buurtcafe De Tros

Hey there, Amsterdamers! Long time, no see. It’s been slow over here, between holidays, (a lot of) football, and some major life changes that I’ll address soon. However, we recently managed to get to buurtcafe De Tros, a spot that’s been on my list for a couple of months, but constantly fully booked. This time, we got lucky, with no reservations – yay!

How did we end up here? Through a classic move. The best meal I’ve had this year was at Fuku Ramen, an absolute gem in Amsterdam East. In between courses, I got to have a little chat with the owner. I’ve asked them where they like to eat, when not creating magic in their own kitchen, and they said: at buurtcafe De Tros. Sold.

De Tros is a fairly small restaurant, in true Amsterdam style, but they have a generous terrace. Reservations are hard to get, but they save some tables for walk-ins. The menu is small, and seasonal. 3 choices for starters, same for mains or desserts, a couple of specials – and that’s that!

I kicked off the evening with a vermouth (nice touch), and Hayden had a Cordino Spritz. They also offer a real, crisp apple cider, for those who want a non-alcoholic option that isn’t just juice, or tastes like crap.

To start, we shared their lasagna. It came with a cacio e pepe foam, and basil oil. This was…interesting. We both found it to be a bit of an off choice for a starter. The oil and foam were tasty – however, it was kinda hard to incorporate their taste within the dish itself. You could dab your bite into it (but it wouldn’t really stick), use your fork to get some sauce on the lasagna, or whatever other solution you’d come up with….but, overall, just hard to mix the flavours. I didn’t feel like I got all that this dish was supposed to be. The lasagna itself was tasty, no complaints.

Up next, we shared their steak tartare. This was sitting in a subtle sichuan oil, and covered in char siu dressing. There are few things out there that I love more than tartare, and sichuan chilli oil. Therefore, this was a huge hit with me. I enjoyed every bite of the starter, and the papadum on top was a nice touch for crispiness. Could’ve used more for all that delicious oil, but we received some extra bread. Score!

Time for the mains! I had my eye on their aubergine, with gochujang and peanuts, since I’m a massive eggplant enthusiast. My friend ended up ordering this after glowing reviews from our waiter, and she was very happy. The eggplants was soft, and the Korean red chilli paste made for a great glaze, which didn’t overpower (low on the spice scale).

Meanwhile, I was convinced by the special: mussels. I looooove a big bowl of mussels on a warm, summer day. The portion was the perfect size, and the sauce was to die for. Close to a curry-like taste, salty (in a good way), a little lemony, and with a slight kick. Could’ve bathed in that, not gonna lie. Even Hayden liked that (one) mussel he tried. High praise, I’m telling you.

My husband, who’s been through intense “one day you’ll like sea food” training under me for the past 8 years, went with the fish of the day! Although he’s been enjoying fish and other creatures of the ocean for years now, it still makes me proud every time. At the time of our visit, it was hake, served on a bed of roasted veggies, with a green sauce – but we totally forgot what was in it. Something…citrusy? Delicious, either way, according to him. He inhaled that before I got a bite, so we’ll just have to take his word.

Finally, our friend had the entrecote, which comes with roasted, tiny potatoes, and a green, pesto-like dragon sauce. He was pleased with it all, although he didn’t give many details. He was quite disappointed with the food scene of the city he lives in, so he was just happy to have a good Amsterdam experience. Glad De Tros delievered!

And that’s a wrap! We debated desserts, but quickly realized we’re all too full. I washed everything down with a veeeery drinkable, beautiful rosé (the only one they serve by the glass). All in all, buurtcafe De Tros was worth the wait, and we were all happy with the quality, the atmosphere, the staff (lovely people), and the bill. I’d happily recommend this spot for a casual-to-fancy dinner.

Taste: 8

Value for money: 8

Location: 7

Service: 9

Website: https://www.detrosamsterdam.nl/