Munchies
Whether you worked up an appetite from a nice bike ride or you just smoked down a little jibba, Amsterdam’s got you covered.
Bitterballen - or what the locals consider “brown gold”, a deep fried ball of ragout and meat served with a side of gravy or mustard. this traditional Dutch bar snack
Frikandel - skinless deep-fried sausage, made of chicken, pork and beef (sometimes even horse?!?). It’s often topped with mayonnaise, curry and onions. did not sample one of these “freaky” frikandels but I guess you can’t know it til you try it ..?
Poffertjes - tiny pancake puffs made in a special, dimpled, cast iron pan. usually eaten with butter and powdered sugar or sometimes syrup.
Stroopwafle - two thin waffles with caramel in between, best served freshly baked and hot.
Maatjesharing - the Dutch version of shashimi, this popular snack is raw brined, herring. Typically served with a few diced onions and pickles, it’s a great source of Vitamin D and Omega-3 fatty acids.To eat it like a local, you hold it by the tail while dangling it over your mouth.
Patat - most famous Dutch snacks that we know as fries usually served in a paper cone. There are always many sauces to choose from when ordering from a patat shop although the most common condiment being mayonnaise and peantut satay sauce.
Kroket - slowly cooked meatand goulash with a crunchy, fried outside. You can eat it with bread or by itself but always with a little mustard!
Roti - curry chicken with potatoes and beans and a savory pancake. Suriname was a colony of the Netherlands for a very long time so there is a big Surinamese community there that influenced some great cuisine.
Hagelslag - a slice of buttered bread with chocolate sprinkles on top. Sounds kind of strange but after you just smoked that joint, it might not be half bad!
Also, they have these bizarre fast food “snack walls” in Amsterdam that are unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s pretty much a vending machine with all kinds of hot foods. Put in your money, press a button and a glass door will open allowing you to reach inside for what you selected. Picture a McDonald’s vending machine where you could walk up to it and pull out your own Big Mac. “Food from the wall” they call it. Just wild — I’m hoping the US doesn’t jump on this trend.
