Héroine

Restaurant Héroine is located in a distinctive post-war industrial building with high ceilings and a spacious, simple interior. The industrial character remains palpable, but the atmosphere is warm and inviting. The kitchen at Héroine is characterized by an international style and operates exclusively on a rotating chef's menu of five or seven courses, supplemented with vegetarian options. To start, Irish Mór oysters and three beautiful amuse-bouches are served: a potato cylinder with sea bass tartare, a tartelette with avocado cream, garden bean, and puffed red rice, as well as a fresh Granny Smith granita with white strawberry topped with fresh wasabi. Served alongside is hearty sourdough bread with butter and sumac. The first course consists of smoked beef cheek with pickled kohlrabi, Galia melon, and gherkin, accompanied by a Terra de Aetna Rosato 2023. Unfortunately, the wine was not up to par temperature-wise because it was poured too early. This is followed by Norman La Ratte potatoes with summer purslane, lamb sweetbread, and smoked beurre blanc. The accompanying Fosso di Corsano 2021, a Vermentino, is a perfect choice. The highlight is a mid-course dish of langoustine with rhubarb and a robust shellfish foam. Next comes a juicy slice of picanha, both grilled and prepared as tartare with lava salt and black garlic, accompanied by a 2021 Valpolicella from Aldegheri. The dessert, a green currant sorbet ice with rhubarb and rooibos bavarois, provides a light and refreshing finish. Host and sommelier Dennis Koopman leads his friendly and competent team well. However, the wine pairing recommendations don't quite come together due to the limited selection of open bottles. Despite this minor caveat, we experience an evening characterized by craftsmanship, atmosphere, and flavor.

In het hart van Rotterdam, verscholen in de zuidvleugel van Het Industriegebouw bevindt zich restaurant Héroine. Chef Michael Schook kookt experimenteel en weet met ogenschijnlijk simpele ingrediënten spannende en prachtige kunstwerken te creëren. De bediening completeert de warme uitstraling van het restaurant: zij zijn vriendelijk, attent en hebben veel kennis en aandacht voor detail. Bij binnenkomst worden wij hartelijk begroet en naar onze tafel geleid waar wij goed zicht hebben op de open keuken. Wij besluiten voor een vijfgangendiner te gaan en krijgen voorafgaand drie amuses waaronder overheerlijke noordzeekrab geserveerd in een krokant van brique. Vooraf flowersprout (kruising tussen spruitje en boerenkool) van de de gril waardoor deze een heerlijk rokerige smaak krijgt, met champignons van de barbecue, boerenkool en een saus van lavas en karnemelk. Op advies van sommelier Dennis Koopman drinken we hierbij een Brandini Rebelle Langhe Piemonte Italië uit 2019. Een 100% viognier, vol krachtig van smaak met toch enige frisheid. Een zeer goede wijn-spijscombinatie. Klapstuk van het diner is een mals bereid kwarteltje geserveerd met courgette, daslook, ansjovis en pimentón de la vera. Alles klopt aan dit gerecht en we proeven de hand van een ervaren meester. Wij sluiten af met mousse van witte asperges, met lievevrouwebedstro, magnolia en roos. Gewaagd, gedurfd, maar zoals vaker deze avond overtreft het onze verwachtingen. Restaurant Héroine prikkelt gedurende de gehele avond de zintuigen. The place to be voor fijnproevers en liefhebbers van een verrassende keuken.

Located in a former garage building near the famous cube houses, we find the contemporary restaurant Héroine by Eva Eekman and Michael Schook. Chef Michael and his inspiring team craft beautiful dishes with international flair in his open kitchen, served as a 'modern chef's menu'. The spacious open interior, featuring vintage furniture, a high industrial ceiling, red and wooden accents, and wall art, exudes a unique atmosphere that promises a casual and relaxed evening. You can opt for the set menu, or simply join the bar for a glass and a bite to eat. We are served crispy homemade sourdough bread, which is generously replenished throughout the evening. This does not appear on the bill. The subsequent amuse-bouches are each little flavor bombs, with the meringue paired with popcorn cream, black mint, and a sweet sugar rim leaving a particularly pleasant impression. The asparagus mousse, accompanied by thin slices of beetroot, fresh sumac, and a rose-infused dressing, offers a flavorful and creative beginning. Accompanying it, the gifted sommelier Dennis Koopman (do remember the name) has selected a distinctive yet flawlessly harmonious wine: White Max from Weingut Max Müller I in Germany, featuring a surprising blend of Riesling, Traminer, and Bacchus grapes. The standout dish of the evening is cuttlefish with sea urchin, samphire, coconut, and lemongrass. Every flavor shines through, and the lemongrass is used subtly rather than overpoweringly in the foam. Next comes the duck breast, cooked medium-rare, served with a sweet spring roll stuffed with crispy vegetables and a rich, robust sauce. A perfect wine pairing accompanies this course as well. It is a powerful, robust red from the Languedoc region: Clos de l'Amandaie, Grés de Montpellier 2018. Kudos to the friendly young service staff, who are highly knowledgeable about wine and food pairings and make you feel like a truly welcomed guest.

