Restaurant Kasteel Heemstede

High quality cooking

Restaurant Kasteel Heemstede is located in the bright basement of the beautiful castle of the same name. The tables are comfortably spaced and every detail is geared toward a luxurious dining experience. Enchanting cuisine is prepared here by Chef Ollie Schuiling, supported by an exceptional all-black kitchen brigade. Paired with a glass of Blanc des Blancs champagne from Legras & Haas, exquisite amuse-bouches are served, such as a salad of finely sliced snails and white asparagus, accompanied by beurre blanc sorbet and light yogurt foam. Next, the chef personally visits the table with a pink cart (his favorite color) to prepare a vegetarian medley of red chicory, umeboshi purée, pomegranate, assorted spices, and kumquat pearls, presenting it on a beautifully crafted 'fairy tale spoon'. What a flavor explosion! Two preparations of Dutch yellowtail kingfish follow. The first is marinated with spices and lightly roasted, served with apple, basil, and tartare. The second is wrapped in a delicate layer of cucumber, topped with beetroot, and dressed with an elderflower vinaigrette, pickled radish, and a smoked yogurt cream, all surrounded by an elderflower vinaigrette. Refined, sophisticated, and visually stunning in presentation. Maître Rosita Ruisaard pairs it flawlessly with a Sylvaner from the Frey estate in Hangen-Weisheim, Germany. The next dish is equally beautiful. European lobster served with white asparagus, asparagus and tarragon cream, green asparagus, a frothy Pernod sauce, and citrus gel. This is followed by three preparations of Kamper lamb: a pickled and smoked belly, a crisp-roasted loin seasoned with garam masala, and a saddle served with harissa cream and lamb jus, artfully arranged in the shape of a heart. While the bill reflects a substantial investment, it guarantees top-tier gastronomic quality across the board. Score rises to 25.

If you want to be royally welcomed, walk the red carpet into the castle and then enjoy yourself in princely style, then you've come to the right place at Kasteel Heemstede. The magnificent castle is meticulously maintained down to the finest detail, the cozy c...

A stately castle dating from 1645. The dining room is located in the basement, a serene, chic, and light-filled space. Old elements such as vaults and ceilings blend beautifully with the stylish interior featuring abundant organic materials like wood, metal, and leather: pure class and quality. Serving as both a bread plate and amuse-bouche holder is a porcelain 'pillow', featuring a fun 'Once upon a time' tale about the wishing well and the giant as a playful gimmick. Maître Stéphanie Meeuse keeps a close eye on the guests at all times and carries out every task with infectious enthusiasm. Chef Ollie Schuiling, who paid close attention during his training under his mentors at De Librije and the former De Leest, cooks at a high level with rich flavors, fresh acidity, spices, and top-quality ingredients taking center stage. Time for the amuse-bouches. Duck liver with beetroot, North Sea crab with apple, a spoon filled with vegetable preparations, buttermilk ice cream balls with pork cracklings, and a round of Thai street food: fried pork belly, spicy pandan soup, and beef mince pan krapow with a fried egg and puffed rice. In terms of presentation, execution, and portion size, it's perfect; what a start! The five-course lunch menu begins with a salmon combination: lukewarm lightly seared salmon with yuzu foam and a tartare of peeled salmon with remoulade and red onion tiger milk. Next, grilled red mullet with European boiled lobster, ribbons of yellow and green zucchini, green asparagus, tomato jelly, and artichoke cream. What refinement! Just as exquisite is the smoked eel with crispy potato and dashi, and plant-based land caviar made from Japanese cypress seeds, seasoned with sombai (Japanese rice vinegar). Delicious! We continue with a generous portion of beautifully rose-seared ribeye from the fattiest cut, bursting with flavor, served with tandoori spices, pickles, cauliflower, and a cube of calf's head so tender it falls apart. In the glass: 100% Garnacha, La Cicatera by Bodegas Altún from Rioja 2020, a lovely pairing. Before the bill arrives—which is substantial but certainly justified—Ollie Schuiling invites us for a tour of the castle, the kitchen, and the wine cellar. Such enthusiasm. It firmly scores 26.

A short elevator ride takes you from the stately reception hall to the basement where the restaurant of Kasteel Heemstede is located. Since 2020, Ollie Schuiling has been leading the kitchen here, and it has certainly not gone unnoticed. His cooking style is refined, featuring fresh acidity and spices, and he works with top-quality seasonal ingredients. It feels comfortable in the spacious, classically modern dining room, where tables are set with white leather tablecloths, rolled napkins, and lit candles. Soft easy-listening music plays in the background. The menu features a two-part layout: set menus and à la carte options. The wine bible is introduced by the two sommeliers. We opt for à la carte but are first treated to amuse-bouches such as duck liver mixed with macadamia crunch and rolled in beetroot powder, and a small mackerel tartelette with cornichons that provides just the right tangy kick. Hostess My Truong serves us a rich J.L. Vergnon, Eloquence, Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru champagne alongside them. For the starter, two preparations of duck liver: a terrine with a smooth texture and served at the exact right temperature, and pan-fried liver done right—crispy on the outside and still tender on the inside. Excellently paired with the Naudin-Ferrand, Hautes-Côtes de Beaune Blanc 2018 from France. Next comes crispy-fried beef brisket with sambal, red wine, and beurre noisette. Two beautifully pink-roasted, tender slices of lamb follow, with the fat layer still intact on top. Alongside it is a piece of braised lamb that falls apart as intended and is intensely flavorful. The most delicious part of the dish. The reduced jus is served separately on the plate, so the meat isn't swimming in sauce as is often the case. Drops several spots due to newcomers in the top-100, landing at number 25.

