Achter de Poorte

Picturesque historic building in the old town of Elburg. Chef de cuisine David de Jong, who succeeded chef Arno Visser, delivers high-quality French-Mediterranean cuisine. Owner and hostess-sommelier Natasja Bijl ensures you have everything you need. She also impresses with her impeccable wine knowledge. The menus are balanced and receive full creative attention, ranging from four to eight courses, alongside a lovely compact à la carte selection. We taste swordfish tartare on thin slices of fennel with aioli cream, pomelo, ponzu pearls, and crispy wild rice. A fine start. Next, roasted leg of lamb with crispy pan-fried lamb neck, sweet potato rösti, fresh pea and mint puree, green asparagus, and a beurre rouge sauce. The meat has a fantastic doneness, and Natasja pairs it seamlessly with a Yugo Crianza 2021 Cristo la Vega from Spain: abundant ripe red fruit with subtle oak notes on the nose. After the main course, we indulge in delicious ice cream made from fermented elderflower, chicory foam, coffee, and ruby chocolate. A true feast for the taste buds. Compliments to the entire team; you can taste their passion for the craft, and the joy of pampering guests is clearly evident. A delightful, affordable, and above all, charming establishment.

Behind the Fish Gate, overlooking the city walls of medieval Elburg, is restaurant Achter de Poorte. The kitchen draws on classic techniques and translates them into a contemporary French-Mediterranean signature style. The menu is zor...

Since 2018, host and sommelier Natasja Bijl has been running this charming restaurant located within the 14th-century city gate of the Hanseatic town of Elburg, having taken over from her parents, Marco and Alie Bijl. The quality standards she established, Natasja maintains with pride, and it certainly does not go unnoticed, as the restaurant is always packed. Her mission is to combine quality with an affordable price. Chef Arno Visser’s kitchen serves French-Mediterranean dishes made from day-fresh ingredients, without skimping on premium items such as scallops, langoustines, and duck liver. The menu rotates with the seasons. The wine list features selections primarily from the Old World at very reasonable prices. We indulge in hand-cut beef tartare accompanied by a quail egg, parmesan foam, onion, gherkin, potato crisps, and black garlic mayonnaise that adds a delightful zest. Applause also goes to the fried pollock fillet served with bisque foam, sea aster, squid, confit garlic, and paella. We pair it with a softly herbal rosé from Provence by Domaine de Rimauresq. For a starter, consider the North Sea turbot, classically pan-fried in butter with potato mousseline and lemon. It feels as though angels are dancing on your tongue. Kudos to the service, which is warm and straightforward, executed with passion and thorough knowledge of the menu. A wonderful family business where you can reliably expect a lunch or dinner of a high standard.

Situated on the shores of the Randmeren is Elburg, a picturesque old Hanseatic town known for its high concentration of monuments, a charming harbor, several museums, and the restaurant Achter de Poorte, nestled within its fourteenth-century city gate. Reservations are essential here, as the place is packed night after night. The regularly rotating multi-course menu is also very reasonably priced. We settle comfortably into the former fisherman’s cottage, now transformed into a cozy yet modern dining space. To start, we enjoy a generously poured glass of robust Crémant de Bourgogne, served alongside light bites such as a cheese tuile and hazelnuts. For the starter, we have hand-sliced veal tenderloin served atop slices of tender veal tongue, accompanied by mustard, crème fraîche, and a quail egg. My dining companion orders the smoked salmon with roasted peppers, muhammara, and pomegranate molasses. The flavors are perfectly balanced. Next comes beautifully pink-roasted lamb loin, paired with a lamb roulade and a smoked garlic jus that elevate the dish to new heights. A Portuguese Herdade de São Miguel 2021 from Alentejo pairs perfectly with a flawlessly cooked entrecôte, served with mushrooms and a fragrant Madeira jus. We order a cheese board featuring exclusively Dutch varieties, complemented by homemade fig chutney and fennel butter, which pairs surprisingly well with the selection. Kudos to the owner, hostess, and sommelier Natasja Bijl, who is both professional and highly knowledgeable while maintaining impeccable composure throughout the evening.

Just inside the 14th-century Vischpoort lies – tucked away in a narrow alley behind a thick city wall – restaurant Achter de Poorte by Natasja Bijl. Inside, the old oak beams and high ceiling evoke a bygone era of fishermen, yet the decor is distinctly modern chic. After olives and almonds with the aperitif, we are pleasantly surprised by delicious amuse-bouches, including a flawlessly executed potato soufflé. The menu, which puts fish front and center, is concise yet offers ample choice for meat lovers and vegetarians alike. Beef tartare with a warm poached egg, topped with parmesan and mustard foam, makes for an excellent start. Hostess Natasja pairs it with a Cruz Alta Reserve 2020 from Mendoza, Argentina. A lovely match. Resting on a tomato-pepper sauce is a generously portioned grilled ray wing that, unfortunately, briefly slipped past chef Arno Visser’s attention and is consequently a bit too dry. The risotto is flavorful and expertly cooked, and the vegetable accompaniment of carrot, romanesco, zucchini, sugar snap peas, and red onion is equally well done. The Chardonnay Grande Reserve Les Bertholets 2021 from the Pays d’Oc boasts a fresh yet rich finish and complements the dish perfectly. Service is welcoming and relaxed, despite the staff clearly working at full tilt, as the dining room is completely full. A charming venue where portions are generous and prices are quite reasonable.

