Eating BIG in Indianapolis Pt. 3

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties
- Checking back in on Indianapolis

Well I saved todays post for this date back when I saw that Caleb Williams and the Bears would be going down to Indianapolis for week three of the 2024 season and here we are sitting at 1-1 headed down to Indy for a very winnable game. It’s early but they do look like the same old Bears so far. But even if you’re not headed down for the game this post could come in handy should you ever find yourself in or passing through Indianapolis. Is it the Midwest's best food city? No it’s not. (Note: I rank it 9/10 on my list of  the Midwest's best food cities with Chicago taking the top spot). But is there good food to be found in Indy? Of course there is! Anybody that tells you (insert city) doesn’t have good food is either an extremely picky eater or they don’t know how to find the good stuff. There’s good food to be found in every urban area of the country, if there’s people around then good food isn’t far behind and Indianapolis has 850,0000 plus people. It takes a bit of research and knowing what you’re looking for or you can just leave it to me. I’ve never led my readers astray. Here’s where I’ve ate in Indy of late. Note: previous Indianapolis eating reports linked at the end of this post. Enjoy the ride!

Pics from Indy
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Long's Bakery 

First stop for me whenever I’m in Indy is more often than not this locally loved donut shop. Long’s Bakery is a great stop even if you’re just passing thru as it’s right off I-65 and it opens early and closes late (5:30a - 10p daily). If you arrive on a weekend before noon you should be prepared to wait as they often have a line. Customers from across the city line up for their donuts the most popular of which is a glazed yeast. Local rapper Tevin Studdard released a song in 2020 called "Long's Bakery Music Video" during which he raps about eating Indy's favorite donuts. David Letterman is also a fan.

Donuts at Long's Bakery 
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Shapiro's Delicatessen

Indy is a good Roadfood city by which I mean there’s alot of fun old school spots you can stop in at. Shapiro’s Deli is arguably the most iconic of the bunch. This classic cafeteria style restaurant has been at it since 1905 and is still in the same family today as when it started. I think their Reuben is a contender for best I’ve had in big part due to the spectacular rye bread which they bake on site. The sliced corned beef is really good too but man oh man that hand cut rye bread is as good as it gets.

Rueben Sandwich at Shapiro's Delicatessen
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Working Man's Friend

If there’s one spot in Indy that can contend with the previous stops for most iconic it’s this bustling bar known for their sensational smashed burger. I first visited Workingman's Friend 15 years ago when I named it one of the best burgers in the country and it’s still up there on my list. Limited hours means it's always packed so I highly advise arriving right when they open if not right before they close. Hoosiers jam the place for their signature burger which is a double crispy smashed with a third bun in the middle. Despite heavy inflation across the country it’s still a heck of a deal at just over $8. The beer is reasonable here too as it’s still a very blue collar bar that got its name after its Macedonian founder would spot food and cash to local railroad workers on strike back in the mid 20’s. Since 1918.

Double Cheeseburger at Working Man's Friend
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Heidelberg Haus

I can’t believe I never stopped at this German amusement park until just recently. Heidelberg Haus is a family-owned German restaurant, bakery, and gift shop that's been on the east side of Indianapolis since 1968. It’s owned by a German national from Heidelberg who gained fame making pastries around the world at a young age and eventually found himself in Indy where he decided to open his own place. Walking into Heidelberg Haus feels a lot like visiting the German wing at Disney’s Epcot Center. Dining tables are scattered about the restaurant strategically placed wherever they can find the room between the bakery and the gift shop that expands throughout the property. It also has a cafe where customers can try a variety of German sausages including a delicious plate of currywurst. 

Currywurst at Heidelberg Haus

I always enjoy this German dish born in Berlin but you don’t see it too often in Chicago. Currywurst is typically just sliced sausage served with a curry ketchup for dipping. At Heidelberg Haus they give you two pieces of fried knockwurst served with their made on site curry sauce and a fat scoop of German Potato Salad which is a mayo-less recipe served warm with chunks of bacon found throughout and also a piece of buttered rye bread. As good as the Currywurst was it was second fiddle to the incredible German Chocolate cake that the owner himself still bakes. You can buy it by the slice or if your timing is right you can even take an entire cake to go but it’s best to order ahead if that’s what you want. There’s rarely a day that goes by where they don’t sell out of it. I’m not a big cake guy, I like it but I don’t seek it out but that will change next time I find myself in Indy as I’m so going back for that and whatever else looks good in the bakery case that day. They also sell a ton of German ingredients and souvenirs which are scattered throughout the shop. This place is an absolute gem.

