Fine Dining in Amsterdam

On our recent trip to Amsterdam, we were referred to one of their local Italian restaurants for dinner by our wonderful hosts at the Breitner House. Since we knew they had immaculate taste in everything culinary, we were looking forward to our evening at Incanto.  It is located at Munt square with views on the flower market and the canals. Upon entering, we knew we were in for a real treat!

The ambiance was delightful and we were greeted warmly and directed to a nice table on the window with a great view. We were promptly served an amuse bouche and a selection of fresh crusty Italian bread. With the help of their Sommelier, we selected a bottle of Barbaresco and they kindly decanted it for us at the table. 

There were so many interesting items on the menu, it was difficult to chose! Not your typical spaghetti & meatballs kind of place. We began with their Involtino di verza ripieno al baccala e polenta – deepfried roll of green cabbage filled with cod and polenta. It came beautifully served on a piece of slate and was intriguing and delicious!

For our primi course, we selected their Gnocchi all’astice – Gnocchi with fresh lobster and Tortelloni con radici con salsa di bietola – Tortelloni filled with parsnip and beetroot sauce. These dishes, in my opinion, were the highlight of our meal. The gnocchi was delicate yet not overly rich and served as a wonderful base for the divine fresh lobster served on top. The tortelloni, made with fresh pasta was flavorful yet mild, showcasing the earthy, brilliant red beetroot sauce. It was more like a painting than a dish of food in it’s presentation and absolutely gorgeous as well as tasty. A work of art!

For our secondi piatti, we ordered their Pesce del giorno – Catch of the day, a beautiful piece of fresh fish cooked tender and juicy with a succulent crisp skin and vegetable accoutrements. The other dish was their Medaglioni di vitello alla Wellington – Veal Wellington with Mushrooms. It was another work of art, plated exquisitely however not my favorite part of the meal. I felt that the veal was a bit lacking in the flavor & texture that I would have expected. 

Although full and satisfied, we wanted to try a dessert so we selected a sample plate offering a variety of tastes. Another artful display, both colorful & creative and wonderfully scrumptious! I fell in love with the least likely item on the plate which was the textured crunchy looking ball with garnish on top. It had a marzipan flavor that I love and was so tasty that when I remarked how much I loved it to the waiter, he returned with another one on a small plate for me! How nice is that?!!

A great dining experience that I would highly recommend if you find yourself in Amsterdam!