Sjuut

In this former farmhouse barn, transformed into a cozy and atmospheric restaurant, chef Jean Thoma and his hostess and sommelier Sonja have been serving sustainable, high-caliber organic cuisine for years. Local produce takes center stage in Jean's dishes. And that extends beyond the kitchen. Staff wear clothing made from recycled materials, all waste is repurposed, and cleaning is done exclusively with eco-friendly products. Upon arrival, a bowl of pickled vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, and parsnips awaits, served with hummus and seed crackers. Next come the amuse-bouches: a small sauerkraut tart with Maggi caviar and broad bean purée, plus a roasted onion soup. Packed with flavor and served at the ideal temperature. In the glass, an aperitif crafted from homemade quince liqueur and prosecco. Jean presents a surprise menu of four to six courses, optionally paired with a matching wine selection that is also available alcohol-free. The menu can also be prepared entirely plant-based. The starter features dry-aged celeriac with cashew nut paste and black garlic, pumpkin purée, and a millet sourdough cracker with pomegranate and caramel cream. The earthy flavors are deep and aromatic. We move on to low-temperature sous-vide pork belly from Kuusj pig farm in Mechelen, served with crisp-tender chicory, Balkenbrij made from beetroot, and popped rice. Two excellent preparations of Black Angus (organic beef from Schimmert) follow: pan-seared steak and braised neck meat. Accompanied by a delicious kale purée, seasonal vegetables, and a sauce made from Limburg herb bitter. We conclude with coffee and tea, ordering a selection of sweet confections alongside: crème brûlée, a marshmallow, canelé, and chocolate bonbons. SJUUT is rock-solid, and the warm hospitality makes the visit complete.

In the Limburg village of Schinnen, at the end of Dorpsstraat, lies the charming restaurant of chef Jean and hostess and sommelier Sonja Thoma. Housed in a former stable with original features, the atmosphere is homely and relaxed. Elevating regional products to a higher level is the goal of this hospitality duo. Sustainability is deeply woven into their approach, and they have excelled at it. Great attention is paid to forgotten vegetables, bycatch, and local produce. Jean prepares a surprise menu and accommodates dietary preferences. Sonja presents two aperitifs: an Eyra Riesling Brut from Domaine Aldenborgh and a house-made herbal bitter with prosecco. The accompanying amuse-bouches feature house-made pickled vegetables with a seed cracker and hummus, a horn filled with smoked potato skin mousse and dried red cabbage, and brioche with fennel cream. All are equally flavorful and make for a fine start to the dinner. For the starter: horseradish cream with kohlrabi carpaccio cooked in seaweed, millet sushi, seaweed chips, a 'stone' of cashews, and piccalilli. Complex yet perfectly balanced in flavor, offering a delightfully fresh beginning. This is followed by juicy and substantial grey mullet (bycatch) with a creamy sauce of barley grass, beetroot, and kaffir corn. A beetroot 'balkenbrij' follows, served on a bed of Swiss chard with a carrot-saffron sauce. A fun vegetarian twist on a classic from days gone by. The pièce de résistance features tenderly cooked veal meat and sukkade on a bed of kale puree, seasonal vegetables, and a herbal bitter sauce. We nearly lick our plates clean. With the coffee come creative petit fours such as a black bean cake, butter cake, a bonbon filled with red cabbage and apple molasses, and a praline bonbon. What a wonderful place.

