A great year for food in Amsterdam, says Parool food critic [January 15, 2012]

Volt, a 'classic cuisine' restaurant on the Ferdinand Bolstraat gets a whopping 9+ in Johannes van Dam's review in Saturday's Parool. He describes its prices as friendly, its fish with herb vinaigrette as 'outstanding' and partridge with sauerkraut and mash potato as 'classic'.

Van Dam has been pretty lavish in his praise of Amsterdam eateries in recent weeks - including one close to the This Amsterdam home, which we'd already tried and could not stop raving about. It's always interesting to see exactly what you've eaten written about by someone else.

In total, Van Dam gave 15 eateries top notch points last year.

There were four 10- scores: Bord'eau, the new restaurant in the Hotel de l'Europe, Serre in the Okura hotel, Bolenius on the Zuidas business park and Anna in the Red Light District - where the food is fantastic and the prices 'acceptable, the leather-waistcoated one says.

There were also 9+ marks for Albacaro (Italian), Barista (Italian),De Bierfabriek (beer and chicken), Blaauw (French), Kosebasi (Turkish), Maxime (brasserie) and Reuring - a traditional Dutch eetcafe.

Not all was positive. Three restaurant got a five and three a six. Nevertheless, Van Dam says he is not getting mellow in his old age - it was just a great year for food in Amsterdam