Het originele marmer en de immens hoge plafonds van glas in lood zijn aangevuld met prachtige kandelaars aan het plafond, een modern ogende bar en kunst in een stalen constructie langs de zijkant. Ook in bredere zin doet een diner bij The Duchess de zintuigen prikkelen: door de hoge snelheid van uitserveren en de uitbundige tafelbereidingen met onder meer stikstof bij de desserts. Over wat er uit de keuken onder leiding van chef Jeffrey Graf komt, zijn we wisselend te spreken. Op basis van de menukaart zien we overwegend luxe ingrediënten zoals truffel, kaviaar en kreeft. Over het algemeen is het eten prima, maar soms mag er iets scherper op de kwaliteit van de bereiding worden gelet, en mag de mate van verrassing in smaken iets hoger. Bij de voorgerechten weet tartaar van Japanse blauwvintonijn met korst van pistache en omgeven door een frisse saus van sinaasappel ons weliswaar te bekoren, maar de 'donuts' gevuld met te dunne Franse ganzenlever geven geen fijn mondgevoel. Het hoofdgerecht van open ravioli met gestoofde short rib is heerlijk en intens van smaak, maar mist verfijning. En in een rodewijnsaus bij lamskoteletjes zit helaas te veel zout: het gerecht is niet meer in balans. De zwarte brigade is gastvrij en correct, al kan de wijnbegeleiding met wat meer aandacht en afstemming worden aangeboden. De tien jaar oude tawny-port bij desserts op basis van witte- en melkchocolade slaat bijvoorbeeld de plank mis. The Duchess heeft door de locatie veel potentie, maar mag aan wat knoppen draaien om de hoge prijzen die gevraagd worden te rechtvaardigen.

The Duchess is located in the former KAS bank building, part of the W Hotel. The interior is chic and classic, featuring high ceilings, massive chandeliers, and abundant Art Deco detailing on the walls. Many hotel guests are present here, mostly from abroad. We receive an extensive menu featuring starters, main courses, and desserts that can be ordered for food sharing. Chef Jeffrey Graf and his team prepare them behind a large glass partition, while the predominantly English-speaking staff enthusiastically serves them. The served mocktail deserves more attention, because if you subtract the amount of ice, there is barely any drink left. The veal tartare on brioche, mixed with smoked eel and truffle, is delicious. It is perfectly temperatured and delicately flavored. Accompanying it is a wonderful glass of 2022 Chardonnay from Guerrin & Fils, Pouilly-Fuissé, Burgundy, France. However, you do not get to see the bottle, as it is poured to measure behind the bar. Next comes a plate of generously served sea bass carpaccio floating in olive oil from Puglia, along with tomato seeds and pieces of chili; this calls for extra bread, which happens to be excellent and is brought to the table free of charge. If you want more, you will have to pay for it. For the main course, we choose homemade pasta with short rib slow-cooked for eight hours in a red wine sauce. A very beautiful dish, accompanied by a Pinot Noir from Burgundy from the Gachot-Monot estate. The waitstaff works somewhat hurriedly due to our time slot, which feels unpleasant, especially since we are reminded of it twice. The dessert is prepared tableside using liquid nitrogen: vanilla ice cream and blackcurrant compote are blended in a mixer and then placed atop round profiteroles. Delicious. Bring a well-stuffed wallet, as you will pay capital-city prices, particularly for drinks.

Located in the impressive five-star W hotel near De Dam. The spacious dining room exudes luxury, blending the classic charm of the historic building with design elements. Dark tones, marble tables, golden accessories, artistic lamps, and plenty of art. Many foreign (hotel) guests dine here, and English is the staff's primary language. The Duchess follows the shared dining concept, though the menu is still divided into starters and main courses. The wine list offers an extensive selection organized by flavor profile. Before you assume you can dine for hours, it’s worth noting that there are seating shifts and a strict time limit. We are served delicious brioche bread alongside Turkish olive oil and a tomato salsa. In the glass, a full-bodied and nutty Ruinart Brut champagne. For the starter, tuna tartare on spicy tomato chutney topped with a green herb crust. Rich, luscious, and full of flavor. We continue with raw zucchini pasta with fresh truffle. Simple, earthy, and crunchy. The main course is rolled al dente pasta with an assortment of seafood such as grilled prawns, scallops, and fresh lobster, drizzled with a (once again) tomato sauce. The dessert is a spectacle: a large chocolate sphere is brought to the table, with a touch of nitrogen creating a smoking effect. The server smashes the sphere open to reveal a beautiful array of chocolates and other sweets. In the glass, a lovely matching Ruby Port from Senhora do Convento. Bring a well-stuffed wallet, as the food and wine will cost you dearly.