German Chocolate Cake at Heidelberg Haus
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Red Key Tavern

The Midwest is littered with cool bars no matter where you are. Indy is no exception. There’s some great bars to drink at in this city and Red Key Tavern is one of my favorites. This cash only establishment is one of the best bars in the country according to The Daily Meal. It opened in 1933 and was known for its rules like no cursing, no dancing, and no leaning back in your seat. While the rules have changed the inside remains very much the same. It’s got that old school feel that so many spots try to replicate but the only real way to do so is thru time and Red Key Tavern has been at for 90 years so you know it’s the real deal. Food wise the bar is known for its burgers and also its braunschweiger sandwich which is an embodiment of the tavern itself— nostalgic and straightforward. The sandwich has been on the menu as long as anyone can remember. “Braunschweiger” is a catch-all term for several types of German sausages but the version served at Red Key is spreadable, like pate, and sliced right off the log. It comes standard on wheat bread and can be toasted upon your request. You can also add onion, pickle, lettuce, tomato, or mayo. I thought it was surprisingly good.

Braunschweiger Sandwich at Red Key Tavern 
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The Pawn Shop Pub

Pictured below is 'The Big Pawn" from Pawn Shop Pub - an old Long John Silvers turned local vibes bar. The Big Pawn is a hand breaded pork tenderloin that’s sliced in half and dressed like a Big Mac. Did you know that McDonalds once tested a breaded pork tenderloin on the menu back in 2002? It went on a test run here in Indiana but I guess the Hoosiers decided they prefer the mom and pop spots like this. There’s not a ton of variety when it comes to the dressing of a BPT so this one was a standout with the special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onion on a sesame seeded bun. 

Big Pawn Breaded Tenderloin at The Pawn Shop Pub
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Wisanggeni Pawon

I first tried this Indonesian restaurant in its early stages as a ghost kitchen. Wisanggeni Pawon serves up some delicious Indonesian inspired street food. I’m not nearly as familiar with Indonesian cuisine as I’d like to be but Wisanggeni Pawon might be my favorite restaurant in Indianapolis. It’s a bit of an oddity in a city with a handful of Burmese restaurants but those are mostly found on the south side which can be an extra hour of driving going to and from downtown. Wisanggeni Pawon is ran by an Indonesian couple who ended up in Indy after a restaurant venture in the Netherlands fell thru. Well one country’s loss is another’s gain as Bambang Wisanggeni and his wife Putri Pratiwi are serving up some of the most exciting food in the city. Martabak Telor aka Crispy Beef Omelette is a savory flavor bomb of chopped beef with green onion and egg mixed with a special sauce and sandwiched between a crispy crepe that’s cut into squares for easy eating. The beef rendang is as good as I’ve had anywhere in the States. It’s rich and creamy and arrives with an array of sides like fluffy coconut rice, jackfruit gulai, steamed kale, and an omelet. But the best thing on the menu just might be the Indonesian sweet Dutch butter pancake with sprinkled chocolate, ground peanut, and cheese aka Martabak Manis. No joke one of the best deserts that I’ve ever had. I’ve never had this anywhere else but I felt like it was of a super high quality as it was just perfect. One of those dishes I'll never forget.

Martabak Telor 

Beef Rendang

Martabak Manis at Wisanggeni Pawon
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Futuro Indy 

I took a quick trip down to Indy last year to lend a helping hand I was rewarded with a Detroit style pizza just as good as any of the ones I’ve had in the Motor City. It comes from Futuro which is posted up in an old building from the old Angie’s List campus. We tried the Futuro Classic which comes with Ezzo pepperoni, housemade Italian sausage, fresh mushrooms and their house marinara sauce plus Pecorino Romano. They also do a tavern style thin and run a deep dish special but I highly suggest the Detroit style which hit all the high notes with its thick and airy dough that’s both light and sturdy with a lovely frico edge crust plus Wisconsin Brick cheese and a bright red top. Really good stuff.

