Alma

High quality cooking

Alma has undergone a restyling in both its interior and the creativity on the plate. The number of tables has been reduced, creating more space for an immersive 'experience'. Owner and head chef Wouter van Laarhoven wants to elevate his kitchen to a higher level, which applies to both his fine dining restaurant on the first floor and the bodega on the ground floor. He also aims to meet the demand for a more accessible, casual approach with shorter dining times, hence the launch of 'Alma Easy', where guests can join for lunch on Friday and Saturday afternoons. We bid farewell to Alma Bistro in Breda. We take our seats on the first floor and are immediately impressed by what is on offer. Simply put, the dishes are beautiful. And equally delicious. It starts with the amuses, particularly the beetroot tartelette with goat cheese mousse and beetroot cream, which is wonderfully earthy and incredibly crispy. The Brut Abelé 1757 champagne pairs perfectly. Fresh and lightly complex. Maître sommelier Daan van Herwaarden reads our wine preferences well and keeps his suggestions firmly in-house. A true work of art is the otoro tartare wrapped in watermelon rolls, served on rich crème fraîche with a watermelon and dashi dressing that beautifully ties everything together. The marbré of beef brisket, duck liver, and Iberico ham with Remeker cream, hazelnut, and balsamic syrup is a signature dish. It offers divine layering and deep flavor, but unfortunately, there is a slight saltiness in the ham. With the wagyu paired with cèpes and the coquelet with chicken jus – both impeccable dishes – we enjoy a lightly spiced, fruity Pinot Noir Oberrotweil 2020 from Weingut Salwey in the German Alsace. We savor the wine, the relaxed atmosphere, and the high-end gastronomy crafted by the chef. Bravo. Drops to 35.

Located since 2019 on the stately De Lind in the former hotel-restaurant de Swaen. Downstairs is the bodega, while the fine dining restaurant occupies the first floor. Here, chef Wouter van Laarhoven crafts superior gastronomic cuisine with soul (Alma is the Spanish word for soul) and bliss. Each dish possesses depth, tells a story, and is beautifully presented on pristine white Limoges plates, which are impeccably served by the waitstaff in black. It begins with a selection of delightful amuse-bouches, such as ribbons of pumpkin with a goat cheese crèmeux. As beautiful as a little painting, with such an intense flavor. The finest starter is oxtail stew topped with pan-seared scallops, thinly sliced radish, foie gras, and a garnish of peas alongside an Albufeira sauce. What a sublime combination of flavors and ingredients, technically executed to a very high standard. The accompanying wine is a spot-on choice: Pícaro del Águila Clarete, a rosé from the D.O. Ribera del Duero produced by Dominio del Aguila. We move on quickly, as the pacing here is excellent, with a lovely piece of dry-aged creekstone entrecôte, green asparagus, a layered potato disc, onion with mustard seed, and an aromatic Périgueux sauce. This is followed by a spoonful of crispy honey, a small bowl of ice cream made from crème fraîche, fresh rhubarb, honey, and fresh caviar. On a separate plate, a waffle filled with honey parfait and dusted with beetroot powder. We are just short of falling out of our chairs from all this finesse and inventiveness. Everything here is flawless and perfectly controlled. The establishment rises steadily by no less than nine places to claim number 30.

