Het Oude Gemeentehuis

The Old Town Hall in the center of Rhenen is one of those restaurants where you always feel a bit like coming home. A pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, in a chic yet accessible setting. Owner-chef Niels Brinkman prepares classic dishes using contemporary techniques. He enjoys letting guests, together with his brother and chef Bart Minkman and chef Rick Paardekoper, taste what nature has to offer. After a warm welcome and coat check, we are seated at our table by the charming hostess Justina Scherrenburg, with a view of the open kitchen. You can choose from à la carte options, as well as a three- to six-course experience menu and a rotating three- or four-course lunch menu. The amuse-bouches are a delight: tapioca croquant with gadogado foam and parsnip soup with hazelnut, Dutch shrimp, and green herb oil are flavorful welcomes. A beautifully plated starter features a salad of super-fresh scallop slices, nashi pear, ginger gel, sesame croquant, and ponzu foam. A lovely balance of gentle sweetness and acidity. The hand-cut veal tenderloin is also of optimal quality, served alongside marinated eggplant, miso gel, tomato, and baharat foam. Sommelier Tim Even pairs it with an exotic 2023 Riesling Trocken by Marcus Hees from Nahe, Germany. For the main course, corvina cooked skin-on with saffron risotto, calamari, cuttlefish, Dutch shrimp, and a beurre blanc with a light acidity. Simply delicious. The glass of 2023 Gavi di Gavi Nicola Bergaglio from Italy offers a beautiful interplay. Kudos to the service staff, who work skillfully and make time for a chat. A welcoming spot with an excellent price-to-quality ratio.

Since 2013, chef Niels Minkman has been based at the former town hall of Rhenen, and since October 2023 he has also owned the Broederenklooster in Zutphen, which has been converted into a boutique hotel with a French-oriented restaurant. At Het Oude Gemeentehuis, he works alongside chef and brother Bart Minkman in the kitchen, while hostess Justina Scherrenburg and her team take care of the front of house. The kitchen brigade goes all out to ensure guests have an optimal experience. From the open kitchen come balanced dishes at a reasonable price, which is exactly what the brothers pride themselves on. Good food doesn't have to cost a fortune. In addition to a daily rotating lunch menu of three or four courses, you can choose from à la carte dishes for dinner. During our aperitif, poured by the skilled sommelier Tim Even—a robust champagne from Côtes des Bar, the southernmost champagne region—we nibble on a plate of freshly sliced pata negra that can be ordered as a bite. For the starter, we opt for a creamy bisque royale generously packed with half a lobster and accompanied by a garnish of briny herbs. The soup is full-bodied and deeply flavored. The main course is a classic: grilled turbot with al dente asparagus, Dutch shrimp, and broad beans. The plate is wiped clean. Niels and Bart deliver on their promises; the price-to-quality ratio here is exemplary. A welcoming venue.

Since 2013, Niels and Janneke Minkman have been running a successful restaurant in the former, fully restored town hall of Rhenen. And that is no surprise, as Niels prepares a surprisingly exquisite cuisine that has not gone unnoticed. A relaxed atmosphere permeates the modern dining room, which is filled with guests of all ages. The open kitchen features a chef’s table, and you can also take a seat at a high-top bar with stools. As an aperitif, we enjoyed a Spanish cava from Cellers de L'Arboç, d'Arciac Brut, accompanied by welcome bites such as a beet tartare made with beets, Dutch new herring, and crème fraîche. For enthusiasts, there is also an amuse-bouche. The pronounced flavors of the beet and herring are perfectly balanced. It takes a while to receive our starter, but the avocado flan and tuna tartare with nori, cucumber and wasabi sorbet surrounded by an olive oil and sambal vinaigrette is more than worth the wait. The main course features soft-cooked turbot with beurre blanc and potato mousseline, surprisingly paired with smoked ox sausage. Original and very delicious. This is followed by thick slices of tender polder chicken, served alongside succulent lobster and an excellent lobster sauce, accompanied by crisp-tender green asparagus and sea beans. We have to wait just as long for dessert: fresh strawberries and jelly with yogurt ice cream and a white chocolate bombe. And that is precisely our only criticism. Dining for nearly four hours is simply too much.

Beautifully restored former town hall of Rhenen, situated on the Lower Rhine. The interior is atmospheric and modern, with a relaxed ambiance. Seated on the stunning terrace with an aperitif, we are served beautifully presented amuse-bouches, including razor clam tartare with codium, an egg cup filled with potato salad, small Dutch shrimp with hollandaise sauce. Simply delicious! Owner-chef Niels Minkman has been cooking at a consistently high standard for years and has only one mission: to provide his guests with an unforgettable experience through excellent food and warm hospitality. He can rest easy, as he succeeds in this in every respect. The menu features international dishes with an exotic touch. Paired with a fine Graubunder trocken 2021 from Weingut Manz, we enjoy beef tartare with miso cream, sambal vinaigrette, and sweet-and-sour pickled mustard seeds. The lightly seared scallop with pearl couscous, beetroot, tomato cream, and melon onion is also delightful, though it is a shame that the tomato cream is slightly too dominant and ends up overpowering the dish. For the main course, we have sea bream with saffron rice, parsnip, briny vegetables, and a beurre blanc. The fish is pan-seared skin-side down and cooked to perfection. Once again, a visual treat and beautifully balanced in flavor. We accompany it with a recommended French Château Viranel Intuition 2021 from the Languedoc. The service is friendly, professional, attentive, and welcoming. The value for money is excellent. A restaurant you will always want to return to!

