Weekend in Amsterdam

Whenever friends came into town to visit, de Kantjil en Tijger was the restaurant of choice. You can't go wrong at this restaurant centrally located on Spuistraat, with great food, a relaxed ambience, and an attentive staff. The cuisine is Indonesian, which is generally very well prepared in the Netherlands, and delicious at this particular restaurant.

The first time, I went in a large group and ordered several rijstafels. About 20 minutes later, our table was covered in small plates of Indonesian fare, all delicious and in large quantities. There was enough for each one of us to taste each plate. The next time I returned, it was just three of us for dinner, and we ordered off the menu--nasi goreng, a spicy meat dish, and a vegetarian entrée. You can't go wrong. In fact, these dishes were arguably better than the rijstafel--there was more of each, so we fully savoured each one. For first-time Indonesian-food eaters, go for the rijstafel,, but if you have a sense of Indonesian food, pick entrées and share them.

The food is excellent, the ambience casual, the decor simple, and the customers a combination of locals and tourists. Two other aspects of de Kantjil that make it even more attractive: the to-go menu option and the early bird special, where you can have a complete meal between 4:45 and 6:30pm for 9€. For 9€, you get rice or noodles, a meat dish, and a veggie dish.

Stumble across this restaurant on the Prinsengracht and you will not be disappointed. For those who like a lot of space for themselves, this is not the restaurant to go to. Tucked onto a corner of Prinsengracht this small restaurant lets out an unassuming, warm, romantic ambiance that you feel the minute you walk in the door. Small candles are the lighting du jour at each of the tables, (the actual lights are dimmed) and the tables are close together, for an intimate setting.

My date and I started off our meal with a glass of white wine and raw oysters as our appetizer. The wine list, for both red and white, was reasonably priced and fairly extensive. I would discourage the oysters--ours were much brinier than we were accustomed to in tthe States. You can get better oysters down the road at Cineac for a better price with a drink later in the night. But from then on, the meal didn't disappoint. We ordered a grilled fish and veal--and they came back juicy, tender, and cooked to perfection. The portions were just right and the vegetables excellent compliments. All around us, the chicken and meat dishes (rosemary grilled chicken breast, for example) left customers very happy as well. We did not order dessert here, so I can't comment on it.

All in all, one of the best dining experiences I have had in Amsterdam. Romantic setting, competent waitstaff, and well-known chef. We were the only ones speaking English in the entire restaurant. The decor is minimalist, but trendy. The crowd ranges from young 20- and 30-year-olds to slightly older groups.

Go to the Bacardi Factory in Puerto Rico, and you have a solid factory tour coupled with a rum tasting at the end. But don't go to the Heineken Factory in Amsterdam expecting anything like that. It is, to put it simply, a disappointment. Virtual rides take you on the streets of Amsterdam on the Heineken horses. A walk through the brewing room is a walk through the old brewing room--no beer is currently made or processed there. The first three rooms on the tour represent the ingredients of beer; one of the room discusses the role of water in making beer. The only beer I saw was the one I was poured in the Heineken bars, which could've been poured at a bar with more ambience and history for the 10 euros I spent on admission.

You wake up late on a lazy weekend afternoon in Amsterdam, unsure of how to spend the lingering daylight hours. The answer to your uncertainties is fairly simple: the hidden art galleries of the Jordaan. Tucked along the canals and side streets of what is known as Amsterdam's more artsy neighborhood, unfortunately little known to tourists much beyond the Anne Frank House, are scores of art galleries--waiting to be discovered. Walk into one of these galleries on a Sunday afternoon and expect to be warmly received, and walk out with a work of art or two, or at least a decision to purchase one in the future.

The artists welcome you warmly into their galleries--a stroll down the Brouwersgracht and you'll already see a few--and serve you some tea and pastries or cookies. But the tastiest morsels they serve you--the opinions of the art world, the evolution of their work, the interpretations of individual paintings--is an experience you will go back to on subsequent trips to Amsterdam. The walk through art galleries is a journey of discovery--enjoy.

Jimmy's Woo's has been the place to go in Amsterdam for the past few months now. The easiest way to get in is by getting your name on the guest list or by having a Dutch friend with you. Otherwise, it's up to you to don some trendy clothes and the right attitude to convince the attractive Asian doorwoman that you should be allowed into the club. Enter through the doors, check your coat, and walk into the first-floor opium lounge setup.

A cool Oriental theme dominates here. The crowd is chill, gathered in small groups--hanging out, talking, and slowly sipping drinks served up from the bar. Downstairs, the scene is a little different. There's a DJ mixing tunes—hip-hop on Thursday nights (the best night to go, with the least amount of tourists)--and a low ceiling full of hundreds of light bulbs that go off in alternating patterns throughout the evening. Aside from the white light that emanates from the ceiling, the bar and the walls are black. Like upstairs, the scene is pretty laid-back--people are doing there own thing, as long as it's dancing.

