Jenifer Street

2023 – new year, new food! Hopefully some good stuff. Been away for a couple of months, mostly because our foodie budget was spent on too much beer watching the world cup games. Also visited London (more food) and Romania for Christmas (you guessed it, more food).No regrets though, because I’m back with a gem that’s new in the neighbourhood. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s talk about Jenifer Street!

This small(ish) and cozy spot only opened a couple of months ago, in the same spot where Afghan restaurant Mantoe used to be, on the streets of Jordaan. Jenifer Street is a Cajun restaurant. It’s not the owners’ first restaurant in Amsterdam, but they’re hoping it’s gonna be their last. And so do I.

Their menu keeps it simple and relies on traditional dishes you’ll find all around New Orleans: gumbo, po’ boys, beans & rice, mac & cheese and crawfish étoufée. They make a couple of cocktails too, and of course, beer and wine is also available.

A great thing about their menu is that everything they make as a main (mentioned above), they also make as a side. Which means we were pretty much able to try out the whole shebang, except for the po’ boys – guess we’ll have to go back.

Alright, let’s start with the beginning. Throughout the whole meal, I tried to figure out what my favorite was, and I’m still not sure that I have an answer. But I think it’s somewhere between the gumbo and the rice & beans.

The gumbo was everything I’ve ever wanted it to be. Proper comfort food, full of flavour, juicy chicken, with a delicious sauce that gets absorbed by the white rice (or bread, in case there’s anything left). I, for one, live for thick soups – or any soups – and gumbo is one of those that I’d never skip the occasion to enjoy. I haven’t had one since I was in New Orleans, at some point before the covid era. So yeah, I was pretty excited, and Jenifer Street did not disappoint.

The red beans & rice are yet another perfect example of comfort food. Love in a bowl. While it sounds simple, and it is, the smoked sausage adds a beautiful depth of flavour. The original dish is however vegetarian, so anyone can enjoy it. Apparently, it’s traditionally made on Mondays as something that one can quickly put together, without too much hassle. Guess the Louisiana people love Mondays as much as I do.

The étoufée was new for me – something I haven’t tried before. This one may have been Hayden’s favorite. It was slightly tangy from the tomato sauce, lighter than the rest of the dishes (which is probably a good call) and a good mix of flavours. To be fair, still not sure if that was crawfish or shrimp…but I was happy either way.

Last but not least, the mac & cheese. This was maaaybe the only dish where I felt like something was missing. Maybe something saltier or spicier. I’m pretty sure that the sausage (that you can add to your plate) would’ve done the job. But for us, it was probably enough sausage. Even so, still one of the best mac & cheese dishes I’ve had in Amsterdam. I’m also a fan of the one from Cannibale Royale.

Note to say that Hayden loved it as it was. Americans, eh? What do I know.

Besides the absolute phenomenal food, Jenifer Street is…just a vibe. I haven’t met the woman that I believe is Jenifer, but her husband is a gem of a person. The friendliest face you’ll see around the restaurants in Amsterdam. We chatted the whole time. He seemed to know everybody who walked in. His good vibes were spreading around, so we basically ended up chatting with other people in the restaurant. Now we’re all friends for life.

(We’re not – but it’s pretty rare to find this atmosphere in a restaurant here).

All in all, you can be assured that you’ll find delicious food and a smiling face at Jenifer Street. Whether you’re familiar with Cajun cuisine or have no idea what I’m talking about, just do yourself a favor and stop by. Get all the sides, if unsure what to try. Or just ask them.

I’m giving this restaurant one of my very few 10s (and one of my even fewer 10 EUR tips).

Value for money: 10

Food Quality: 10

Location: 9 (Tweede Leliedwarsstraat 13H)

Service: 10

Website: https://jeniferstreet.nl/#/

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