De Keuken van 1870

This restaurant features traditional Dutch home cooking. You won't find pancakes, but the menu features other dutch specialities: mosselen (mussels),  stamppot (stew, without a lot of gravy), and dutch beefsteak, which is naturally a little salty due to the cattle's below sea level grass source. The steak I had was at least 10 ounces and cooked to order. In May 2005 I had stamppot with a strong lager (krachtlager) and some salad...the total cost was about 8.5 Euros.  I've eaten here several times and I always bring friends if possible. It is best to arrive about 5:30, since it gets crowded by 7 PM. The staff are friendly and really respond favorably when you try to order in Dutch. Don't wait for them to bring you the check: you've got to get their attention and ask or gesture for it. This is typical in many European restaurants; they're not ignoring you---they're giving you your privacy.

Getting there: From the train station Walk towards Damrak. Bear right as you're walking away from the station, cross Prins Hendrikkade and walk about a block past the Victoria Hotel (where Mata Hari was a guest) to Nieuwzijdsvoorburgwal.  Streetcars go down Nieuwzijdsvoorburgwal.  Spuistraat veers off to the right from this.  From the Dam, walk towards the station, turn left at the Victoria Hotel on Prins Hendrikkade, and turn left again at Nieuwzijdsvoorburgwal.