Skip to main content

[Food Review] Bistrot des Alpes: Fondue, Raclette and Gratin from Haute Savoie.

Amsterdam Bistrot des Alpes - Thumbnail


Situated in a quiet back alley in the De Weteringschan district of Amsterdam, closer to Frederiksplein, Bistrot des Alpes has been one of the most talked-about bistros in Amsterdam since its opening in 2015. It was also reviewed by the Gault et Millau guide and garnered 13 points from the review


The bistrot offers traditional dishes from the Haute Savoie region of France, known for its cheese fondue, raclette, and tartiflette. As you can see in the picture, the restaurant is decorated like a chalet from the French Alps, with wooden and copper elements. As soon as you step into the place, you feel like you've teleported to a small chalet in France, no longer in Amsterdam.


I started the dinner with a Crémant from Savoie by Cave du Prieuré. It was a bit fruity and slightly more on the acidic side; the wine had a creamy texture with smooth bubbles.


As a welcoming treat, we were served Gougère, a French savory choux pastry made with choux dough mixed with cheese, in bite-sized portions. It introduced a savory flavor and signaled the beginning of a cheese-filled feast.



We ordered all the signature dishes of Haute Savoie: Fondue, Raclette, Tartiflette, and Gratin, allowing us to savor the diverse varieties of regional cuisine. You can find a detailed explanation of the restaurant's offerings in the two-minute YouTube video below.




We ordered escargot as appetizers. Six deshelled escargots were served with bread, submerged in a butter and garlic sauce, enhancing their savory flavor


Bistrot des Alpes Amsterdam - Escargot



Main course meals arrived all at the same time. In the center, we placed Fondue Montagnarde, a fondue served with charcuteries. The cheese fondue comes with melted Comté, Beaufort, and Abondance, imparting a salty flavor. They were accompanied by salads in glass jars and bread.




The Raclette came with a small hot coal fire oven. We were instructed not to put the pan on the oven but below the space beneath it. The Raclette was authentically served with potatoes, cornichons (gherkins), pickled onions, jambon, and salami.


Bistrot des Alpes Amsterdam - Potatoes


We also ordered two types of gratin: the famous Tartiflette and another one with Gratin De Crozets, made with Savoy's specialty buckwheat pasta served with bacon, cream, stewed onion, and cheese. The Crozet pasta came with slices of smoked ham. Although Tartiflette is not well depicted in the pictures, you can see it in the images above for the Fondue, and it was authentically made—a standout and my favorite dish of the day.



At first, it seemed like we could easily finish the meal. However, the dishes were quite large and heavy, and after a while, all six of us felt completely full, leaving only a tiny space for French desserts.



I had their crème brûlée, and someone else had the lemon meringue tart, but the tart was quite mundane while the crème brûlée was a true standout, with the right texture and sweetness.


We finished the dinner with Dutch-style mint tea. The food was quite filling, and the flavors were authentic, just like eating in France. The cheese and dishes leaned toward the salty side, so after returning home, I had to drink quite a bit of water. Nonetheless, it was a great dinner at a lovely place.

Bistrot des Alpes
Utrechtsedwarsstraat 141, 1017 WE Amsterdam
+31 020 620 7393

Thanks for Reading.



Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

[Food Review] Troef Amsterdam: A new hotspot in Amsterdam-Oost, serving French food with a hint of Italian influence.

Just like the China Sichuan Restaurant I posted last time, I found Troef Amsterdam on the same list - Time Out's "The 21 Best Restaurants in Amsterdam 2024" list. After my experience with China Sichuan restaurant, I honestly had some doubt. However, the description of this place was quite fancy, and since it was not far from my area, I decided to go. Troef Amsterdam brought together big names from Amsterdam's culinary scene, including renowned restaurants like 212 and Ron Blaauw, as well as the expertise of chefs such as Raymond Plat (formerly of 212) and Niels Leijssenaar (from the kitchens of Ron Blaauw), along with Willem Alberts and Roderick Kunst from Escobar. Nestled in Amsterdam-Oost, Restaurant Troef swiftly rose to prominence as one of the most sought-after hotspots in this vibrant part of the city. We initially decided to order a combination of one starter + entree, and one starter + main, as the portions looked decent, but the wait s
Post a Comment
Read more

[Food Review] Fuku Ramen - The Hottest Ramen Place in Amsterdam

  Almost simultaneously, several people recommended a place to me: Fuku Ramen. They mentioned that despite not being run by a Japanese person, the quality of the ramen exceeded expectations, surpassing that of any other ramen joint in Amsterdam. Intrigued by these reviews, I decided to visit. However, I hadn't anticipated that the rain would begin to fall just as I joined the queue. I hadn't expected the rain, and to add to it, the line moved at a snail's pace. Now, while the information has been corrected, it wasn't entirely clear whether they accepted reservations for the weekend or not. Several of us in line assumed it was walk-in only for the weekend, but it turned out they did accept reservations. It was a bit confusing at the time. Nonetheless, after waiting about an hour in the rain, I finally secured a seat at the bar. Despite knowing the price beforehand, I was still a bit taken aback when I confirmed it: a bowl of ramen priced at over 20 Euros. There were two
Post a Comment
Read more

[Food Review] Bussia Panificio: Crafting Authentic Italian Breads and Pastries and Superb Almond Croissant

I have been to Bussia Panificio a few times, but I haven't explored the Joordan area in a long time, so I almost forgot about it. However, last Sunday, the weather was amazing, and as we were walking down the street towards the Pulitzer, the unmistakable orange interior of Bussia caught our attention, right before the Pulitzer Hotel. For more details, please find my YouTube below.   The striking orange interior still shone beautifully in the morning sunlight. We initially considered sitting outside, but since the sun hadn't yet warmed the ground and it was still chilly, we opted to stay indoors after checking the temperature. Additionally, I've noticed that whenever I sit outdoors in the Joordan area, the sidewalk feels too narrow as well. Bussia's distinctive interior remained unchanged. Managed by the Burro group, the establishment is divided into two sections: the Panificio area, meaning bakery in Italian, and the traditional restaurant area.
Post a Comment
Read more