Jean and Sonja Thoma have been running their organic restaurant Aan het sjuuteeänjd (End of the Road) in the Limburg town of Schinnen for well over twenty-five years now. Elevating regional products to a higher level with sustainability high on their agenda is their guiding principle, and it has proven highly successful for them. They make extensive use of ingredients from their own vegetable garden. In addition, their clothing is made from recycled materials, they clean with eco-friendly cleaning products, recycle waste, and use kitchen scraps as animal feed. We are warmly welcomed by hostess and sommelier Sonja and quickly receive a delicious cocktail of bilberry liqueur with organic prosecco. A plate of sweet-and-sour forgotten vegetables is already on the table, followed by several more amuse-bouches. We indulge in fennel panna cotta and a pastry cone filled with potato peel puree and Amsterdam onion caviar. The amuse-bouches are rounded off with a delicious summer leek cappuccino. The first course is couscous made from tomato and mozzarella served in a cylinder of potato skin with herbs from their own garden, complemented by a black garlic cream. This is followed by perfectly prepared pollack with Dutch-style risotto, nettle, and a sour butter sauce. Chef Jean Thoma fires up the barbecue and serves grilled watermelon with buckwheat groats, fresh peas, and a fried sunflower leaf. Seemingly simple, but oh so delicious. In the glass, a chilled local red wine: a 2015 Pinot Noir from Domaine Salamander in Eyserheide. Veal steak and braised veal shank are accompanied by ten vegetables and a sauce made from Limburg 'z.o.e.r.', a natural vinegar brewed from Gulpener beer. For dessert, the focus remains firmly on vegetables. Fresh cream cheese and elderflower mousse, white bean mousse, a carrot tartlet, and ice cream made from carrot and sea buckthorn berries. Paired with a glass of Riesling Spätlese from Haider Winery. Let Jean and Sonja keep doing their thing.

At the organic restaurant 'at the end of the road' (literal translation of Aan Sjuuteeänjd), we take our seats on the lovely indoor terrace. Hostess and sommelier Sonja Thoma immediately spoils us with a cocktail of loquat liqueur and organic prosecco. Beside it, straight from the kitchen of husband and proprietor Jean Thoma, comes a plate of sweet and sour (forgotten) vegetables, papadum, and chickpea dip. This is followed by cold risotto with sweet and sour asparagus pieces and an asparagus cappuccino. As an appetizer, once again asparagus, this time also featured in panna cotta. Next comes red carp with 'Brave Hendrick', served with a sauce infused with nettle beer from Schimmert. A collaborative dish involving the chef, who helped brew the beer. The veal shank and veal loin are cooked to perfection, with a hint of 'Limburgs z.o.e.r.' in the veal jus: natural vinegar from Gulpen. In the glass, a fruity Cuvée Expression 2019 from Château Beaubois in Nîmes. Kudos to the organic wine list, which is richly stocked with beautiful selections from Limburg. For dessert, vanilla ice cream made with goat's milk, fennel mousse, and a puree of pea, mint, and anise. Paired with strawberries, rhubarb, and a glass of Spätlese made from Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. From winery Kracher in Austrian Burgenland. A wonderful place!

Organic is the watchword at Sjuut, and in the kitchen of chef-owner Jean Thoma, they primarily work with local products. The welcome by hostess Sonja Thoma is, as always, warm and relaxed, which also characterizes the atmosphere in this historic farmhouse restaurant where predominantly older guests are seated. There are no à la carte dishes here, only a choice of multi-course menus, optionally paired with a matching wine arrangement. For an aperitif, there is a Dutch sparkling riesling from Aldenborgh in Eys, which is delightful. Just like the amuse-bouches: carrot and pea bonbons, cucumber gazpacho, and a zucchini and parsley mini cake. We start with couscous and tomato, (a bit too much) onion, sweet-and-sour vegetables, and mozzarella. Tomato gazpacho is served alongside at the table. Good, but the overall dish could use a bit more flavor depth. The same applies to the skin-on baked harder fish served on a 'risotto' of millet and spelt in buttermilk with a seven-leaf beurre blanc. The Grauburgunder from Faust in the Rheingau, Germany, pairs beautifully. We enjoy the cheese board featuring five excellent Dutch cheeses, accompanied by nuts, apple syrup, and bread. The dessert of elderflower pannacotta, strawberry-elderflower ice cream, and red fruit is not particularly thrilling but still tasty. A little more complexity in the dishes would be welcome, and the flavors could be a bit more pronounced. See you next year!