Detroit Style Pizza at Futuro
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Shani's Secret Chicken 

Believe it or not Indiana has a rich tradition of fried chicken. Our neighbors to the east even have an interactive map with some of the states best fried chicken mapped out. A good chunk of those spots are south of Indy but some of the states best fried chicken is found on the west side of the city in a Pakistani restaurant. Chapati is a contemporary Indian and Pakistani spot ran by Indy resident Maisum Farid. He serves up some of Indiana's best South Asian food at Chapati which also houses Shani’s Secret Chicken where he dishes out a South Asian spin on the Southern classic. Halal Chicken is soaked in buttermilk and spiced with lots of exciting spices before a trip to the deep fryer resulting in some of the crispiest fried chicken in all of Indiana. Thumbs up for the fresh cut fries too. 

Fried Chicken at Shani's Secret Chicken 
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Julieta Taco Shop 

I’m not sure where to find Indy’s best tacos as I haven’t done enough searching around to give a real answer. But I know you can do much worse than this new school spot located at The Stutz - an iconic four-story factory building easily accessible from off the highway. Julieta Taco Shop is a tag team operation between two friends who met more than 15 years ago in Indianapolis. The co owners worked together at restaurants across the city before opening Julieta which specializes in tortillas made on site with nixtamalized corn from Mexico that’s milled and pressed by one of the owners dads. Aside from that I loved the fact I saw a spit of al pastor aka a trompo spinning. So I decided to try both the al pastor and a Taco Suadero (fried beef) which is really starting to take off at spots like Julieta across the country. I much preferred the al pastor which I ordered with a cheese skirt crust - it was crisp and has good flavor and the texture was better than most of the al pastor you’ll find elsewhere. The suadero was more like birria in that it was really just shredded meat and thus it lacked the texture and the fried beefy flavor typcially found in Mexico City’s lesser known specialty.

Tacos at Julieta Taco Shop
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Shoyu Shop at Strange Bird

To understand just how good ramen in the U.S. has got over the last decade or so take a look at our next stop - a ramen shop connected to a tiki bar in the historic Irvington neighborhood. Shoyu Shop is a made from scratch ramenya started by a graduate of The Tokyo Ramen Academy. Like any serious ramen spot they only offer a total of four bowls with their namesake Shoyu Ramen leading the way. Shoyu style  ramen starts with a sweet and salty broth made with a soy sauce base or “tare” as it’s called in ramen lingo. The tare is said to make up only about 1/10 of the liquid broth while the other 90% can vary depending on recipe. Shoyu Shop adds ‘Tori Chintan’ or crystal clear chicken stock to their house noodles along with chiyu (chicken oil) and chicken chasu (sliced chicken meat), pork chasu (sliced pork belly) and a soft boiled egg with a handful of chopped scallion. It’s a complex bowl of noodles that as recently as a decade ago would be impossible to find in Indiana. The tiki drinks at Strange Bird are also very good making for a great 1-2 punch when paired with the delicious ramen.

Shoyu Ramen at Shoyu Shop
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Vida

If you’re looking for a restaurant that’s a bit more upscale you may want to consider the tasting menu at Vida which serves a pretty good modern American tasting menu focusing on fresh and local ingredients. Executive Chef Thomas Melvin was a semifinalist for the ‘Best Chef: Great Lakes Region’ at the 2024 James Beard Awards. Vida serves up two different tasting menu options and also has ala carte selections. I tried the full tasting menu which plugs in at $135 on their website as of September 2024. The menu has completely switched since my visit in March but I had a nice dinner with a couple of standout dishes each of which were the meat forward courses of the seven course tasting. But if I had to choose between the duck breast with a carrot emulsion, confit turnip, kumquat or the Wagyu ribeye with "Robuchon" potato, preserved lemon creamed kale and truffle demi? I would take the duck as the meat had better texture. That said the ribeye paired with the rich and creamy potatoes was also a winner. Overall it was a very nice meal but I didn’t think it was quite to the level of the best restaurant in the Great Lakes Region which incudes Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois

