De Leest
Kerkweg 1
8171 VT Vaassen, Netherland
+31 578 571 382
Official Site
As a nation, the Netherlands has two 3 Michelin starred venues and having previously dined at one of them, De Librije in Zwolle, it was fitting that I visit De Leest. Located in the small quiet town of Vaassen in Northern Holland, Austrian born chef Jacob Jan Boerma and his wife Kim Vandelman transformed a shoemakers store back in 2002 to a fine dining destination. It received its first Michelin star a year after opening, then the second in 2007 and finally, in 2013 the restaurant joined the culinary elite when it won the coveted third star.
From Amsterdam, the restaurant is accessible by public transportation. After an hour and a half travelling by train and bus I arrived at the door of the De Leest where Kim and the staff, dressed in neat unformed gray suits were waiting to welcome me.
There are a variety of set menus and a la carte to choose from for lunch and dinner. I requested the “Menu Micri” their tasting menu for 145 euros. To start were a trio of tasty bite snacks, macaroon of mushroom with cheese and truffles, crispy cornetto stuffed with beef, yuzu and mustard. Third but not the least, crackers served with fresh vegetables with pickled and dried beef with cream of vegetables. De Leest is off to a good start so far.
Menu Micri:
Afterwards a trio of amuse-bouche, which began with a light scrumptious duck liver mouse with sweet and sour beet roots. It was followed by turnip cabbage with a rich tartare of dorade and oyster pearl and a spicy oyster vinaigrette. The third and final amuse was a Japanese inspired tempura of avocado with jellied miso, cream of wasabi and sesame dressing. Not only was it interesting but delicious as well.
The first part of the tasting was delightful and I couldn’t wait for the feature presentation. The first course was a North Sea crab with pumpkin and couscous. It was flavorful and the different preparations of pumpkin were brilliant. This was followed by the langoustine, cooked to perfection and made with escabeche of champignons and oil of tarragon giving it a pungent taste.
The scallop with truffle, roasted leeks and hazel nut was the next course. A profound truffle flavor along with the succulent scallops made it a lofty dish. It was followed by turbot from the North Sea with celeriac, chicory and curry sauce. The clash of flavors from citrusy, to spiciness, and little bit of smokiness was magical together.
After all the seafood dishes the next few courses were predominantly red meat. Pigeon with braised carrots, lovage and gravy came next. The tender pigeon was tasty with a lot of flavor to go with the pieces of excellent braised carrots. I was enjoying my meal more than when I started that I forgot to take a picture of the next course which was the Dutch calf lacquered with Olorso and spices, Jerusalem artichoke and sweet potato. The soft meat of the calf was wonderful. To finish was a single bite of fresh beef tartare rolled into a ball.
There were plenty of desserts courses. The first was the blood orange that had refreshing citric flavor and a slight of bitterness. This was followed by the mandarin and pineapple with white chocolate and lime, a fruity yet sweet mixture. Next was my favorite, pistachios and coconuts with almonds and Amarula. I liked the combination of the ingredients and the flavors that it produced. For the final dessert dish I was served sweet strawberries with spices. Just when I thought that my meal had ended, an array of small post dessert was served.
This was festivity that lasted close to four hours. The kitchen delivered, each dish starting with amuses all the way to dessert was a sequence of flavors that were in harmonious with one another.
For the tasting I requested the wine pairings that showed the brilliance of the sommelier. The pairings were carefully curated with European wines that heightens the flavors of each dish while others balance the acidity.
Wine Pairing:
Before opening De Leest, Chef Jan Boerma was already an established chef who had cooked at various kitchens in Europe as well as gaining two Michelin stars as chef de cuisine at Restaurant de Nederlanden. His experiences paved way to the cuisine at this restaurant where each dish had plenty of acidity yet was light. He is a pundit in creating elaborate dishes while using local ingredients.
De Leest possesses a cozy atmosphere. Its modern interior has lovely wood floorings, a wide open dining room and low ceilings, with lights that drop with serenity on top of every table. The chairs are built for extreme comfort and each guest has their privacy as the tables are spaced far apart. There are beautiful oversize paintings on display throughout the space as well as the wines that the restaurant offers. Black, white and grey dominates the colors of the interior.
Service was world class from beginning to end and what is expected of a three star restaurant. Throughout my meal Kim was present at the dining room and never lost sight of the guests. The staffs are well trained, professional and courteous. Sous Chef Ewout Eleveld (who I spoke to over the phone when I was making the reservation months prior) stopped by my table and we shared our appreciation for food and restaurants while having freshly brewed coffee.
I would have loved to have an after meal drink at one of the semi circular chairs in the lounge area if it wasn’t time to catch my train back to Amsterdam. Before leaving, Chef Jan Boerma came out of his kitchen to bid me farewell.
With a population of twelve thousand inhabitants, the town of Vaassen is so small that their train station was closed down. There’s not much going on here, even my hotel concierges haven’t heard of this town. The emergence of De Leest as a fine destination and after winning the third Michelin star last year, has put this quiet town in the map of gastronomy
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