Seasonal fare at Restaurant Wilde Zwijnen
By Andy Fenner
Maybe it’s the name. (Translated as “Wild Boar.”) Maybe it’s the logo. (A…wild boar.) Maybe it’s the thick faux fur rug hanging over an exposed face brick wall. It could be the kitchen team wearing tight black tees on the pass. Or it could be the chunky wooden tables. But this place feels pretty…butch.
That said, there is a warmth that sneaks up on you, the more time you spend at Wilde Zwijnen. The staff is incredible – super generous, super hospitable; they just seem to love what they’re doing inside those (thick, bunker-esque) walls. The food matches this. No nonsense, hearty cooking that is finessed enough to show real provide, without being fiddly.
The menu is simple enough. You choose how many dishes (3,4 or 5), and you choose if you would like the chef to prepare these as either: vegetarian, pescetarian or with any protein he feels like.
That’s it.
The rest of the meal, you put yourself in the team’s hands.
Which is cool, if the team deserves to be trusted. Here, they do.
The menu changes often but there is a common theme of unpretentious food, with just enough flair to make it interesting. Oysters (extra supplement) are dressed simply with a classic mignonette. Raw white fish gets fanned across poached squid, with texture from a wasabi crumble. Scallops are pan-seared and offered up with a watercress emulsion and matching salad. Lamb arrives in two cuts (rump and shoulder), showing two cooking techniques to get the best out of two very different parts of the animal. A frozen anglaise-type-ice-cream is paired with poached rhubarb and a granola.
The restaurant is a big space but gets booked out easily. This, perhaps, is the ultimate compliment for a restaurant nowadays. These guys have been filling seats for almost 15 years now and the ever-returning crowd is testament to a genuineness – a generosity – that is hard to find and impossible to fake.
Restaurant Wilde Zwijnen
The Space: Raw brick, dark colours, thick wood and concrete. Like a viking found the Batcave and opened a bistro.
The Base: 3 course : €45 (€43 for vegetarian option) , 4 course: €51(€49 for vegetarian option), 5 course: €61 (€59 for vegetarian option)
The Face: Families. Date night. Locals.
The Ace: The restaurant deserves recognition for their sourcing principles, practicing
seasonality, regionality and sustainability.
The Veg: More than an afterthought, the menus are all available as vegetarian and show the same attention.
Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 18:00-22:00, Sat-Sun 12:00- 22:00
Images from wildezwijnenwinkel.nl, © Wilde Zwijnen
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