This atmospheric historic farmhouse radiates warmth, combining a modern interior with preserved authentic elements. It was once situated at the end of the road, hence its name in the Limburg dialect: aan sjuuteeänjd. Organic and sustainable practices are key words here and a way of life for owner-chef Jean Thoma and his wife, oenologist Sonja. Jean, who enjoys gardening with forgotten vegetables, cooks using harvests from his own kitchen garden and local produce. This restaurant breathes sustainability, from regional ingredients to staff uniforms, and most importantly: the food is prepared to an exceptional standard. Each dish is bursting with flavor, delightfully surprising, and generously portioned. Sonja pairs them with complementary wines from a limited but carefully curated wine list rich in organic and biodynamic certifications, sharing engaging insights in a warm and approachable manner. Sjuut is well worth the detour!

An inviting farmhouse restaurant, modernly furnished while preserving authentic elements. It gives 'Aan Sjuuteeänjd' (this farmhouse once stood at 'the end of the road') a truly atmospheric ambiance. The amuse-bouches, including an asparagus soup, taste excellent. Chef Jean Thoma uses organic and regional products that feature on his menu. Nevertheless, we opt for the surprise menu. And we are indeed pleasantly surprised! The trout tartare is deliciously fresh and good, and with an extra pinch of salt, it's perfect. The beautifully pan-seared plaice with sorrel, lamb's lettuce, and butter sauce is simple yet expertly prepared. The duck breast is, once again, cooked to perfection, accompanied by a robust sauce of aged vinegar and sweet-and-sour asparagus. These first three courses are paired with Italian wines: La Cappuccina Fontégo, Visintini Friuli Colli Orientali Friulano, and Cantina Tollo Rocca Ventosa Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Cerasuolo. The lamb fillet with a lamb chop and sage jus is divine, especially when enjoyed with a glass of Corbières Clos de L’Anhel. And what a lovely touch to receive an ice cream cone with apple syrup ice cream as a mid-course treat. How could it be any other way with an apple syrup factory right in your village? The cheese trolley is inviting, making it effortless to select five delicious cheeses. The service is pleasant and well-paced, and our hostess and wine expert, Sonja, speaks in an utterly captivating manner about the wines. A wonderful spot!

Chef-owner Jean Thoma cooks with forgotten vegetables, Slow Food cheeses, and sustainable meat and fish varieties. More than 80% is organic. The restaurant, housed in an old barn with large wooden doors, has been brightened with all sorts of bric-a-brac. The house cocktail consists of an apple syrup liqueur complemented with prosecco. We enjoy this alongside several fine amuse-bouches, of which the mushroom panna cotta with rosehip cream is the most striking. Vegetarian sushi comprises sweet-and-sour celery root sheets filled with bulgur and mushroom duxelles. Smoked loin is served with shavings of farmhouse aged cheese, ox tail sausage, and piccalilly. With these starters, hostess Sonja Thoma pours the 2013 Chardonnay Morillon, Steirische Klassik, from the Austrian estate Neumeister. An excellent mineral choice with wonderful complexity. For the intermezzo, wild goat is pan-fried in brown butter and served with slices of sweet-and-sour tulip bulb. The others at the table enjoy chickpeas hidden beneath 'Chinese' hats made of sweet-and-sour kohlrabi. The main courses—veal stew with eeuwig moos (a Limburg cabbage variety that never blooms) and deeply seared beef with monastery beer sauce and kale—are excellent. Particularly when paired with a glass of 'Naca' 2013 from San Marzano in Puglia. This wine, made from 100% Primitivo grapes, shows a touch of residual sweetness alongside abundant fruity aromas. We conclude with five excellent Dutch organic cheeses, including Lady Blue and a Brie-like Remeker from Gelderland. Accompaniments include nut-raisin bread, pear-apple syrup with quince, mixed nuts, and grapes. What a beautiful cuisine.