Situated in the traffic-free center (with parking available at the central lot), the interior features a touch of chic, pleasant acoustics, a busy dining room, and a relaxed atmosphere. The picturesque town of Elburg provides the setting for this cozy restaurant, run by Natasja Bijl. French-Mediterranean cuisine is skillfully directed by Chef Arno Visser. The menu offers ample choice, available both à la carte and as a multi-course option. Naturally, Natasja will gladly recommend and serve perfectly paired wines upon request. We begin with gamba and langoustine, consisting of a prawn salad, gazpacho, grilled langoustine, tomato and basil compote, and aged cheese cream. Delicious, with refined flavors, and pairing it with a glass of Verdejo from Rueda is a perfect match. Rosé-roasted duck breast from the Veluwe follows, served with risotto, orange compote, carrot cream, and a five-spice jus. Skillfully prepared and bursting with flavor. The accompanying Italian corvina from Veneto is cooked to perfection. The portions are generous, and the value for money is excellent. Special mention goes to the friendly service. Despite their youthful appearance, the staff operates as a professional and seamlessly coordinated team. Achter de Poorte is a truly delightful dining destination.

French-Mediterranean cuisine is exactly what you’ll find at Achter de Poorte, located in the old town of picturesque Elburg. This cozy, living-room-style restaurant, housed in a historic building filled with wooden beams and slightly crooked walls, was founded in 1991 by Marco and Alie Bijl. They have successfully cultivated a large following of loyal regulars. In 2018, the reins were passed to their daughter, Natasja Bijl. This enthusiastic hostess and sommelier skillfully preserves the pleasant, relaxed ambiance, a task greatly aided by her young and passionate team. Executive chef Arno Visser cooks in harmony with the seasons, and the menu changes almost every three months. He delights in beautiful color variations on the plate and a well-balanced interplay of flavors. With a touch of crunch, acidity, sweetness, and bitterness, he loves to awaken the palate. It is Achter de Poorte’s mission to allow guests to enjoy beautifully crafted dishes and perfectly paired wines at an affordable price. In our view, they have more than succeeded in this goal. And we are certainly not alone in this assessment, as this welcoming spot is nearly always packed.

In the charming Hanseatic town of Elburg, just behind the city gate, you’ll find ‘Achter de Poorte’. A cozy living-room-style restaurant in a historic building full of wooden beams and crooked walls. Owner, hostess, and sommelier Natasja Bijl and her young team create a relaxed atmosphere; we feel right at home immediately. Head chef Arno Visser serves predominantly classic dishes from his kitchen. We choose the three-course set menu. To start, buttery-tender veal cutlets with tuna cream, basil fritters, baked cherry tomatoes, red onion, arugula oil, and a filo pastry crisp. In the glass, a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot from Domaine de l'Arjolle in France. This young 2018 vintage comes straight from the barrel. The chef says he likes to keep the taste buds working. And that’s true, as the promised crispy, sour, sweet, and bitter elements are present in both the starter and the main course. Gently cooked turbot fillet with spinach and cream cheese ravioli, caramelized leek, turnip tops mash, roasted pipemushroom seeds, and an antiboise sauce is highly flavorful and features beautiful textures. Unfortunately, the wine choice, an Italian Pecorino from De Angelis, was less successful. We finish with a generously filled cheese board featuring, among others, French sheep’s milk cheese, Belgian Kernhemmer, and a spicy blue cheese. Served with onion compote and homemade brioche. “Quality doesn’t have to be expensive” is the restaurant’s motto, and it’s absolutely true. A truly atmospheric dining spot where you genuinely get your money’s worth.

Natasja Bijl has taken over the reins from her parents and is now the owner of this small restaurant in Elburg, a historic fishing and trading town. The dark colors have given way to light white and gray tones. Accompanying a fresh Palau Brut cava is a welcome bite from head chef Arno Visser: a poached egg and sea bass tartare with cucumber cream. Delicious. Visser cooks classically using seasonal ingredients. We decide to let him surprise us. The starter is a salmon terrine with smoked salmon, soy pearls, wakame, and a fried prawn. In the glass, a Pontificus Chardonnay Viognier. Not particularly exciting, but a solid pairing. The seared red mullet on asparagus risotto with a curry foam is a bit disappointing due to its somewhat flat flavor. The poured Touraine Sauvignon from Domaine du Fraisse is lovely, but in our opinion would have paired better with the starter. The main course features juicy duck from the Veluwe region with sweet potato, a deliciously aromatic chestnut mushroom duxelle, and Madeira sauce. An outstanding dish. The wooden-aged Pago de Cirsus from Navarra pairs seamlessly. We finish with a cheesecake mousse topped with Bastogne crumble and raspberry ice cream, accompanied by Casa Silva’s late-harvest Semillon-Gewürztraminer. The service is polite and efficient, we also appreciate the chef’s personal touch at the table, and we can confidently say that Natasja has taken over the establishment with great professionalism. Bravo.