Even for the ambiance alone, The Duchess is worth a visit. The impressive dining room is located in the stately five-star W hotel, situated near the Dam. Many foreign guests dine in the spacious, design-filled room with very high ceilings, plenty of stained glass, marble, gold, and art everywhere. The spotlessly white menu features dishes to share. The wine list includes wines from all over the world. Each table has its own hostess or host, overseen by bar manager Andrea Boi. Be prepared: the working language is English. The complimentary homemade brioche bread comes with Turkish olive oil and tomato salsa with sea salt. Delicious! The royal beef tartare is super fresh, deliciously seasoned, and beautifully presented. The rösti with parmesan aioli and a generous amount of truffle also earns applause. The 'Sauteed prawns with champagne buttersauce and grilled crostini' deliver well-cooked large prawns full of flavor and a great butter sauce, though little champagne taste can be detected in it. We fall in love with the desserts. Both the pavlova and the 'Chocolate dream' with brownie, ice cream, crispies, and foam are so overpowering that they make the beautiful food that came before fade into the background. We feel exactly the same way when the bill is presented. It's steep.

You will never tire of taking in this Belle Époque palace, with all its marble, gold, stained glass, wood, and modern art. All set beneath an immensely high ceiling with skylights, where daylight streams in to further enhance the splendor. The grandeur of the house restaurant at the five-star 'W' hotel, however, does not lie in its flexibility: there is no dinner service on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays, amuse-bouches are omitted, wine and food are exorbitantly priced, and you must finish your meal within two hours. The classic 'Niçoise' signatures once created by Jeffrey Graf are now prepared by his successor, Dean Baker, who previously worked in London at Maze and The Beefsteak Club. We begin with raw tuna tartare on a smooth tomato salsa base, topped with crushed pistachios and coriander cress. Fresh, spicy, and savory. Bar manager Andrea Boi—a vital link in the well-oiled machine of impeccable, highly skilled, and hyper-friendly staff—pairs it with a superb glass of Pouilly-Fumé Les Duchesse, Laporte. The main course of tongue arrives completely bare. Well, accompanied by four juicy wedges and a small jug of butter sauce. The ordered truffle mashed potatoes are equally delightful, as is the glass of Pouilly-Fuissé from Domaine Guerrin, an excellent match for this buttery richness. The finale is crème brûlée with salted caramel ice cream. In a word: good.

A spectacular dining room with an infinitely high ceiling, stained glass, massive clocks, a statue of Hermes, grand arches, enormous chandeliers, and an open kitchen behind glass. The Duchess is located in the W Amsterdam Hotel, owned by Yossi Eliyahoo and his Entourage Group, and is situated on the Spuistraat. We are immediately instructed—in English—about the restaurant's seating rotation policy (you are given exactly two hours), which, while you're still settling in, hardly feels welcoming. Anyway. The kitchen serves international cuisine, and the ordered dishes arrive at the table at a rapid pace, ensuring we still have time to spare. The quality of the food is good and the portions are more than ample. Yet the wow factor remains absent. You can also visit for lunch or high tea, and the accompanying pastries crafted by Peter Scholte are incredibly good. Nevertheless, we cannot shake the impression that the passion behind this chic establishment is not entirely there.

This restaurant is located in the W Amsterdam Hotel, owned by Yossi Eliyahoo and his Entourage Group. In the kitchen, Canadian chef Jeffrey Graf wields the culinary scepter. The menu offers a wide selection of nearly 30 hors d'oeuvres and main courses, along with nine desserts. We select eight dishes and plan to taste them one after another. Unfortunately, they arrive in quick succession in batches of two or even three at a time, served by an English-speaking brigade. We are also informed about the shift system in this restaurant, which limits dining to a maximum of two hours. Not exactly hospitable. Anyway. Following a super-fresh brioche with vibrant tomato tapenade comes a generous portion of fennel and pistachio salad featuring pleasant bitter notes and bright acidity from orange and red grapefruit. Next, crispy fried anchovies and well-seared calamari with squid ink dough and mint. Delicious, but it doesn't exactly dazzle with creativity. Serving the grilled lamb rack with figs alongside the broccoli gnocchi and truffle simultaneously puts us in an awkward spot. We can't eat everything at once, and by the time we start on the gnocchi, the parmesan has melted away and the truffle aroma has largely disappeared. The exceptionally well-paired Château Haut-Surget 2016 Lalande-de-Pomerol somewhat softens the blow. Applause for pastry chef Peter Scholte (formerly of Sucre), who serves a simply superb dessert: baked green apples in sugar syrup, filo dough, crème diplomate, and calvados ice cream.