From the moment you step into Alma Bodega – you literally walk right in – you immediately sense that cozy Brabant hospitality. We are led up a flight of stairs to the first floor, where the fine dining restaurant Alma is located. The atmosphere here is slightly more refined, yet still relaxed and laid-back. Curved plush booths for two alternate with comfortably upholstered armchairs at four-top tables, alongside both set and unset round tables. Everything exudes elegance and refinement. The place is bustling during our weekday lunch visit. Business and private guests sip on champagne or cava, and the complimentary cava d’Arciac Brut from Spain’s Penedès region, clean with a soft-dry mousse, marks the beginning of an afternoon filled with gastronomic surprises. After delicate palate starters such as a savory tuile with soft Cevennes onion cream and liquorice, alongside a crisp tartelette with langoustine salad and miso, we get underway. Hand-cut hamachi tartare is topped with paper-thin radish slices, accompanied by small cups of avocado cream and raw cream, poured tableside with an intensely aromatic citrus and tomato emulsion. Sweet, sour, and a tiny hint of bitterness blend perfectly, and the dish is presented like a little painting on beautiful white Limoges porcelain. The same applies to the pan-fried turbot fillet served on sweet-savory chopped leeks, with a foamy XO beurre blanc nestled in a ring of parsley cream. Pure flavors, top-tier quality; our plates return to the kitchen completely spotless. We pair it with a 2022 biodynamic Weissburgunder from Burgenland by Judith Beck, offering a lovely balance between fruit and acidity. In the meantime, we receive fresh sourdough bread rolls accompanied by delightful Le Beurre Bordier and brown butter. It almost feels like a course, as small plates are brought out and we can happily nibble on them before the next course arrives. For the main course, tender fillets of summer venison are served with red onion marmalade, confit parsnip, cherries stuffed with foie gras, and pommes amandine. Owner-chef Wouter van Laarhoven and hostess and sommelier Malou Hagenaars have carried on a gastronomic tradition in the establishment where the late Cas Spijkers cooked up a stellar reputation. Bravo and hats off. Rises to 39.

From the dining room on the first floor, we look out onto the leafy Lind in the heart of Oisterwijk. What a beautiful location and, above all: what a wonderful establishment. Dark wooden walls, oak herringbone parquet flooring, tables set with spotless linen: both modern and classic at the same time. In this place steeped in culinary history, chef Wouter van Laarhoven and hostess and sommelier Malou Hagenaars fully realize their great ambitions. The cooking style here is unmistakably French, but with a modern twist. This starts right away with the amuse-bouches, such as the tomato amuse with tomato bouillon foam and mustard ice pearls. Intensely flavorful with a pleasant mouthfeel. We would have gladly had more of the sea bass with escabeche of cockles and razor clams; the wine made from local grapes from the Austrian town of Gumpoldskirchen perfectly rounds off the tasting experience. The main course consists of lamb cutlets and braised lamb neck with a side of peas, broad beans, and baba ganoush. That’s how a top chef handles classics. Coconut mousse with a passion fruit 'center', meringue cookies, passion fruit cremeux, and coconut ice cream form the perfect finale. The service is warm, relaxed, and attentive, and the pace at which the dishes are served is exemplary. In short: this is pure indulgence. It ranks 63rd this year.

On the site where the late chef Cas Spijkers once propelled Dutch cuisine onto the global culinary stage, a dining establishment with equally high ambitions has taken residence since late 2019. Alma, run by owners Wouter van Laarhoven (chef) and Malou Hagenaars (sommelier-hostess), occupies the upper floor. It is a stunning venue. Featuring an intimate balcony, dark wall paneling, solid oak herringbone flooring, horseshoe-shaped leather wall benches, and upholstered chairs around round set tables. Plus a bustling open kitchen, from which the highly skilled waitstaff serves exquisite dishes. Take the North Sea crab, for example. Served in paper-thin celery cannelloni, garnished with fried shrimp and sea buckthorn berries, and drizzled with a buttermilk, dill, and lime leaf vinaigrette. Light, beautifully plated, intensely flavorful, and paired by Malou with an aromatic Baden Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) from Claes. Just as sophisticated is Van Laarhoven’s signature dish: marbré. Constructed in layers of sukade, foie gras, Iberico ham, and Olde Remeker cheese. Succulent, rich, savory, and creamy: absolutely delightful. Langoustines take center stage as the pièce de résistance. Three substantial baked morsels with a satisfying bite. Accompanied by caviar, chanterelles, potato and lard lasagna, dashi beurre blanc, and a small pitcher of langoustine bisque. Oisterwijk has its top restaurant back!