Right next to the Meent, near the famous cube houses, lies Héroine, founded by Eva Eekman and Michael Schook. Together with a team of passionate staff, they guarantee an evening filled with culinary delight. There is no traditional menu here, but a modern chef’s menu from the kitchen of Michael Schook and Kjell Nieuwenhuizen, offering five or seven courses with or without matching wines, or a selection of fine wines from the list. The choice is entirely up to the guest. The atmosphere is incredibly relaxed in the beautiful dining room, featuring a high industrial ceiling, artwork on the walls, and an open kitchen. This is precisely the vibe Héroine aims to project: no stiff formality, just effortless enjoyment of a wonderful evening out. For an aperitif, a glass of white Parcé Frères ‘Zoé’ from France’s Languedoc region, with delicate aromas of peach and honey. We start with zucchini blossom mixed with apricot, Peruvian black mint, and sea buckthorn, followed by artichoke with wild mushrooms, za’atar, fig, and pistachio. Beautifully balanced in flavor and elegantly plated. Pan-fried plaice follows, with glazed onion and dill. Deceptively simple yet bursting with pure flavor. This is followed by a slice of rose-roasted tail piece served with lavash and three preparations of celeriac. Manager Marlijn Dusée pairs this with a red wine, slightly chilled, Enzo Boglietti La Morra Barolo from Piedmont. Simply class!

Dining at Héroine remains refined and relaxed, a meticulously styled establishment in the Industriegebouw. There is no menu, no decision fatigue; simply choose five or seven courses and let yourself be surprised by the creations from chef Michael Schook’s kitchen. Schook and hostess Eva Eekman have been steering this successful format together for several years, aiming to draw high-end cuisine out of its stiff, formal dinner atmosphere. And they succeed: unique flavors, impeccable wines—sommelier Maaike Kauffman is the mind behind them—and a laid-back ambiance guarantee a successful evening out. Balance is the magic word: between flavors and textures, between wine and food, between classic and modern cooking, but also certainly between taste and presentation. Culinary masterpieces pass by; the highlight is the starter featuring paper-thin slices of sweet melon, fresh cucumber, and briny herbs, accompanied by a surprising pine tip cream. The presentation of the egg yolk cooked at 62 degrees—a restaurant signature—alongside peas, mushrooms, and miso also makes a strong impression. Thanks to the colorful edible flower petals, it looks more like a summer bouquet. After this strong start, the perfectly cooked partridge does not disappoint, although the accompanying side of chicken liver, umeboshi, and crispy chicken skin on a piece of cornbread is just a touch too intense in flavor. But that is personal. It is followed by a green yuzu sorbet with fine Osietra caviar; exactly the subtle refreshment you need at that moment. By the end of the evening, it becomes clear that the balance between the meal served and the bill is also spot on. A great spot!

It takes nerve to name your restaurant Héroine. But that is precisely what this contemporary spot is all about, tucked away in the south wing of an industrial building in the heart of Rotterdam. Founders host Eva Eekman and chef Michael Schook are not afraid to present a modern, international cuisine that delivers exciting flavor palettes, unexpected combinations, a beautiful balance of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, and, finally, perfectly harmonized textures. Michael Schook: “I enjoy experimenting and pushing boundaries. I am classically trained and use that as a foundation, but I do not try to stick rigidly to classical tradition.” Paired with these flavorful combinations, sommelier Maaike Kauffman carefully selects the most exceptional wines with a keen sense of refinement. All of this unfolds in a cosmopolitan atmosphere with high ceilings and a mezzanine, sleek and moody in its decor—very much of the moment. The guests are much the same: affluent millennials and older patrons, impeccably dressed, savoring the good life. By the way, if you simply want to enjoy a nice drink here, that is possible too at the bar, where alongside an extensive wine list offering many selections by the glass, you can sip on a fine cocktail, a frothy craft beer, a Mexican mezcal, all accompanied by matching bar snacks. An excellent establishment.

Located in the west wing of the Industrial Building. The high-ceilinged hall on the ground floor with a bar and double-height space – helmed by chef Michael Schook, hostess Eva Eekman, and sommelier Maaike Kauffman – exudes a cosmopolitan vibe, as do the guests: millennials and older, sharply dressed in suits, chic and accustomed to class and style. Let’s not beat around the bush: this is high-level cooking. Exciting flavor palettes, unexpected combinations, a beautiful balance of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter, and above all: perfectly harmonized textures. There is no à la carte menu here, only a fixed tasting menu of four, five, or seven courses. Plus the option to pair each course with a half or full glass of matching wine. We begin with a flute of sparkling Weissburgunder from Weingut Wilhelmshof, accompanied by no fewer than three amuse-bouches, including a refined, refreshing pear sorbet with a rich blood sausage cream. For the starter, an artfully composed tartlet of yellow and white firm-cooked beetroot with monk’s beard, a quenelle of mustard and wasabi ice cream, tumbo tufts, and kombucha. The most beautiful and exciting dish of the evening is a paper-thin crispy dome made of brioche dough, dusted with a crunch of potato crisps, underneath which rests a 62-degree cooked runny egg yolk on walnut cream, served with firm-cooked carrot slices, vadouvan oil, and nutmeg foam. What creativity is on display here. A Spanish, elegant, and mineral Mas Macià Suprem blend of Garnatxa and Xarel·lo grapes is poured alongside it. A perfect match. Service is informal, hospitality is generous; without prompting, complimentary bread and whipped butter with sumac and sea salt flakes are continuously replenished. That can only mean one thing: a well-deserved place in the columns of Lekker. Welcome!