The former town hall in the center of Rhenen has now become a place to be for those who love the good life and delicious food in a beautiful ambiance. Spacious, rugged, modern, full of wood, with comfortably upholstered armchairs and wall benches, and art on the walls. The centerpiece is the impressive wall-mounted wine cabinet. Patron-chef Niels Minkman and his partner and hostess Janneke Eerbeek know how to create a lovely atmosphere. The menu offers both à la carte selections and set menus. Alongside French classics, the wine list also features some interesting new additions. To start, super fresh Scottish hand-dived scallops with coconut foam and wild carrot sorbet. Next, various preparations of beef heart: served as a bavarois and bloody mary ice cream, accompanied by cucumber foam, saffron cream, and a clear tomato jelly. Refreshing and beautifully balanced in flavor. The grass-fed lamb from the main course is tender and served with a red wine jus, morel sauce, pea cream, and couscous. The poured wine is a Passo del Sud Appassimento 2018; it has a smooth entry, is not too heavy, and has a slight sweetness. It would have tasted even better served slightly cooler. The cheeses are excellent. Saint Mauvais, Zwaluw Gekwetter, Filetta, Remeker, and a delicious cultured blue cheese from Italy. Served with a glass of Chainier et Fils Pineau des Charentes. Excellent!

The name says it all: owner-chef Niels Minkman and hostess-sommelier Janneke Eerbeek have been running their beautifully restored and atmospheric establishment in the former town hall of Rhenen since August 2013. The interior is comfortable, featuring plush sofas and chairs, with gleaming crockery and cutlery set on each table. Niels honed his skills at renowned restaurants both domestically and abroad, and after seven years working in Switzerland, he and Janneke returned to the Netherlands. In the former town hall, he now prepares French cuisine with contemporary influences. His passion lies in surprising guests with exquisite flavor combinations. Guests can choose from a two- or three-course lunch menu, a four-course surprise menu, or a three- to five-course menu de mayor. An optional wine pairing featuring French classics, as well as more unusual selections, can be ordered. For Janneke, an evening is a success if she has managed to make her guests feel completely at ease and delighted. This is the kind of place where you truly go out for a fancy dinner—not because you need to wear a three-piece suit, but simply because it’s fun to dress up for the occasion. During the coronavirus lockdown, they also introduced a catering menu, which remains available for order. Additionally, guests had the option to hire the chef to cook for them at home. If that isn’t creative thinking!

Owner-chef Niels Minkman and hostess Janneke Eerbeek run their charming restaurant with an open kitchen in the atmospheric old town hall of Rhenen. Without exception, the guests are elegantly dressed for a chic evening out. The restaurant is fully booked. Niels prepares French cuisine, and the amuse-bouche of potato salad with marinated scallop, cucumber foam, and herring roe offers a delightful interplay of flavors. We do have to wait quite a while for it, just like last year. One guest orders carpaccio of Dutch beef with truffle mayonnaise, Parmesan, and arugula, while the other has duck liver terrine with poached pear and an Epoisse crème brûlée. Beautifully presented dishes of excellent quality. This is followed by rosé and crouté roasted Anjou pigeon “Wellington” with chanterelles, foie gras, and Pata Negra. Served alongside fresh broad beans and green asparagus. The flavors are outstanding, but the plating is somewhat messy. That could certainly be improved. In the glass, a full-bodied and herbaceous Merlot Leyda 2017 from Chile. Succulently pan-seared turbot fillets are accompanied by a porcini cream, confit chicory, morels, and beurre blanc. The plates are wiped clean. The young female servers, stylishly dressed, are welcoming and work seamlessly together. The only remaining issue is the lengthy wait at the beginning of the meal. Forty-five minutes sitting on an empty stomach is simply too long.

We have to wait a while for the aperitif to be served, but then it takes another hour or so before the first course arrives. That simply isn't acceptable. We make do with bread served with cultured butter and a grassy olive oil, along with a very tasty amuse-bouche soup. In the meantime, we have a good bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape brought out. The atmosphere in the distinctive old building with its modern interior is otherwise upbeat, and the diligent black-clad brigade fits right in. However, there is no sign of genuine hospitality, and there is also a noticeable lack of extensive wine knowledge. The dishes are well described, though. The fact that this place is so busy is mainly due to the skill of owner-chef Niels Minkman, and the ingredients used are of high quality. The Rondo duck liver terrine tastes soft and rich, surrounded by eel fillet. Both are bold flavors that are balanced by beetroot, popcorn, and aceto balsamico. Natural cubes of beetroot are accompanied by lightly sweet foams. Next come thin slices of lukewarm, juicy pastrami, dressed with brown butter, cauliflower crumb, and elegant duck liver curls. Sliced prime beef is served with surprising mustard poffertjes, endive, and pan-fried goose liver. It is delicious paired with the lovely Rhône wine. The grain-fed ribeye delivers tender meat with a deep flavor, and the béarnaise sauce brings us great satisfaction. Fine seasonal vegetables and french fries complete the dish. The value for money is excellent. If only they paid a bit more attention to the pacing of service, we would gladly return!