WONDERFUL place! Right on the canal at Nieuwmarkt. Typical Dutch cuisine and atmosphere. The place is lined with candles and high candelabras, which makes for an awesome sight to see at night. The menu has some excellent choices--from venison to sea bass, duck, and chicken. The crudités plate as an appetizer was great! It came with three dipping sauces that were so wonderful, yet so different.
They have a website, In De Waag .

It was very noisy and the food was nothing special. I think people come because the of the building the restaurant is in, not for the food, service, or value.

We were strolling through the New Market area of Amsterdam when we suddenly felt peckish but no restaurant looked appealing. Some looked a bit dirty and others seemed to be more "coffee shop" than restaurant. Also the close proximity to the red light district made walking back towards the station area to find somewhere to have a decent repast an unattractive option. I then remembered reading a dining entry by IgoUgo’s resident Dutch guide, Marianne, on De Waag - a restaurant serving organic food where they assure you that the veal is made of a calf who spent its entire life at the side of it’s mother! I couldn’t really remember what the exact name of the place was supposed to be but I hoped to find it once we got to Nieuwmarkt.

I need not have worried about the latter. Once at Nieuwmarkt it is simply impossible not to find Restaurant Café in de Waag. It is located in a large fortress like building, which was one of the city gates erected during the fifteenth century. This imposing building stands on its own in the center of the large square. Outdoor seating is available but as the weather was rather unpleasant everyone was inside.

Inside the place is beautifully yet plainly decorated with lots of candles, dark solid furniture and white washed walls. There are dining areas on several levels and in several rooms - some reserved for larger private parties.

The menu selection is not particularly large but it is varied with lots of vegetarian options, as one would expect from an organic food establishment. My wife had the soup of the day, which was a tasty thick vegetable soup served with fresh wholesome bread. I thought it would be a shame to pass on those dear calves and had veal croquets (kalfskroketten) served piping hot with slices of white bread. They were a bit more expensive than usual but the taste was worth the splurge. However, I would have preferred a rather more substantial type bread. The portions were not particularly big so with only a few hours left in Amsterdam I thought it wise to load up on the bitterballen - very tasty small meatballs served with strong mustard. Once again the taste was a cut above the average.

We topped the meal off with two strong cappuccinos and a piece of apple tart which had that mix of spices that only the Dutch seem to use in apple tart which is a shame as it is a winning combination. In contrast to the meal this piece of cake was really big so I made a mental note to arrive here at coffee time on future visits.

Adding two more drinks this repast came to Euro 30, which is not exactly cheap but fair for the location and the quality of the food.

But Amsterdam expanded. At the beginning of the 17th century the Sint Anthonius gate stood within the city walls and was no longer a defence tower.

It was then transformed into a weighing house. Merchants liked it because it was conveniently situated near to the river. Soon they a weekly market in front of the Waag.

In 18th century the Nieuwmarkt, the new market, developed into one of Amsterdam's most important trade centres.

If you are interested in history you must visit De Waag. It served as the city archives. Napoleon used it for public executions.

But on a sunny day, the Waag is the a good place to do some people-watching..

All dishes are prepared by using organically grown ingredients. They work together with a group of farmers who allow their livestock to roam freely about. No pesticides are used to control weeds. All vegetables are grown organically. On the menu: "tender veal from calves who have spent their entire lives with their mothers". For me this is no recommendations, it makes eating meat worse as I can see mother cow and child calf happy together.....

So I order a vegetarian dish.