De Portier

Located in the beautiful old Poortwachtershuys on the square next to the Valkhofmuseum in Nijmegen. The ambiance is chic, yet simultaneously approachable, and this is greatly enhanced by the attentive, expert, and seamless service. Under the direction of chef Peter Cardynaals, the kitchen prepares dishes rooted in French cuisine with international and Eastern influences. The multi-course menu changes regularly with the seasons. We choose six courses, and the chef immediately impresses with the first dish. Sea bass tartare with a rillette of smoked eel, refreshed with apple pearls, green herbs, and a spicy horseradish dressing. The dish is light and well-balanced, with crispy wasabi adding a playful accent. We pair it with a 2024 Chardonnay Classic from Weingut Türk in Austria, fresh and mineral-driven. The wine complements the dish perfectly without overpowering it. Austrian wines are, incidentally, well represented on the list, and a large portion is imported directly by De Portier himself. Another highlight is the main course. The veal with chanterelles, carrots, and veal jus is tender and full of flavor. The fried chorizo adds a spicy and smoky element, keeping the overall experience intriguing. The galanga foam may not contribute much, but the rich veal jus and the juiciness of the meat still make the dish exceptional. The dessert closes out the evening with red fruit, pistachio shortbread, quark, meringue, dragonfruit gel, beetroot gel, rose sorbet, and hibiscus sauce. A refined, layered, and visually striking composition full of freshness and texture. A wonderful spot we would gladly return to.

The former gatekeeper's house on Kelfkensbos in Nijmegen offers a fitting backdrop for a gastronomic experience. Craftsmanship takes center stage here. Chef Peter Cardynaals brings a cuisine with French finesse and Eastern influences. The ger...

In the former gatekeeper's cottage, hostess Francien Streng and chef Peter Cardynaals have been running their elegantly appointed restaurant for quite some time. We begin with a lovely rosé brut Gager from Austria and are served trendy amuse-bouches such as a tartelette with boerentrots cheese, homemade tapenade with cashew and timut pepper jelly. Peter prepares French cuisine infused with international and Oriental influences. His dishes boast numerous complex flavors that are exquisitely harmonized. The starter is a wild sea bass tartare with strained yogurt, Thai curry ice pearls, radish, green apple, a kaffir lime leaf tea vinaigrette with Sumatran pepper, elderflower gel, and a turmeric crisp. To complement these intricate flavor profiles, the experienced sommelier team pours a refreshing Wiener Gemischter Satz, a blended wine where the various grape varieties are processed together during vinification to create this distinctive 'Satz'. The establishment's fondness for German and Austrian wines is clearly reflected in the thoughtfully curated pairings, as we will soon discover. We continue with mullet fillet on couscous with saffron, young carrot purée and Indian spices, calamansi gel, coconut foam, kaffir leaf sauce, and a salad featuring prawns and mango. Once again, the flavors are complex yet perfectly balanced. The main course highlights veal loin with sweet-and-sour radish and a veal bonbon accented with parsley and summer truffle. It is accompanied by double-dipped broad beans, a potato millefeuille with radish and watercress, chanterelles, and a rich veal jus with maggi plant. Paired with this is an Austrian standout: Blaufränkisch Kalk & Schiefer, Leithaberg, from Kirchknopf winery. A wonderful address in the oldest city of the Netherlands.

Francien Streng and Peter Cardynaals can be proud of their renovated establishment, located in the former Gatekeeper's House in the heart of Nijmegen. After an extensive renovation, De Portier looks absolutely stunning. The more classic interior has been replaced by a modern aesthetic featuring black metal, while preserving the authentic charm of the past. For instance, the original wooden ceiling beams are once again visible. The wine shop on the first floor has been replaced by guest tables. The kitchen brigade, led by Chef Pe as Peter is commonly known, is visibly hard at work in the newly renovated open kitchen, preparing artisanal French-style dishes with international influences. Sommelier and importer of predominantly Austrian wines, Francien, provides carefully selected matching wines upon request. We opt for a five-course menu with a matching wine pairing. The amuse-bouche of corn tortilla, smoked eel, crème fraîche, and a Japanese cherry mousse already hints that presentation is paramount here. The starter features lightly charred trout with shrimp, apple, asparagus, and gherkin vinaigrette, topped with crispy spirals made from potato croquettes. The combination of colorful ingredients creates an attractive presentation. The dish carries an unexpectedly sweet note due to the trout marinade and its pairing with apple, which is nicely balanced by the tanginess of the gherkin vinaigrette. In the glass, we have a white wine: Grüner Veltliner Privat 2020 from Weingut Böheim. Its fresh acidity complements the dish beautifully. The succulent roasted leg of lamb is covered by a vegetable cylinder filled with fennel, broad beans, and tarragon. Unfortunately, the delicate asparagus flavor gets overshadowed by the cylinder and the herbaceous, rich lamb jus enriched with tosazu. This is followed by a honeycomb structure of coconut and yogurt, accompanied by mango cubes, mango sorbet, lemon curd, meringue, and crumble. The craftsmanship shines through in every facet of this course. A wonderful spot.

Located in the former gatekeeper’s house in the heart of Nijmegen’s city center. Above the cozy, modern-classic styled living-room restaurant, which adjoins a beautiful glass sunroom, is the wine shop. Owner Francien Streng imports her own wines, primarily from Austria, and if you taste them during your meal, you can purchase them in the shop afterward. From the kitchen of chef Pe (Peter) Cardynaals come artisanal dishes rooted in French tradition with international twists. The menu offers a choice of course numbers, optionally with a matching wine pairing. For starters, there is a Sea Breeze gin and tonic made with a Dutch gin crafted using purified Oosterschelde water, served with salty fine de Claire oysters. We sampled a beautifully presented plate of mackerel, a small apple and mustard salad, and a delightful sauce based on yogurt and sushi vinegar. During another visit, we indulged in tender pieces of roe deer with rendang, pumpkin, koji, pineapple, and a robust, concentrated game jus. We also enjoyed perfectly prepared beef fillet with beetroot, endive, and sambal. The dishes are served generously and accompanied by expert descriptions. It is not particularly cheap here, but you definitely get your money’s worth. By the way, the wine shop can be rented for private gatherings of up to eight people, just like the mezzanine next to the bar.

Cozy, living-room-style restaurant by Francien Streng and Ruth Bisseling in the heart of the city center, near the Waal Bridge and Valkhof Museum. De Portier is housed in the former gatekeeper's house. The ground floor features an open seating area for the restaurant – reservable for small parties – and a bar. Above it sits the wine shop. Francien and her sommelier, Simone Breijnaerts, actually import Austrian wines themselves, which can be sampled at the restaurant and purchased in the wine shop. Multi-course menus are available on the table, and the laminated wine list offers excellent selections; not exclusively from Austria. Chef Peter Cardynaals prepares French cuisine with international influences. For the starter: grilled turbot marinated in lemon, served with a salad of spring garlic, Dutch shrimp, saffron ice cream, avocado purée, slices of spring garlic, orange blossom gel, and a white wine vinaigrette with coriander oil. Plenty of flavors on the plate, yet the overall composition is harmonious. Followed by pan-seared lamb fillet with herb port, braised and lightly pan-fried lamb neck, yellow pea purée, creamy broad beans, onion compote and pickles, and a sambal sauce. There is no shortage of ingredients here, and once again, a refined combination that is generously portioned. Paired with a beautifully complementary Blaufränkisch 2018 from Weingut Kirchknopf, Leithaberg, Austria. The service staff is exceptionally well-versed in both the food and the wine. Here, you taste years of expertise blended with a genuine passion for hospitality. Top!