Even though it's known as one of the hottest spots in Amsterdam, you can still tell you're at a club in Holland and not New York City--the vibe is more chill, and it's much less of a scene. For that, Jimmy's scores some points. The only element of Jimmy's that is more New York City is getting in, but once inside, you'll enjoy the small space, the drinks, and the lounge or downstairs dancing. If you're in the right mood, Jimmy's won't disappoint.

Cineac is hands down the coolest lounge in Amsterdam. Go on a Wednesday and have a relaxed catch-up session with a friend over a glass of wine and reasonably priced oysters. Go on a Saturday before heading out to a nearby club (like Sinners) and sit in one of the crushed red velvet booths and people watch. If you're lucky, you may catch a performance from, well, the ceiling. Cineac is an old movie theatre turned brasserie/lounge. The ceiling is very high, like that of a 3-D theatre, and concave. In the center, there is a circle for performances. And on nights when you're not lucky enough to catch an energetic performance from this unique stage in the ceiling, there's a live singer walking around--engaging guests--but as much as they want. You won't get haggled at this trendy Dutch bar that attracts a wide array of people in their mid- to late twenties. At 24, I was on the younger side.

There's a pretty long cocktail list at this lounge that's all in red, with dimmed lights. But if I were you, I'd stick to more simple mix drinks, bottled beers, and wine. I paid 12 euros for an overly sweet mojito that didn't pack a good punch. In line with everything at Cineac, it came well presented, but it wasn't worth the money. At the lounge level, they have appetizers, like the oysters I mentioned earlier. Some of the best I have had in Amsterdam--certainly better than those at one of the Jordaan's hidden, but delicious restaurants--Gespot. Apart from the oysters (you receive five or six for 25 euros), a few other finger foods are available for your consumption. Upstairs on the second floor there is a brasserie. Reportedly good, I never had dinner at Cineac. With so many places to go in Amsterdam, I always chose to have dinner at another restaurant, go have a few drinks at Cineac, and then go dancing at a club.

If you're not into the dancing scene, you can make a night of Cineac. This chill out lounge lets out good vibes all night--until its 2am close, that is. There is dancing on some Friday and Saturday nights, but it doesn't dominate the scene--go up to the mid-level of the lounge (the main bar is downstairs in the dead center of the room and circular and the space in front is where some of the dancing happens) and you can admire the dancing from afar. Cineac is awesome--classy, trendy, and unique. Instead of shipping the Jimmy Woo's opium bar/lounge/club groove to NYC, Cineac owners should try to replicate this lounge in the States. It's hands down one of my favorite places to go in Amsterdam. It won't disappoint.

While Cineac is my favorite pre-club spot in Amsterdam, Sinners in Heaven is my favorite club. It gives Jimmy Woo's a run for its money and ultimately wins out. I went on Friday nights, and like at Jimmy Woo's, the line to get in was a bit of a hassle. We were four Spaniards and one Dutch field hockey player. The line moved fairly quickly, or at least, faster than expected when you arrive at a club at 1am, and our Dutch friend talked us into the club. I can't stress how much of an advantage it is to bring a Dutch person out with you or to get onto the list at these clubs--it saves a lot of time (and often a cover charge). Getting in on your own works as well--just be prepared to have the right attitude and dress and to wait a little longer. When you do get inside, it pays off. There are few tourists in Sinners--and a clear absence of the stereotypical drunk tourist fumbling his way through Amsterdam. Here in Sinners you'll come the closest to finding the Dutch jet-set (a term that really doesn't do the Dutch justice, since they are, overall, much less pretentious than other cultures). There's no reason to wear anything fancier than jeans to Sinners, or really to any club in Amsterdam--a trendy/dressy top is all you need.

Inside, Sinners in Heaven is, as the name may suggest, dimly lit and red. There are three floors to this club, but don't expect to walk into a warehouse--the overall area is small. Downstairs there was a DJ spinning house music. The mid-level had a bar overlooking the downstairs. Suspended from the ceiling, down into the red crowd beneath, were silver disco balls of all sizes. It was cool to look down on the crowd and cooler to be downstairs dancing and take a peek up at the disco balls overhead. This club doesn't call itself Sinners in Heaven for just any reason. On the stairs, there are fake bills. And upstairs on the third floor, the tunes are more hip-hop and Top 40--we found ourselves singing along to many of them as we danced into the early hours of the morning. Sinners is open until 4am. The area is slightly cramped upstairs, but fun. The bar is tucked away to the side, and there are large plants on the floor. Still, the pervasive color is red.