Duck Breast at Vida

Ribeye at Vida 
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Bonge's Tavern (Anderson)

I got to cross an old spot off my Roadfood bucketlist with a bit of a detour on a recent trip to Indy. Bonge’s Tavern (pronounced bon - gees) rests in a quiet area on the outskirts of Anderson Indiana about 40 miles northeast of Indianapolis. It sits in a building dating back to the late 1800’s. Bonge’s as a restaurant dates back to 1934 when Charles Bonge took over the restaurant and spent more than 60 years manning the kitchen before selling the place in 1997. It was recently sold again and the current owner chose not to mess with its success. Customers drive from across the state and tailgate outside when the weather is warm and there’s a wait - reservations recommended. The menu is fairly small but it has all of the basic proteins including chicken, duck, lamb, seafood, and steaks.  

a peek inside 

Bonge's biggest seller is their ‘Perkinsville Pork’ as this is Indiana after all and the Perkinsville Pork is a breaded tenderloin with a Parmesan crust plus lemon butter served with the days fresh vegetable and whatever potato prep they’re making on your visit. The first thing you notice upon that first bite is the quality of the pork itself. It’s got great texture as it wasn’t bludgeoned to mush. It's got great flavor too from both the butter and the cheese. This was easily the best BPT I’ve had in these parts. The scalloped potatoes were also on point. The steak wasn’t the best I’ve had as that’s a much bigger hill to climb but it was more than just fine. I really liked all the smoke flavor they managed to grill into it. All entrees come with jalapeño cornbread and your choice of tomato soup or wedge salad served with their house blue cheese dressing. I suggest going with the salad and paying the upgrade for the real deal made on site bacon bits to go with it. Bonge’s Tavern doesn’t do carryout but they do sell pints and quarts of the soup and the blue cheese dressing to go. We finished this fantastic meal with a marvelously made sugar cake topped with berries and whipped cream. I hope to one day return during the warmer months and tailgate. Overall this was one of my favorite stops of the year. 

Dinner at Bonge's Tavern 

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If you liked this post you might also be interested in:

Indianapolis Eats

Eating BIG in Indianapolis Pt. 2

Super Eats in Indianapolis

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See ya next time @chibbqking

Eating BIG in Amsterdam

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties

- Smokin' Chokin' & Chowing on The Dam

As you may have read we spent a week in Europe just recently with the first stop being Budapest. From there we would fly over to Amsterdam. A spot long on my must visit list. We would only have three days but as we consistently learn you can get a ton done in three days. My first trip to the Netherlands was wonderful and I can't wait to get back. While it's true that the food isn't the best to be found in Europe I still found there to be plenty of options with lots of international flavors available.

Sights from Amsterdam

As far as the other stuff goes I loved Amsterdam. It's a great place to visit in that the way of life is much different from over here. Everyone has a bike and it doesn't matter what the weather conditions are there's always people riding by as you walk up and down the streets and canals by their side. Its a gorgeous city that seemed really clean despite it's vices and the people were friendly so I'm ready to go back when the chance comes. Aside from the fact we had time and tickets were reasonable the reason to visit The Dam was perfect as Kimpton just opened their first hotel in Europe here and we had vouchers making the trip more than reasonable as far as price. Amsterdam hotels, and AirBNB's for that matter, aren't cheap so we had to take advantage of the fact lodging would be free. Right?

More Sights from Amsterdam

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 Friterie par Hasard

First things first, some frites. Amsterdam has basically adopted Belgium's signature snack as their own. There's lots of spots where people say you can get the best frites in town and I tried to stop at a few of them. Par Hasard was Eater's rec and it was near where we stayed our first night in town. Frites are fresh cut fries usually of a certain variety that come served with a ton of different sauce options. More times than not these are found at stalls alongside the street but par Hasard is a full fledged bar/restaurant that also has a walk-up counter inside specifically for the fries. I liked the fact they put the sauce on the side and overall the fries were really good. They would end up taking silver.

