Blok’s Restaurant * | Amersfoort (NL)
Well-designed dishes with original flavour combinations, cooked with authority and finesse.
Solid one-star cooking with service to match!
In one of the narrow streets of the old city centre of Amersfoort (NL), in an area which is packed with eating establishments, we find Blok’s Restaurant, in a modern looking, tight cut building. The interior is also modern, yet friendly. A smooth wooden floor, benches against the side walls, stylish bare wooden tables with modern red chairs. At the end a glimpse of the kitchen through glass sliding doors. Pleasantly noisy when it’s getting busier, not your typical star place, if you still picture the cliché of white linen, silver cutlery and waiters in penguin suits (Which is fortunately not common anymore by the way).
Marco Blok is Head Chef and co-owner together with his wife Ingeborgh Blok who runs the front of house. Born in Amsterdam, but raised in Almere, Marco knew he wanted to become a chef at a very young age and choose his education accordingly. This is also where he met Ingeborgh. After getting his diploma, Marco worked at several restaurants, like Dorloté in Amersfoort and Den Rooden Leeuw in Amerongen. But from the beginning the wish was there to start a place of their own and March 1st, 2003 Marco and Ingeborgh opened their very own restaurant.
Blok’s Restaurant was awarded a Bib Gourmand in the period 2007-2012. The sudden loss of the Bib in 2012 was a big shock and they did not understand it. Three weeks later the restaurant was awarded with a Michelin Star and they have held that star ever since.
Blok’s Restaurant is open 5 days a week for dinner only (closed on Tuesday and Wednesday). Besides à la carte, the also offer a 5-course, 6-course and 7-course menu (at €61, €67 and €71). Wine pairing offered with whole glasses or half glasses at very reasonable prices (€7.50 per glass or €4.25 per half glass).
We went for dinner 3 weeks ago on Easter Sunday and had the 7-course menu. We also added half glass wine pairing. Really like the option of half glass wine pairing (like we also saw at De Leest *** recently).
Crispy cup filled with radish, chickpea and aubergine. Nice mouthful with good taste and great flavour. A little disappointed about the store bought crispy cup. Other than that, great.
The egg shell was filled with a soufflé of scallop with crispy croutons. The other amuse bouche was cream yoghurt with courgette and cereal. Nice flavour combinations. Good diversity as well in all three amuses.
The butter with black garlic was delicious. Also liked the herbs Provencal that you could mix with a bit of oil (and salt) to create your own dip for the bread. Nice touch.
Ceviche of sea bass was beautifully fresh. The foam of crème fraîche on top with the black lemon was so light. Citrusy tones make the whole dish fresh and light. Vibrant summer dish. Lovely!
The veal was cold, a bit unexpected, but it worked. Flavoursome and still tender. Bold flavours of the mustard seeds, the black olives, the jelly of cheek jus and the delicate mackerel. It all combined very well together. Scandinavian type salad dish. Clean and fresh. Great starter with unusual flavour combinations.
Potato gnocchi with North Sea crab. Tomato and fennel bring crunch and freshness. Mayonnaise with a hint of tarragon nicely balanced. The crab still playing the main part of the dish. Luxurious mouthfeel. Excellent!
Cod nice and flaky with a good crust. Celeriac 3 ways: cream with sunflower seeds, slow-cooked and crisps. Jus of celeriac with surprising deep flavour. Wild garlic provided subtle crunch and garlic flavour. Needed more of it though. Really enjoyed the dish but I would call it Celeriac and not Cod, as the celeriac clearly plays the lead throughout the dish.
Lamb neck first slow-cooked, then grilled on the plancha. Lovely. Nice bit of caramelisation. Worked well with the onion compote on top. Stew from the lamb shoulder wrapped in some endive. Bit compact but flavoursome and tasty. White asparagus plain and natural. Good jus. Needed more of it though!
Next dish seemed a bit strange to come after the main course. Grilled but cold cauliflower, young cheese with raisons, a little bit of balsamic and a filo cracker. Different. Nice flavours and surprising combination. Like a cheese course with extra’s. Nice!
Sugar cylinder filled with beetroot crème, truffle sorbet on some cookie crumbs, chocolate mousse with beetroot. Harmonious flavours of the earthy beetroot, subtle truffle sorbet and creamy chocolate. Different but comforting with just the right level of sweetness.
With our coffees, homemade coconut macarons, white chocolate and orange rice crispies and chocolate truffles with hazelnuts. And some chocolate Easter eggs as we were there on Easter Sunday.
Ingeborgh and her female team of two create a pleasant and informal atmosphere in the dinning room. Explaining the dishes and wines with passionable knowledge. Also taking the time to give the right amount of attention and make you feel comfortable. It gives that neighbourhood restaurant kind of feel that I really like in this place.
An excellent dinner all together. Solid one-star cooking with service to match. Today’s menu displayed well-designed dishes with original flavour combinations, cooked with authority and finesse. An established restaurant with a modern and accessible approach to fine dining that offers an appealing, personal style of cooking. Both the food and service are a great example of what modern (Michelin starred) dining should be.
