De Librije 3*, Zwolle NL

My partner and I got to experience the only 3 star in the Netherlands (I think it’s still the only one?) last weekend. We had the package with a night in a suite and dinner, plus breakfast the next day. I booked it a year in advance as that was the closest available weekend overnight they had! Jonnie passed only a few months later which was quite a shock. I imagine the restaurant had a lot of expectations to uphold while dealing with their grief.

This is my first 3 star so I guess this will set the expectation. Perhaps people more experienced can weigh in on how it compares to other 3 stars in Europe. Especially considering the Dutch aren’t known for their cuisine. But I can def say De Librije impressed.

First off our room was absolutely giant haha. If you do get a chance to stay I recommend it. Very comfortable space with possibly the largest non-spa sized bath I’ve ever seen.

The menu I don’t think has changed dramatically from what I’ve seen from other reviews on this sub so I won’t cover every dish – just the ones that really stood out and the little extras.

* First off, the “stamppot” was so fun. Kept the vibe of the og humble Dutch dish, while amping each flavor to the max. I particularly liked the pickled onion following the “potato”. From crispy spud to sweetly sour onion was so tasty.

* the passport of flavor with the kingfish – the broth was so expertly balanced on being almost *too* salty, but somehow not too much. Very finely tuned. And then, how can a simple steamed Brussels sprout with a smear of goats cheese taste so good?

* drunken eggs – this dish was absolutely insane maybe my fave of the night. The tiniest grating of smoked egg yolk held such intense flavor. Underneath was shiso tempura and caviar they had processed in a crazy way. Perfection

* we opted for the marigold egg supplement to see what the fuss was about. Another beautiful combo of richness, crispiness and luxury from the caviar. €75pp for about 3 bites is kinda nuts but yolo?

* mid meal you get taken through the kitchen. We were given a snack which was apparently Jonnie’s fave bite when he was in the kitchen. It was grilled eel with sambal and so moreish! Another fave.

* the langoustine came with a little brioche on which was a brown paste made from shellfish. I was so surprised to discover it tasted like vegemite and embarrasingly said so to our waiter. He agreed and apparently it wasn’t a surprising comparison to make so I felt validated haha. Very cleverly done.

* the fish with the jalapeño. Not something I would have expected to be a combination, nor that you could extract so much jalapeño flavor into a sauce. Wonderfully balanced and tasty.

* by the time we got to desserts I was quite drunk. We shared some cheese before they came and an extra glass of wine. So total about 8 glasses each by that point and two desserts and 1 wine to go. The unassuming looking foam with the crayfish surprisingly worked well but I remember the “cold drip” a lot better. The clear jelly in the background of my pic was very intensely flavored and a nice foil for the sourness of the sorbet.

* the wines were quite nice but not overly memorable. Could be cos of how many I had 🤪 Though I would say, out of 8+ courses there was only one red (with the pairing) which might make sense with how much seafood we got – but I like a bit more balance. I’m sure they would have accommodated if I asked so it’s not their fault really.

Service was great – a LOT of staff but somehow they are not intrusive, and still able to read your mind and are there when you need them. Props to the team for such good coordination.

For such an institution it seems they are doing well and I hope they’re able to continue their tradition. The Netherlands I think is a bit lacking with this level of dining. It’s prob not the place for the big high concept experimental restaurants, but De Librije nails the high quality, refined experience very well, without being too stuffy. I’m glad we got to experience it and if we ever have the occasion for it I would definitely go again.