Double Dutch
Andrew Kay returns to his Maastricht trip and dinners at Beaumont and Witloof
Maastricht made a huge impression on me but none better than the exemplary hospitality at Hotel Beaumont, where I had one of those meals that will live on in my mind for many years to come.
Beaumont has been independent and in the care of the same family since it opened in 1912, which will make next year its 100th anniversary. I met with the current owner, Harrie Beaumont, entrusted with the family legacy, his passion for the hotel and for the rest of his family is abundantly obvious. In recent years they have re-styled the entire concept and brought it up to a truly international standard, but not at the expense of charm, which it has in abundance.
The restaurant is equally stylish and charming and the chef Audrey Eussen is inspired. Her use of local and seasonal produce is apparent and she and her team are creating genuinely great dishes.
I started with a little rillete of cod with a plump prawn and pickled cucumber. It was described as an amuse bouche but unlike the usual teasing portions there was enough to savour.
Next a steak tartare of great delicacy. Too often this is over spiced leaving no taste of beef, but this was very fine and came topped with a fried quail egg. I was already in awe of Audrey’s skill. She continued to impress with a stunning take on bouillabaisse that I ate at a snail’s pace to enjoy every morsel and the exceptional rouille that once again showed deft seasoning.
“It was easy to see why they had that Michelin star”
Audrey came to announce that she was slightly concerned that she was serving me roast lamb with English Mint sauce. She needn’t have been, in fact I would charge her with teaching most British chefs how she made her very good mint sauce. The lamb was meltingly tender and topping the meat with goats cheese croquettes was quite brilliant, a combination I would never have thought would work, but did.
Three cheeses, roast fig, grape jam and fruit bread reminded me how good regional Dutch cheese can be, and, despite almost peaking appetite wise, I managed to polish off the lot. So finally to dessert, a stunning raspberry sorbet, a little gateau of fruits and some crushed pistachio praline. Pretty as a picture and exactly the right size for my diminished appetite.
Throughout, the owner Harrie Beaumont served me some very fine wines indeed including a superb local sparkling wine that, like Sussex fizz, showed that Champagne needs to up its game.?To say that I love Beaumont would be understating the truth; I adored it.
The next evening I went to a newer restaurant called Witloof. Witloof is a fun and funky place with a menu that is heartily Flemish in its origin and décor that made me smile. Upstairs the room is divided into three distinct zones for no other reason than fun. Downstairs the vaulted cellars have been fully clad in a dismembered classical painting rich in red tones and bouncy flesh. It is, quite simply, a joy.
The food too is joyously rich. After two days of indulgence I was desperate for something light, but there was little hope of that. I started with a smoked duck salad in the hope that it would be dainty, but it was big and packed with delicious crisp chicory and walnuts. It would have served well as a light main course.
My waiter was a bubbly young woman who urged me to try the beef stew, a traditional Belgian dish that would be served with salad and frites. She was right to do so, but I felt ashamed that my depleted appetite meant that I left my salad largely untouched and only made a slight dent in the collander full of frites. The stew was really delicious, tender chunks of soft beef in a rich sauce that was carefully spiced with a pleasant hint of cinnamon. I decided to concentrate on the beef and apologise for the lack of attention to the side dishes, but even this beat me. I think that one beef stew would easily satisfy two and maybe even leave a little space for a pudding. Here I failed completely much to my bubbly friend’s dismay. She did talk me into a coffee and a warm liqueur called La Chouffe, made from beer sediment in the same way that the Italians make grappa. I liked that a lot. I liked Witloof a lot too and would certainly return having fasted first perhaps.
Many thanks to holland.com who arranged my visit. I recommend the website as being a fantastic resource for all Dutch travel, culture and leisure. Maastricht is currently my top tip for European travel, unspoilt, friendly and small enough to enjoy on foot. It is also easy on the feet as it is
delightfully flat, no hills, except outside the city where the rolling chalk is a delight.
