Get your frites on!

July 4, 2007 6:33 AM

Netherlands: Recommendations for the BEST frites or fries in Amsterdam, Hague and Delft.

Like every hero needs a soundtrack, every trip needs a goal and my goal on this trip is to eat the BEST fries or frites that can be offered in Amsterdam, Hague and Delft. In this world of shadows I want to get as close to the Platonic ideal of the fry as possible - the fry that all other fries must contend against. When you recommend throw in a Google map so I can find said place (I once came across a place in Amsterdam called Valmes Frites but could never find the right one again since Valmes Frites seems to be a common name). Holes in the wall are welcome.

posted by jadepearl to food & drink (10 comments total)

You have your countries mixed up. Belgium is where the fries are. Type "Place Jourdan, Brussels" in maps.google.be and get thee to "Chez Antoine". Best fries in the low countries.
posted by NekulturnY at 6:35 AM on July 4, 2007

I, unfortunately, have only a very short time and the three places I can be in a span of three days are the ones listed otherwise, Belgium fries and beer would be high on the list. But for the future, list other places too.
posted by jadepearl at 6:44 AM on July 4, 2007

I happen to be going to both Brussels and Amsterdam next week, and would love to see recommendations for both.
posted by Bookhouse at 6:51 AM on July 4, 2007

I only ever go to the fries place near my house, so I don't have any recommendations myself, but Frietopia is a fries rating site that should be helpful.
And don't forget to try kroketten.
posted by snownoid at 8:32 AM on July 4, 2007

For Amsterdam, Het Vlaamse Frietshuis -- the little hole-in-the-wall on Voetboogstraat, a little side-street off Spui -- would be my choice. More on Amsterdam street food at Chowhound.

(Though I got better vlaamse frites in a random Flemish village, late at night, driving for the Zeebrugge ferry.)
posted by holgate at 10:30 AM on July 4, 2007

It is true that the flemish/belgian cuisine has fries as an integral part of a real meal. In the Netherlands they are mostly, even when good quality, fast food, eaten in the street. The quitessential traditional is
moules (et) frites/mosselen met friet/mussels and fries

The prase you recalled from your visit was not "Valmes Frites" but probably "Vlaamse Frites" or "Vlaamse friet".

The place that holgates advocates pops up a lot in Google searches with a lot of good reviews and a few bad ones. So I'd say that's a good place to go in Amsterdam.

In the Netherlands I'd say you'd have to experience bitterballen with your beer. Preferably bitterballen made by Van Dobben or Kwekkeboom.

Hmm, maybe I'll go out right now for some mosselen met friet and have a bier. Proost!
posted by jouke at 11:04 AM on July 4, 2007

Oh, and Brussels: there are lots of places where you can eat good fries. You'll just have to avoid the garish tourist traps in the streets facing directly the grote markt.

I've eaten traditional belgian food with fries at Grote Zavel /Place du Grand Sablon. Café Leffe and Au vieux Saint-Martin are good according to my guide of Brussels. And according to me. The Grote Zavel square has a nice atmosphere too.
posted by jouke at 11:24 AM on July 4, 2007

Café Leffe is a chain, operated by InBev (technically a Brasilian company these days, I believe). If I wanted to be harsh, I'd say something like: it's like eating Mexican food at Chi Chi's. But I won't.

Au Vieux Saint Martin is okay. Also okay, in that vast, unseemly red quarter of tourist trap lobster restaurants with pushy waiters is "Aux Armes De Bruxelles". You'll recognise it easily enough: it has no terrace, and no pushy waiter.
posted by NekulturnY at 11:56 AM on July 4, 2007

Nekulturny feel free to give better advice then mine. That would be wonderful, especially since you're from Brussels.
Stopping at just reviewing my 2 cents worth of advice is not so interesting I think.
posted by jouke at 12:09 PM on July 4, 2007

Whoa, less hatin' more fry talk. Thank goodness I learned enough Dutch from watching Deep Space 9 on TV while in Amsterdam last time to read Frytopia. I will take all advice on fries from everyone, including chains.
posted by jadepearl at 9:44 AM on July 5, 2007