Frites at Par Hasard

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Scandinavian Embassy

While walking to a market (or was it a coffeeshop?) we came upon one of the spots on my hit list. Seeing as how we were there and hungry we said why not even if I had planned to get breakfast here. It was early enough to be brunch. Scandinavian Embassy is all in on the current Nordic food trend that's reach stretches globally. This was peak Amsterdam as far as design and what not. The menu is small but it's basically a coffeehouse and a real one at that. By which I mean not a smoke den. I got the housemade lox with poached eggs which they split up for us after we told them we'd be splitting it. Very nice but it messes with my pics! I keed. This was a lovely plate of fresh tasting food.

Lox and Poached Eggs at Scandinavian Embassy

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 Albert Cuyp Market

Our next stop was the famous Albert Cuyp Market which sets up shop daily down in the area we stayed at on day one. There's all sorts of stuff for sale at this market and it reminded me a bit of Paris. There's two known stalls serving two of Amsterdam's favorite street food snacks both of which are sweets. The first one we tried was Poffertjes which are little Dutch pancakes made on the spot that are doused in powered sugar and served hot. I loved these but found myslef yearning for them later at night when they weren't available. I was surprised by the lack of food available after Midnight.

 Poffertjes Stand at Albert Cuyp Market

The other stand we were seeking out while here was the Original Stroopwafel stand. This is another one of Amsterdam's signature snacks you see everywhere from on the airplane to in your hotel room. The stands at the market such as this one make them to order and they're so much better that way although I found myself enjoying all the Stroopwafel that I ate. We also came upon a stand serving Vietnamese fried spring rolls and it was popular enough to try one. I'd describe it as slightly elevated state fair food and I mean that as a compliment. I'd eat one every time I shopped the market.

The Original Stroopwafel Stand at Albert Cuyp Market (Note there's a few different ones)

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Warung Mini Ceintuurbaan

First thing I look out for when traveling is the local food. Lots of options for that in Amsterdam including tons of Surinamese cuisine. Over 70,000 'Javanese' people live in Suriname, a former Dutch colony and vibrant multicultural country located north of Brazil on the Caribbean coast. These Javanese people people came from the Indonesian island of Java and helped build Suriname in many ways. When Suriname went independent the people were given the choice to stay or take up residency in the Netherlands which many of them did while bringing their food and culture with them. Amsterdam is flooded with Surinamese spots and I read about this one being good so I seeked it out. Packed house on our visit. We really enjoyed this Soto soup made with chicken, hard boiled egg, beansprouts, and more. Same goes for the chicken sate. It was money on a rainy day.

Chicken Sate (L) Soto Soup (R)

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Bar Fisk

I came upon this pretty new place while searching out good seafood. I read that a group from Tel Aviv was doing small plates with Mediterranean flavors and it looked really good. Luckily it was in the area we were roaming on Day 1 and we rolled in around opening time and were told they had room as long as we were done within an hour and a half. Not a problem for two Americans! So consider reservations beforehand if trying to check this place out. Plates average around $11 euro.

 Calamari (beetroot salad, creme fraiche, pecans)

Just a couple plates with a few glasses of wine before some cocktails at a spot she wanted to check out. Both were good but the pan fried sea bream pictured below was outstanding. Our waitress said it was their most popular item and on the menu since day one when I asked about it. A taste for myself I can agree with those who think it should stay on the menu. I'd go back for it if given the chance.

Pan Fried Sea Bream (spinach, almond, hanged yogurt)

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Hotel V Fizeaustraat

Normally I wouldn't profile a hotel but on the first night of the trip we stayed at a place called Hotel V Fizeaustraat and breakfast was included. More on that in a second. We actually thought we were staying at a different Hotel and didn't realize we were a little out of the way of our stops until we landed at the airport. No big deal as it was less than $10e for an uber into the locals neighborhood where all the spots you've seen up until here are located.I would rec venturing this way as it was a totally different atmosphere which felt much more local and not so touristy. This hotel was fantastic in both room and food. My English breakfast on day two of our trip was the perfect way to start out.