Located in a rural setting on the outskirts of Houten. A stately driveway, a beautifully landscaped garden, in short: the facade of Heemstede Castle is beyond chic. From the grand entrance hall, we are escorted downstairs by elevator. The interior of the dining room within the castle's vaults is modern and sleek, with original elements left intact. The tables are meticulously set with white linen, exquisite white crockery, white candles, black cutlery, and even a gourmet spoon. Pure finesse, as are the creations that emerge from the extremely modern and fully equipped kitchen under the direction of Ollie Schuiling. We are pampered with five elaborate amuse-bouches, such as North Sea crab with oyster cream and guava ice cream presented like a small flower. Visually stunning. The menu offers both à la carte selections and a 'Creations menu'. Dietary preferences should be communicated when making the reservation. The langoustine is glazed with chili and served with pea cream, pandan foam, and dragon fruit. Sommelier Liz Barents pairs it with a 2020 Lismore Viognier from South Africa. A unique flavor combination. For the main course, Anjou pigeon with garam masala, celeriac, and fermented garlic. Paired with this, we enjoy a 2013 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, a beautiful, complex wine with plenty of dark fruit and earthy notes. The cheese board is prepared tableside by Maître My Truong: Époisses with a nutmeg vinaigrette, dried sausage, warm potato foam, and chives sprinkled on top—a true culinary experience! Pastry chef David Krukkert is responsible for the dessert, a trio of highly refined preparations featuring strawberry, sorrel, raspberry, yuzu, and vanilla. For coffee and tea, we are once again escorted upstairs by elevator, where we take our seats in the lounge. Heemstede Castle is for true connoisseurs who have no problem paying a hefty bill. Rating rises to 19.

The entrance via the stone footbridge over the castle moat is impressive. Equally so is the welcome in the stately hall. The dining rooms too still breathe the impeccable grace of an era when prominent figures dined here. Patron-chef Ollie Schuiling, partner-maître My Truong, and sommelier Liz Barents now ensure that guests lack for nothing. We take our seats beneath the low vaulted ceiling in comfortable moss-green armchairs, observe the professionalism of the discreet service, and are overwhelmed from start to finish by magnificent cuisine. It begins with the Grande Parade of starters, featuring caramelized macadamia nut with a “glue” of foie gras and beet powder; crab with guava and oyster; curry ice cream with yogurt, turmeric, and coriander oil; and a parsnip bonbon with dill and piccalilli—it simply cannot be topped. A symbiosis of delightful, subtle flavors and textures. We kick off the menu with tuna. Well-seared tranches resting on juicy North Sea crab, apple, red wine vinaigrette, and basil oil. A visually stunning dish, as is its accompaniment, a Sardinian Vermentino Mora&Memo. Barents then pours a stylish and lively pomegranate-red 350 m Saint-Joseph Syrah by David Reynaud alongside braised veal cheeks, fermented garlic, onion, and a small jug of intensely rich beef jus. The next knockout hit: a spoonful of soft Landloperke cheese, served with French toast, apple syrup, balsamic, pecan, walnut oil, and cheesecake. Fantastic. The steep bill is worth every single cent. Schuiling’s cuisine is in a league of its own. Kasteel Heemstede bursts onto the Top 100 at position XX.

After a short collaboration with head chef Ollie Schuiling, master sommelier Koen van der Plas has since left Restaurant Kasteel Heemstede to chart a different course. The leadership of the service team is now in the hands of My Truong, the chef's partner. Liz Barents is the new sommelier. The dining room is located on the lower floor of the castle, originally built in 1645 and completely restored in 2002. The old vaults, intimate spaces, and relaxed atmosphere have been preserved. You enter the establishment via a footbridge with a red carpet, and the aperitif is enjoyed in the chic lounge area along with some initial small bites. Afterwards, guests take the elevator down to the restaurant. Ollie, formerly of the Swiss three-star restaurant Schloss Schauenstein, prepares elegant and refined dishes – in a kitchen he designed himself, complete with no fewer than two heat bridges – largely using Dutch ingredients combined with flavors and techniques from across the globe. There, Liz serves beautiful wines from the built-in climate cabinets or the perfectly climate-controlled cellar. A pleasant establishment.

Maître-sommelier Koen van der Plas en chef-kok Ollie Schuiling hebben, op initiatief van Frans den Boer, deze zaak overgenomen van André van Doorn. Van der Plas komt van restaurant Inter Scaldes waar hij als bevlogen sommelier zijn sporen verdiende, en Schuiling was chef van het Zwitserse driesterrenrestaurant Schloss Schauenstein. Twee jeugdige talenten die grote plannen hebben met het voormalige Phanos-kasteel aan het Amsterdam-Rijnkanaal. Op het moment van verschijnen van Lekker2020 waren/zijn alle vernieuwingen nog niet doorgevoerd, maar de zichtbare wijzigingen betreffen de entree op loopbrughoogte (niet meer naar beneden), nieuw linnen en bestek, en het terugbrengen van het aantal couverts van 54 naar 36. Na een ingrijpende verbouwing wordt/is het restaurant in nieuwe stijl heropend. Wij worden vorstelijk ontvangen en we genieten van voortreffelijke bites en amuses op het buitenterras. Aan tafel volgen verschillende bereidingen en soorten tomaat met burrata en shots van appel en limoen. De koperkleurige en naar perzik en citrus smakende Noord-Italiaanse graminé (Longariva, 2015) past er goed bij. Het hoofdgerecht, reebok van de Veluwe met rode en gele biet, wortel en cantharel begeleid door een aromatische reejus is mooi op smaak. Erbij wordt een Toscaanse Le volte (2017) geschonken, sappig, elegant en met goede tannines. Het dessert van kersenbereidingen en chocolade is verfijnd en de late oogst Maury (Pouderoux, 2012) past er prima bij. We zijn benieuwd naar verdere ontwikkelingen!