Head over heels for The Dam!
Amsterdam is one of the greatest small cities in the world. This is how the Amsterdam tourist board describes it and I have to agree. Having visited for the first time this month, I have totally fallen in love. From the beautiful architecture, to the winding canals, to the uber friendly people, to the feel-good cycling, to the delicious food, it truly is a city that welcomes you and makes you feel at home almost instantly.
Having planned a three day break it was always going to be a busy couple of days, but within the first afternoon we had more or less explored the city by foot, accidentally coming across landmarks with surprised delight and pride – we almost felt like locals!
I could, and happily would, tell you about every part of my trip, but I would be here for days, so instead I want to tell you about a little gem that I discovered, again accidentally, but which I can highly recommend. This gem is called Trattoria Caprese.
Situated on Spuistraat, this Italian restaurant is a tranquil oasis compared to the hustle and bustle of the city outside. Greeted by the incredibly friendly and attentive waiters and shown to our table, we were presented with a menu that left us spoilt for choice!
Everything sounded mouth-watering, but after much deliberation we decided on tagliatelle con ragu di vitello e peperoni dolci (tagliatelle with veal ragout and sweet pepper) and polpette con salsa di pomodoro e pane di Altamura (meatballs in tomato sauce with Altamura bread) – both were nothing short of a culinary delight!
Of course, it would have been rude to have stopped at just a main, so we requested the dessert menu and the deliberations began yet again. Eventually it was the tortino caldo al cioccolato (warm chocolate pie) that won and it did not disappoint.
As the hours ticked by, there was not the slightest hint that they wanted us to move on to free up the table which made a refreshing change and as the restaurant filled up with a mixture of tourists, some of whom were happily dining on their own, it was the locals that had reserved tables which confirmed that we had in fact stumbled across a little gem.
Having only been back in the UK for a couple of days, I have already made plans to visit Amsterdam again, but this time I have a new to do list and sitting pride of place at the top will be a visit to Trattoria Caprese.
If you’re planning a trip to one of the greatest small cities in the world, then make sure Trattoria Caprese is on your list – I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
http://www.restaurantcaprese.nl
https://www.facebook.com/restaurantcaprese?fref=ts