Promising but for sure better if you go for the actual menu: Restaurant De Vrienden van Jacob @ Landgoed Duin & Kruidberg (18. May 2017)
The “Restaurant De Vrienden van Jacob” has one Michelin star so my expectations were relatively high. And they were kind of not really fulfilled – especially as when the dinner started, we were seated in a separate room and not in the main restaurant but at least the dinner started promising with “cod fish, marinated in saffron, fermented carrot, and lobster”. The cod was sliced thinly and great in taste as well as consistency – the marination in saffron was almost not there but it was complemented perfectly by the fermented carrot. The lobster on the other hand was – at least for me – unnecessary as it was a slice of a pressed lobster roll which did not add anything in terms of taste or consistency (rather chewy).
The main course on the other hand, a “beef sirloin with white asparagus, sauce rosemary, puree of sweet potatoes” was perfect. I mean, it wasn’t anything I would say it deserves a Michelin star but it was made perfect – besides the lacking element of surprise. The meat was tender, smooth, and aromatic and perfectly balanced off by the sweet potato puree and the meat crust crumbles.
The “white chocolate pie with passion fruit sorbet, mango, mango Mousse and merengue” was lovely – but it was the same dessert (besides the decoration) which was served on Tuesday in the restaurant DenK. So, yeah, not sure how this is usually done but serving the same thing twice to the same group is not really an impression of creativeness!
After the actual menu, they served a variety of chocolates in the bar which were quite lovely – and generally was the staff there. The drinks on the other hand were rather average and lacked a bit in creativeness (i.e. the offer was narrowed down to a gin and tonic and vodka lemon).
Overall, the De Vrienden van Jacob is a decent place as the food is generally good, the service relatively attentive, and the atmosphere is lovely. I can imagine that – if you’d go to the restaurant and have the proper menu (~EUR 90.00), you’d have a lovely experience. So, I guess, next time I have to try the menu in this restaurant by myself.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant De Vrienden van Jacob @ Landgoed Duin & Kruidberg
Duin en Kruidbergerweg 60
2071 LE Santpoort (NL)
Tel.: +31 23 512 18 00
E-Mail: info@duin-kruidberg.nl
Homepage: https://www.duin-kruidberg.nl
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
