Dutch Kitchen @ Schiphol, Amsterdam, Puro Gusto @ Athens Airport & O'Learys @ Abu Dhabi Airport

Trapped in transit at Amsterdam's airport, travellers can seek both solid & liquid sustenance at Dutch Kitchen - true to this outfit's name, local produce is emphasised, spanning an organic beef burger with Koningshoeve meat from Spaarnwoude, & cocktails like Cosmos & Mojitos made with the Netherlands' own Bols liqueur. Plus, free poffertjes for kids below one metre tall!

Dutch Kitchen, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

The food at Athens' airport won't thrill the taste buds, but if you're searching simply to satiate the stomach, a Greek salad & Vesuvio ham-&-cheese sandwich at Puro Gusto should do the trick (a small bottle of Tsantali wine probably won't hurt either).

Puro Gusto, Athens International Airport

Abu Dhabi's international airport isn't exactly an oasis of F&B options either, but this busy sports pub will do; check in for the tender, flavoursome veal ribs. And of course, the presence of a licensed bar for wine & beer is altogether a welcome relief.

O'Learys, Abu Dhabi International Airport.

Vishandel Visser @ Amsterdam

One of our favourite meals in Amsterdam came from this street stall that features fish of various fins for convenient snacks.

The main attraction here: "broodje harring," the raw herring sandwich.

Looks slimy and unappetising but tastes amazing. Super-fresh fish with pickles and onions.

Smoked herring sandwich. Not as moist and juicy as the raw one, naturally.

Shrimp, stuffed to savoury succulence. Sensational.

Eel sandwich. Lusciously creamy; not a Filet-O-Fish for sure.

Warm, tender chunks of unidentifiable fish, encased in light, crisp batter that isn't greasy in the slightest.

Vishandel Visser,

Amsterdam.

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As a separate initiative, the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites for January-March 2014 is now online, featuring 100 pretty nice eateries, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. This eBook of restaurant recommendations is available for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/Eat-Drink-KL-100-Favorites-Jan-March-2014 (This link expires March 31, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link).

De Kas @ Amsterdam

A memorably unique restaurant, set in an old greenhouse.

Natural light floods De Kas' eight-meter-high premises for lunch _ the best time to enjoy this outlet's offerings, which use regularly harvested organic produce from a vegetable nursery and herb garden outside the dining hall.

There's no a la carte menu in this oasis of calm; customers must eat from a fixed set that's determined by the chef based on what's fresh.

The chunky olives are remarkably juicy and bursting with flavor.

Chopped raw oysters and mackerel with beans, tomatoes and basil. Beautifully designed. A delicate-tasting recipe.

Stewed leek with sauteed chanterelles, morels & coulis of sweet pepper. Clean flavors.

Corn with vanilla butter and parsley. The best corn on the cob ever; wonderfully, naturally sweet, with a springy moistness that made us wish we could have much more of this. The vanilla butter was an addictive dip.

Sea bass with potato compote, endives and saffron beurre blanc.

Beetroot salad. If you like beetroot, you'll love this. A shining example of how fresh, thoughtfully grown produce can make for lively, lovely recipes.

Moet and Chandon Brut Imperial & Mas Comtal Merlot (2009).

De Kas,

Amsterdam.

The latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites for January-March 2014 is now available online, featuring 100 pretty nice eateries, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. The eBook can be read & downloaded for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones. 

Please click here: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/Eat-Drink-KL-100-Favorites-Jan-March-2014 (This link expires April 1, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link).

Beginning late January, a free email newsletter will be sent out every Monday to subscribers, highlighting new restaurant openings (even before they're featured on this blog), F&B promotions & other tasty tidbits for the Klang Valley.
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Thanks very much; subscriptions are appreciated.

Greetje @ Amsterdam

Overlooking a calm canal in Amsterdam, Greetje (named after the restaurant owner's mom) specializes in old-fashioned Dutch cooking, including what it calls "forgotten recipes" popular in previous generations.

Crusty bread with butter and (sinful food alert!) pork belly fat laced with onions.

Frysian grilled sugar bread. A crisp snack with decadent layers of homemade duck liver terrine sandwiched in between the slices.

Soup duo: 1. Cauliflower soup with salted anchovies and chervil, and 2. Bouillon of Dutch tomatoes with parsley & poached quail eggs. Dutch cuisine hasn't made a name for itself internationally; some consider it bland. But it can prove satisfyingly wholesome. Comfort food on every level.

Sauteed black pudding with warm apple compote and veal gravy with laurels. Partly crunchy, partly chewy, but wholly and flavorfully addictive.

Thickened yogurt with Dutch mustard, dill, roasted chestnuts and veggie chips.

Dutch shrimp on baby lettuce with cocktail sauce, tomatoes and herb salad (tangy-creamy), alongside thin-sliced garlic-marinated pork loin with aceto balsamic, brown sugar, sauerkraut and piccalilli.

Pickled beef pate with baked potato, herbs, mayo & horseradish. Sourish, but soft and chunky enough to recommend.

Vegetarian bitterballetjes. Deep-fried mushy goodness, stuffed with farmer's cheese and chives and served with mashed potatoes & lettuce. Chewing optional.

Pork-stew in tomato sauce, with more mashed potatoes. Home-style cooking.

Calude Val Rose (2009) & Touraine Sauvignon La Bocagerie (2009).

Greetje,

Amsterdam.

The latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites for January-March 2014 is now available online, featuring 100 pretty nice eateries, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. The eBook can be read & downloaded for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones. 
Please click here: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/Eat-Drink-KL-100-Favorites-Jan-March-2014 (This link expires April 1, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link).

Beginning late January, a free email newsletter will be sent out every Monday to subscribers, highlighting new restaurant openings (even before they're featured on this blog), F&B promotions & other tasty tidbits for the Klang Valley.

Please consider subscribing to Eat Drink KL Weekly via this following link: 

https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/5106C196432BB23D

Thanks very much; subscriptions are appreciated.