De Vliegende Schotel
A Meal to Write Home
About
Thomissa Comellas
Nestled just off the Bloemgracht on tiny Nieuwe
Leliestraat the vegetarian “De Vliegende Schotel” presents itself as a smaller
version of the houses around it. The
vegan-friendly restaurant stands at just one story, a contrast to the traditional
tall houses to either side. The result
is an unassuming, pleasantly frumpy first appearance. Its narrow front is blanketed with menus and
awards. A small sign bearing the
restaurant name in old-fashioned lettering juts out above the door. The theme
of smallness continues inside the restaurant as it extends back from the street
in the traditional narrow Dutch arrangement.
This provides room for ten brightly colored tables turned at odd angles
to capitalize on space along the sloped floor.
Upon entering the restaurant one’s eye is immediately drawn past the
tables to the wine selection at the left of the simple ordering counter and to
the blackboard menu adorning the wall at its right. The colorful interior and plants atop the
elevated counter draw attention away from the kitchen at the end of the room
without masking its existence entirely.
This perpetuates some of the cozy feelings of the former home without
creating a country-cookin’ atmosphere.
The rather bland art pieces personalize the space only to the extent
that the walls are not left blank; they draw little attention away from the
tables and the meal at hand.
Only two people tended the restaurant guests throughout
this visit: a waitress and the cook/owner.
Both were very attentive and addressed me first in Dutch but then in
English. Upon my arrival the waitress
poured me a glass of the house white wine while the owner found me an English
menu unasked. The owner is known for his
eccentricity and during this visit, at least in dress, lived up to
expectations. He sported an enormous
ear-flapped black beret and looked distinctly cartoonish. The waitress moderately mimicked his attire
with a black skirt, patterned tights and a sharp-looking nose piercing. Despite her somewhat aggressive appearance
she seemed mild-mannered and gladly helped me decide what to order.
After
considering the weekly specials, a carrot-onion soup and a cabbage stir fry, I
ordered one of four five-euro salad options and a four-euro soup and took a
seat by the window. Although there had
been just one other patron De Vliegende Schotel when I arrived at 6:30PM nearly
all of the seats were occupied by 7PM.
Guests mostly appeared to be native Amsterdammers between 25-40 years
old and were ordering in the same manner as I was - a drink with a few
selections to follow.
The
wine was light and fruity and the perfect palette preparation for the
spinach-sprout salad that arrived five minutes later. Presented in a flower-shaped plate that
managed to be friendly and cute without being kitchy, the vegetables were flavorful
and fresh. A basil-lemon vinaigrette
with the slightest spice complimented the minimalist salad that featured
tomatoes and kale in addition to sprouts and spinach. It arrived pre-tossed and delightfully ready
to eat, just as a salad would be at a table at home.
My
entrée was De Vliegende Schotel’s peanut soup, a surprisingly spicy dish served
exceptionally hot. The soup mingled
sweetness and chili-heat amazingly well and featured finely chopped peanuts,
peppers and carrots. It had been my
second choice after finding the nettle soup unavailable but it was a filling,
comfortable selection.
The
warm pear-apple pie was a fabulous dénouement.
It could only have benefited with a heap of vanilla slagroom (Dutch for ice cream).
The pie was clearly homemade and coupled a flaky crust with delightfully
crunchy fruit. At four-euro it was a bit
pricy and I think it would be better enjoyed as a meal of its own in the middle
of the day rather than a grand end to an already substantial meal.
De
Vliegende Schotel was a great choice for this reviewer and I imagine it would
be perfect for a college-age or older dinner date. Its size could be pushed to accommodate large
parties however I think the limited service may be too slow to please a big
group.
My
single qualm with the restaurant is simple but unfortunately difficult to
ignore. The converted house provides a
great atmosphere and a pleasant location for a calming daytime or evening
stroll but it also means that the ceiling is low and that the window space is
small. The fluorescent lighting inside
was not grating but it did feel somewhat confining after walking in from the
bright sunshine. The paper menus and awards plastered to the restaurant’s only
windows further block the natural light.
Even seated at the table closest to the window I was very much aware of
the abrupt barrier between the outdoors and the interior. Additionally the residential location means
that there is no room for outdoor seating along the cramped pedestrian area.
Despite
the architectural limitations and poster choices De Vliegende Schotel is a
charming destination for a quiet evening away from the main drag. It provides filling, flavorful food at
reasonable prices in a relaxed atmosphere.
Further, the vegetarian food genre seems sparse around Amsterdam and De
Vliegende Schotel provides for this craving nicely.
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