English Breakfast at Hotel V Fizeaustraat

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Tiger and The Fish

This cute little spot was where we wanted to start our dining on day two after checking into the Kimpton. It was only a 15 minute or so walk besides when walking through Amsterdam it hardly feels like a chore. This place is small luckily we got there right before they started getting busy.

 a peek inside 

Aside from a regular menu they also offer a bunch of high quality canned fish at a deli in front. You can get sandwiches with lox, house smoked smoked fish and more. They also have a fried seafood like fish and chips Dutch style which is called Kibbeling Lekkerbek and comes served in nuggets.

 Marinated Octopus

A starter of some marinated octopus was perfect. This was some high quality stuff that I could've sat there and ate all day. I must say this place was very reasonable for Amsterdam standards. Moving onto an order of Mussels we were not let down by there either. While they were smaller than many I've tried they were as well cooked as any others I've tried. Plus they came with a terrific side of fries. I thought this place was A++ in food and also service and style. I rec it to all those headed to the dam.

Mussels with Frites 

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 Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx

I just couldn't get enough of Amsterdam's frites and made sure to try this place which is commonly mentioned as the best. There is no indoor dining here this is real deal street food. They may have been the best batch of fries I've ever ate. These folks have made a name for themselves and the tourists like myself who flock here are the smart ones. The potatoes used are a beautiful golden color and they are indeed cut fresh and then fried twice. Vlaams was so good I came back the next day. On the first trip the mayo was ok but I didn't like the fact it was thrown on. Plain are the way to go.

Frites at Vlaams Friteshuis Vleminckx

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 Manneken Pis

Here's another place located on what's basically the equivalent of Michigan avenue in Amsterdam. I feel like I was in line with a ton of English tourists with some Americans and Chinese scattered in here and there. The sauce selection from here is mammoth. I decided to try the house special combo which was half curry ketchup and half mayo with onions on top. I guess onions are standard when you go all the way. These were good, they all are, but not the level of good the previous stop was on.

Fries at Manneken Pis

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Kantjil & De Tiger 

One of Amsterdam's most exciting things when it comes to food is it's abundance of Indonesian. With the Dutch connections to Indonesia this makes lots of sense. One of the favorite ways for both locals and visitors to enjoy Indonesian food is a meal called Rijsttafel. It's an absolute feast of many different dishes served in smaller portions and it's said to be one of the great ways to explore Amsterdam and it's culinary scene. Bc we had two dinners scheduled we chose to skip rijsttafel and order a few entrees from the menu at Kantjil & De Tiger. We settled on this place bc some English friends of ours had recommended it as well as a nice Indonesian lady at the hotel.

Prawn and Chicken Fried Dumplings 

We started with an order of dumplings that ended up being fried which isn't my favorite way to eat them. But there isnt such thing as bad dumplings so I did end up enjoying these. We also tried the pork satay with peanut sauce piled on. I prefer the sauce be on the side but it is really flavorful so not the biggest of deals. The Ajam Smoor was diced chicken cooked in soy sauce which ended up being alot like the bourbon chicken at your former town mall. An order of Nasi gorneg (spicy fried rice) was really nice but the best thing here was the Ikan Boembo Bali which was baked mackerel in Balinese tomato sauce. It was one of the best bites of this trip. Props to our waitress for the rec.

Indonesian Food at Kantjil & De Tiger 

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Vesper 

We hot up the four or five top rated cocktail spots in town and this place was the best of the bunch. The menu switches monthly and always has a theme which was smokey on our visit. Lots of cocktails with scotch and I liked the fact they had little tapas size plates of food that they rec'd you pair with the drink. Great service, better drinks and the little smoreebrod was the perfect bar snack. Also of note is the fact there's a really coffeeshop kitty corner if looking for a fun 1-2 punch.

Drink and Apps at Vesper

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Cafe De Klepel

We really wanted to get dinner reservations to this small wine bar but they were fully booked. please note it's a good idea to have reservations for most all dinner spots in Amsterdam. We were able to wander in later in the night for some wine and got a fantastic Dutch cheese plate. I discovered I really like Dutch soft blends. Great little place but service was shit. I think the lady who owned it, or was running it that night, had friends in and she was really only interested in talking to them. Oh well.

