De Watertoren

Located on the ninth and tenth floors of the octagonal Water Tower and accessible by elevator. The tower was built by architect J. Pater. From here, you enjoy a spectacular panoramic view of Utrecht, especially as evening falls. The tables are arranged around the open kitchen, which sits at the center of the classically modern interior. Head chef Bram van der Bor and his team are focused on their work, making extensive use of organic seasonal produce. We begin with a bite-sized piece of eel served on brioche bread, finished with herb cream and chives—a combination that never fails. The menu offers a selection of dishes from which you can also assemble your own tasting menu. Eligible options are clearly marked with the restaurant’s logo. The wine list, presented as a two-part booklet like the menu, opens with Dutch and English introductions, followed by selections by the glass and finally by the bottle. Both Old and New World wine regions are represented. For the starter, a raw scallop marinated in fermented red cabbage rests on a jalapeño cucumber salad with crispy potato and furikake. It’s a shame no spoon is provided, as the chive oil-infused jus is absolutely delightful. The youthful, friendly, and welcoming staff then serves the halibut on lightly crisped baked brioche, accompanied by a salad of tomato, Chinese broccoli, langoustine tail, and potato mousseline, all surrounded by a foamy bisque. We conclude with white chocolate cream, caramelized pecans, beurre noisette ice cream, truffle olive oil, and meringue, with fresh truffle shaved tableside. A bold little masterpiece. One point of attention concerns the wait time between courses; it tends to run quite long and could be managed more efficiently.

Built in 1934 as an eight-sided water tower in the Amsterdam School architectural style by architect J. Pater. The restaurant is located on the ninth floor, and the view over the city of Utrecht from a height of 49 meters is fabulous. You can order both à la carte and a multi-course menu here, composed from the à la carte list. The wine list is quite pricey, but there are plenty of wines by the glass, both natural and conventional. Chef Bram van der Bor cooks in his open kitchen using local, preferably organic, seasonal ingredients. Such as top-quality beef tartare with North Sea crab, ponzu, and spicy Belper Knolle. Followed by a perfectly cooked langoustine with iceberg lettuce and mint, broad bean, celeriac, and lime. The white wine Iturnalde Txakolina Doniene Gorrondona Bizkaiko 2022, made from the Hondarrabi Zuri grape from the Basque Country, pairs well. We continue with lamb rack and a vol-au-vent with lamb cheek, broad bean, and horseradish. The backstrap has a good doneness, the cheek tastes fine, but the puff pastry crust is too soggy. Too bad! A plus point is that the small jug of well-reduced lamb jus remains on the table so we can help ourselves to refills. Sommelier Caitlin O' Donnell pours a PMC Münzenrieder Burgenland Cuvée Red Classic from Austria alongside it, which is a perfect match. The young service staff are friendly but could use a bit more direction. A minor point to note. Welcome to Lekker.