Sinners has a solid mix of DJs, who you can see in advance on their website, www.sinners.nl, and a great vibe to boot. You won't be disappointed drinking and dancing, or just dancing, the night away at this club. Personally, I'd rate it higher than Jimmy Woo's. And the crowd--everyone is carefree and doing their own thing. Grab a Dutch friend, get a group together, and enjoy a Friday night here.

Bike anywhere, as long as you avoid the center of Leidseplein and Dam Square if you're an inexperienced biker. I would visit the Jordaan in the morning--leave your bike and walk through the small market at Noordermarkt on Saturday mornings, then bike over to Albert Cuyp Straat and take advantage of the market there.

The bike ride I most recommend is one that takes you to Museumplein and then to the Vondelpark. Vondelpark is a beautiful park in Amsterdam, where there are always people walking around, enjoying the lush vegetation, trees, and cool weather. Pickup soccer games take place, rollerbladers do tricks, and couples walk around slowly, taking pause every few steps to look at flowers.

And one of the greatest rewards lies in the center of the VondelPark at the Blauwe TheeHuis--a tea house in the center of the park. It's a blue round bar with outdoor seats where you can sit, chill out, and take a beer or a glass of wine and a small snack. It's a relaxing way to spend an afternoon in Amsterdam, away from the packed Leidseplein, Dam Squares, and Red Light Districts, and a perfect stopping point after going on a bike ride or even seeing the museums. And if it's sunny out, it can't be better. You can enjoy the sun and people-watch--a yuppier scene than some other places in Amsterdam.

Unfortunately, Amsterdam art museums are currently undergoing renovations. Of these three, only the Van Gogh museum is fully open. And as for the Kroller Moller museum (my hands down favorite in Holland) an hour and change away in Appeldoorn, you should skip that for the time being due to extensive renovations.

But back to the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk, and Van Gogh Museums. Of these three, you should go only to the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum. The Stedelijk has been moved to the Old Post Office near Amsterdam Centraal Station and even less of its collection than before is shown. The first time I went in the summer of 2002, I was disappointed by the disorganization of the rooms and the pieces--you really are best served going to a modern art museum in any other city. I would argue that Boston's Museum of Fine Arts section on modern art is better organized and presented.

The Rijksmuseum is one that should not be missed. Even though only one wing is open, the 7 euro admission is worth it to see the artwork on display--the Rembrandts are breathtaking and impressive, even if he is not your favorite artist. If you have extra time in the Netherlands, hop on the train in Amsterdam and go to Leiden (about half an hour away), the birthplace of Rembrandt. You can see his house and take a walking tour of his neighborhood. When you next go the Van Gogh museum, expect to take about 2 hours maximum in there. There's no other place where you can see such a large collection of Van Gogh's works are all together. There's a bit of a line to get in sometimes, so don't show up an hour before the museum closes expecting to just run in and check it out.

Also, if you are in the Netherlands in October, make sure to check the calendar for Museumnacht (Museum Night). Tickets are available for purchase near the Leidseplein (it's better to buy your tickets in advance, because the line is incredibly long and they get sold out) and are at most 18 euros. For 18 euros, you have free entry into every museum in Amsterdam until 2am. It's a really cool evening and scene--there are food samples and tents set up outside some of the museums (the Rijksmuseum for example) and people usually stop by the museum after having dinner at one of Amsterdam's many restuarants. It's a great vibe and not something to be missed if you're in the area.

Once the "it" club of Amsterdam (say 3 years ago), when the Supper Club CD was flying off the shelves at Amsterdam's Virgin Records, the Supper Club has become, unfortunately, a passe tourist trap. Sure, still go for the novelty factor—if you go for dinner, food is served to you lying down, and like in most clubs, you can finish your meal and head to the actual club area. This is likewise trendy—minimalist, lots of white in "le salon neige", red in "le bar rouge", what you would expect from a former hot spot. The tunes, as evidenced by the CD, are spectacular. They have excellent DJs spinning some of the best lounge music to be heard. Although, it's just not as authentic as it used to be, and as it has become more known, it has become something of a tourist trap, with less locals frequenting it. I'm not sure how the Supper Clubs are faring in other cities—there's one in Rome and San Francisco, and plans to open one in London and Hong Kong respectively.
Finally, Amsterdam has added a Supper Club cruise—which takes you out on the Amstel for a Supper Club type experience on a boat from 9-11pm—a salle neige, le bar noir, and an outdoor deck (although Dutch weather may not be amenable to much time spent out there!).
Anyway, the final verdict: for the novelty factor (just be prepared to drop some cash)—go. For a hipster Dutch scene, you should have gone a few years ago.