Dutch Cheese Platter at Cafe De Klepel

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FEBO

Considering Amsterdam is a lively place at night, in some areas anyway, it was surprising to find the city's late-nite dining scene to be lacking to say the least. Aside from garbage pizza and doner spots specifically for tourists your only other option is FEBO. This place has locations all over the city and it's known for their vending machine food. So should you be so extremely stoned that you must eat something this is your spot. Grab a burger or chicken sandwich as well as other stuff like traditional Amsterdam snacks like kroket and bitterballen both of which are fried treats similar to croquettes. One thing they do make by person here is frites and also the shakes. I tried a chicken sandwich for the f-ck of it and it was classic gas station grub. The last time I got a meal out of a machine was in grade school and to this day those are the grossest burgers I've ever ate. This was slightly better.

Chicken Sandwich at FEBO

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Broodje Bert 

Amsterdam has a really good sandwich scene. In the Netherlands a sandwich is called a broodje. This place will pop up right away if searching out the city's favorite sandwich stops. The little Turkish family behind this place makes toasted sandwiches and it kind of reminded me of Potbelly before it turned to complete corporate crap. This place is popular with everyone from tourists to locals.

Bert Burger at Broodje Bert

I had to try the Bert Burger which was calling my name through the pictures I saw before visiting. This was basically a Kofte Kebab Sub Sandwich and I loved it. Served deconstructed with a toasted roll and more Turkish beef/lamb patties that could fit inside the sandwich. A salad on the side made for a great collection of toppings for my sandwich. This is the type of place I wish I had near me.

The Bert Burger - Fully Dressed 

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Restaurant Daalder

We wanted to make sure to get at least one Michelin starred type meal in while here. But the truth of the matter is Amsterdam's fine dining scene is not cheap and I'm not really for dropping that kind of dough unless it's an experience like omakase in Tokyo or maybe some French fine dining in Paris. Still I found a site of a guy who's obviously a big gourmand and really seemed to know his stuff as far dining in Amsterdam goes. His review of Daalder was what put this place on my map.

a peek inside 

Since we were slightly earlier in the reservation process than some other spots we were able to get a spot here not far off from the open air kitchen. The menu comes in 5,6,7 courses but they dont tell you what they are. All they ask is if theres anything you dont like in which they wont serve you a dish with whatever that is. Thus I really dont have a firm recollection of each dish but I did enjoy this meal. I thought 4 of the six courses of my meal were wonderful dishes that any restaurant would be happy to serve. Only thing is I'm just not big on duck which just so happened to be the main plate. Still i wasn't going to handcuff the kitchen. i hate when I see people making adjustments to dishes that each ingredient plays an important element in. Considering it was on the cheaper side of bistros in Amsterdam I would say it's worth giving Daalder one of your dinners in the city. Good stuff.

Dinner at Daalder - From Mini Pastrami Sandwiches to Stroopwafel in Ice Cream form.

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Broodjeszaak 't Kuyltje

I read many good things about this local butcher selling an assortment of awesome broodje and made sure I ended up stopping into Broodjet Kuyltje. Here's the best tip you'll get from this roundup. Go here before you head to the airport to go back home. Get 2/3 sandwiches per person (they're on the smaller side) and enjoy them on the flight back. They open early enough (weekdays) to get there as long as you dont have to be at the airport before 7a. The meat is locally sourced and sliced to order.

 The Meat Display Case at Broodje Kuyltje

I stopped in around 7a and it was the owner and one local talking it up. The selections here are almost too much to handle. The beef tartare looked great but she wasn't going to want that so I made sure to get us some sandwiches we could both enjoy. I ended up with the pastrami that many online reviews had talked about paired with some local cheese which is melted in a toaster with the meat and bread. It was wonderful. We also got a perfectly rare roast beef sandwich,a sliced pork broodje, and one with bacon and cheese. All of them terrific. So much so I was upset with myself for not getting a few more. They ended up holding really well and were pretty much 5/6 bite sandwiches.

Trio of Sandwiches from Broodje Kuyltje (Roast Beef. Bacon. Pastrami.)

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That's it for this trip...See ya next time!

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Notes: For the addresses to all these spots plus many others we didn't make it to please see my google maps guide by clicking HERE.