Damianz - Het Arresthuis

The former city prison of Roermond (once inhabited by Bishop Damianus) is now a destination for lovers of the fine dining cuisine of owner-chef Jeroen van Gansewinkel. Traces of the past are still visible in the window bars, and guests staying at the on-site hotel sleep in the old cell complex. We start with a Bründlmayer rosé featuring subtle notes of cherries and wild strawberries, with hints of lemon and caramel, accompanied by a water and bread service. But decidedly not in a prison-style presentation. The water is a blend of celery, apple, and lava, while the bread is a crispy shiitake chip. A pleasant touch. We opt for the chef's menu and have to wait quite a while for the first course. On the table comes a crispy artichoke hull filled with a tuna tartare, styled in an Asian manner with nori strips. Surrounding it is a horseradish crèmeux with mirin sauce and soy pearls, and in the glass, a harmonizing Pecorino Belato. Fortunately, the subsequent courses follow at a good pace. We continue with a tender langoustine served with burrata, a refined potato salad, and thinly sliced avocado, accompanied by herring roe and a bisque. Skilled sommelier David Manders pours a wine from biodynamic winery Fontavin in the Rhône to accompany it. The wine is both powerful and balanced in its freshness, pairing beautifully with the rich bisque sauce. The scallop on ravioli filled with goat cheese, topped with a bergamot and lemon thyme foam, is a standout. Beautifully balanced in flavor and elegantly presented. The rose-roasted veal loin with eggplant and mint puree also earns applause. The veal loin is garnished with tuna flakes. The sides consist of oven-baked pommes fondant and mushroom sauce. Delicious!

This former prison is named after the penultimate bishop of the French era, Damianus de Rijksgraaf van Hoensbroek. On the terrace of the courtyard, nestled among olive trees beside the organic herb garden, we sample a few small bites. Unfortunately, a vodka and ginger beer bonbon is overpowered by the sweetness of the milk chocolate and the accompanying mint. It’s a slight letdown for our aperitif. Fortunately, the crispy shell with green tomato, Greek yogurt, and truffle, served alongside parsnip ice cream and cold shiitake broth, is much more fitting. Once inside, from our comfortable bench, we watch head chef Jeroen van Gansewinkel and his team work diligently in the open kitchen. To start, smoked eel with ethically sourced foie gras and beetroot elements. Once again, sweet accents like beetroot foam, ice cream, and bavarois do not complement the poured wine, an Aldeneyck Pinot Blanc. A touch of balsamic vinegar sauce provides a welcome counterpoint. An interlude of eggplant with jackfruit, white grapes, and shaved almonds follows. This is followed by crispy scallop, razor clam, vongole, and a savory vegetable dish with a sauce based on tom kha kai and dill oil. A generous portion of braised veal and a beautifully rosé-cooked veal ribeye are accompanied by understated garnishes of salsify and a slice of melon. The delicious vadouvan-spiced sauce is left on the table for us to top up our plates as desired. The little jug is emptied completely. For the occasion, Tom Wolters pours a deep red 2017 Vionica with a full body into our glasses. This wine has been on the list for several years now and is made from Blatina grapes grown in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Rightfully a permanent fixture.

The former prison in the center of Roermond still retains many original details, such as steel cell doors and stairs in the central hall leading to the cell blocks (now hotel rooms). The restaurant is divided into four spaces, separated by a walkway and low partition walls. This gives the dining room a cozy atmosphere, while the earthy and brown tones create a warm ambiance. In one section, (hotel) guests can also enjoy a drink. Chef Jeroen van Gansewinkel’s menu features several set menus that can be extended with add-ons. We raise our glasses with Mailly Grand Cru champagne and are served no fewer than five amuse-bouches, with the asparagus sorbet featuring egg yolk foam, parsley caviar, and small ham canapés immediately making a strong impression. Soft-cooked sea bass is the first course, presented with perfectly poached quail eggs, fried parsley, and a foamy asparagus sauce. As an add-on, we receive caviar. The delicate flavors are so harmonious that the 2021 Weissburgunder from Oswald in Germany pairs magnificently with its bright acidity. Next comes cod with a beurre blanc foam, salty leaves and sprigs, bulgur, pointed cabbage, and fried capers. The brininess and the beurre blanc with the tender cod are sublime, and how grateful we are for the 2021 Pinot Gris from Vavasour in Marlborough, New Zealand. Nothing at all can be faulted with the main course of beautifully pink-roasted lamb with morel sauce, wild garlic oil, and asparagus. Beautiful flavors, quality meat, and flawless execution. The cheese plate offers a varied selection of cheeses served at the correct temperature, accompanied by grapes, plum compote, syrup, and nut bread. You truly enjoy yourself from start to finish here, and we certainly do not consider spending time in the Arresthuis to be a punishment.

In the city center of Roermond, within a stately building that served as a prison until 2007, sits Damianz: the restaurant of the five-star hotel Het Arresthuis. With guest rooms in the former cells, steel cell doors repurposed as bathroom doors, and an intimate terrace on the former exercise yard, the venue still breathes its historic character. The furnishings and atmosphere, however, are distinctly contemporary. Just as impressive are the no fewer than five amuse-bouches, including a chocolate bonbon filled with a cocktail of asparagus and gin, and a tartlet featuring carrot, ginger, and citrus. Chef Jeroen van Gansewinkel’s classical training serves as the foundation for the modern dishes that surprise and delight us throughout the evening. The young and ambitious team is alert, attentive, and spontaneous, ensuring a top-tier experience. The marinated salmon atop crispy white asparagus with miso cream and coriander oil is paired with White Max, an aromatic white wine—a perfect match! The same applies to the Pinot Blanc served with the crispy-baked sea bass fillet accompanied by animal-friendly foie royale. After the guinea fowl with fregola and vadouvan sauce, we finish with a dessert of strawberries, mascarpone, and tarragon sauce, served alongside silky vanilla ice cream and an Austrian Spätlese rosé. From sourdough bread to coffee-time friandises, everything is visually impeccable and rich in flavor. It represents an ambitious, consistently high standard. Right on the threshold of the Top 100.

The website reads: “Criminally delicious indulgence.” In the former prison, which was in use until 2007, “het Arresthuis” has been located since 2011—a hotel with the Damianz restaurant under the direction of head chef Jeroen van Gansewinkel. He cooks without shackles, yet his cuisine is thoroughly captivating. Appetizers such as the “Sex on the Beach” bonbon, eel with lava and amaranth, chioggia beet with blue cheese mousse and snap pea gazpacho with kohlrabi ice cream and vadouvan foam set the tone right away. We willingly submit ourselves to pre-trial detention. Alongside the tuna and watermelon, we receive the bread in a bag printed with prison door slogans. How fun is that? The quail with foie royal, truffle, and black garlic sauce already tastes fantastic. Our table and wine steward Martijn Bakker pours a wine from Herzegovina with the main course. The “Vionica 2017”, made from the indigenous Blatina grape, is a perfect match for the veal ribeye. The meat is presented pink, fully cooked, and crisply seared on the plate. Perfectly cooked! You can choose your own cheese here. Not a standard Port alongside it, but a glass of Veltliner Doux Naturel from Domäne Wachau. A grüner veltliner fortified with Weinbrand, with residual sweetness. We stumble to our cell (read: hotel room) and sink onto the camp bed. It’s no punishment to eat here!