Lars Amsterdam is the restaurant of chef Lars Scharp, positioned in similar constructing because the Residence Inn by Marriott Amsterdam Houthavens, with a sundown view of the Amsterdam harbor (Houthavens).
Lars opened in 2018 and has held a Michelin star since 2022. That is the place I took Anja to rejoice her birthday. Lars gives three degustation menus: Expertise (5 programs for 120 euros or 6 programs for 140 euros), Inexperienced (6 programs for 100 euros), and Unique (Lars’ favourite 8 dishes from 2018-2024 for 195 euros). We opted for the 6-course Expertise with wine pairing (65 euros).
We began with a pleasant glass of Further Brut Champagne (23% Pinot Meunier, 32% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir) from one of many oldest homes in Champagne.
It took fairly some time for the primary amuse bouche to reach (40 minutes after we have been seated), so that they have been served with the primary wine of the pairing somewhat than with the champagne. The primary wine was a 2024 Sauvignon Blanc from Cape City, South Africa. As a result of it’s from the Southern Hemisphere, 2024 is already the present classic. The wine was fruity, fragrant and full-bodied, with comparatively low acidity for a Sauvignon Blanc.
The primary amuse bouche with rhubarb, lovage, and asparagus.
The second amuse bouch was fairly good with langoustine kissed by hearth and flours from the restaurant’s backyard.
The ultimate amuse bouche with Swiss cheese (Belper Knolle). The waiter mentioned it contained balsamic vinegar, however we each thought it tasted extra like purple cabbage.
The primary dish was uncooked mackerel with dill, fennel, aniseed, and crispy samphire. A really mellow dish that might use a bit extra stress and was barely overpowered by the wine. The menu additionally listed lemon, and I believe only a contact extra lemon would have improved this dish. The mackerel was impeccably contemporary and a pleasant mixture with the dill/fennel/aniseed.
The subsequent wine was a white Rhône mix (Grenache blanc 60%, Vermentino 20%, Roussanne 15%, Bourboulenc 5%) from Saint-Chinian within the Languedoc (France). Properly fragrant and structured however low acidity.
This was a superb pairing for the hamachi (yellowtail) tartare with a ‘sheet’ of Thom Kha Kai, finger lime, and cantaloupe. Probably the greatest dishes of the menu, elegant, balanced, and sophisticated. The Thom Kha Kai was properly spicy with out being too spicy and the hamachi impeccably contemporary, identical to the mackerel.
As a wine lover I’ve a rule of thumb that I’d prefer to spend about the identical on the wine as on the meals. The wines of the pairing weren’t dangerous in any respect and paired nicely with the dishes, however of a decrease stage than what I’m used to consuming at house. And so I enquired whether or not any upgrades can be attainable. The wines within the pairing are the one ones out there by the glass, however there’s a good choice of half bottles. The sommelier lets you style every wine earlier than pouring a complete glass, and we didn’t like the following wine. I regarded on the listing of half bottles, noticed a Meursault, and requested the sommelier whether or not it might pair with the dish. He mentioned it might, and in order that was a simple alternative for me as a lover of Côte d’Or whites. This 2022 Sous la Velle Meursault by Domaine Michelot was very elegant (i.e. not as wealthy as Meursault might be) with nice minerality and a pleasant stability, fantastic. This was the primary time ever I’ve had a Meursault with a screwcap.
And it was certainly an excellent pairing with the ocean urchin with kiwi and milkbread. I had been trying ahead to this dish after I noticed it on the menu as a result of I really like sea urchin (also called uni). The dish was good, however the uni didn’t stand out as a lot as I had hoped.
The subsequent wine was a Chardonnay from California, a heat local weather type with tropical fruit and a few oak. The Meursault was a tricky act to observe, however this less complicated wine was a greater pairing for the following dish…
…which was a ‘paella’ of pearl barley with purple mullet…
…and socarrat (the crispy backside of paella) with mussel. My favourite a part of this dish was the very flavorful sauce.
The sommelier urged a half bottle of 2016 Chateau Musar from the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon, a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, and Carignan that has been aged in oak for 12 months. Very good darkish fruit (blackberry) and stylish acidity and tannins.
It was principally an excellent pairing for the roe deer venison with strawberry and pine cone, however had some bother with the sweeter components of the dish (parsnip and apple syrup).
We completed the Chateau Musar with a choice of cheeses from the cheese cart. The Testun al Barolo was the very best mixture.
The sommelier gave us a sip Pineau des Charentes, a mixture of grape should with cognac, that was a superb pairing with the aged cow milk cheese.
The pre-dessert with strawberry was very candy.
The dessert of cherry with almond, tarragon, and woodruff was good however not memorable. The restaurant had run out of the purple dessert wine that pairs with the dessert, and we declined the choice of an Austrian Spätlese that may have clashed terribly with the dessert for lack of sweetness and excessive acidity.
We concluded our meal with tea or espresso with a pleasant choice of friandises. The pastel de nata, canelé, and baclava that I attempted have been all very good.
The chef was principally current within the eating room somewhat than within the kitchen, and it was nice to speak to him and get to know him a little bit (very right down to earth man). The restaurant has loads of tables for a restaurant at this stage and that might be the rationale why the service wasn’t at all times at stage that I might anticipate from a one Michelin star. I already talked about the lengthy wait between our arrival and the primary amuse bouche. After that it was okay for a couple of programs, however then once more the time between programs was 30-40 minutes. The dessert was already melting when it was served, and it was served earlier than the wine (which we skipped as a result of it didn’t match).
The meals was very tasty and superbly offered, the Michelin star nicely deserved. I seen that a few of my least favourite dishes have been additionally on the Unique menu with the chef’s favourite dishes, so it appears our preferences are usually not completely aligned. I’m curious in regards to the different dishes on the Unique menu although, just like the Foie Gras and the Lobster.
We talked to the chef in regards to the wine pairing, and he defined that this ‘low-cost’ wine pairing is what most of his visitors desire and subsequently it might not be possible to supply a premium pairing as nicely. The half bottles are an excellent answer although, and naturally there may be the wine listing in case your occasion is a bit bigger so you’ll be able to order entire bottles. The flavour profile of the dishes varies significantly, so pairing one bottle with a number of dishes might be difficult. (After all not everybody cares as a lot about wine pairings as I do.) The wine listing has a pleasant choice and the costs are very affordable for a restaurant (e.g. the Meursault was 95 euros for a half bottle, whereas a full bottle retails for 80 euros — that may be very first rate markup in comparison with most eating places within the Netherlands and lets you order good bottles from the wine listing with out spending excessively).
The costs are very affordable for the standard provided. We had a really good night at Lars.
