Spring on a plate at Café Remouillage
By Andy Fenner
Trompenburgstraat 111, 1079 TV Amsterdam
BOOK NOWOur crush on Café Remouillage is no secret. Chef Jonathan Sparber’s ability to combine ingredients is a celebration of understanding flavour. How can three (sometimes two) ingredients taste so…special? How can dishes that seem – at face value – simple, leave such a lasting impression?
One of the answers to this is seasonality. Sparber’s menu does not work if the combinations are not championing produce that is in its absolute prime. It is a restaurant where a lot of the hard work has been done on the farm. Indeed, if you want to celebrate Spring, I would challenge you to find a restaurant that is a better example.
I asked Jonathan for some dishes that he is currently excited about for his Spring menu; his answers showed a glimpse into the mind of a chef who is clearly still looking to seasons for inspiration.
“Of course, we love white asparagus. We use the entire vegetable, with aged Acquerello rice cooked in asparagus stock. The tips are cooked on point and the stems softened and dotted with Cemelina Oil.”
Delicious. Obviously. But what is so…Spring-y about it?
“Spring is associated with colours and flowers but there’s something so tranquil about the white on white with this dish. The balance is there but it’s the oil that really reminds me of freshly cut grass. That, for me, embodies Spring.”
Another beautiful example sees Sparber combining raw peas and vanilla oil with creme cru and salt.
“Peak season peas are peak Spring,” Sparber exclaims, excitedly. “Adding salt to creme cru lifts it to almost labneh-like luxury and the strawberries bring a mild acidity. Vanilla finishes it with a smokiness and an almost Bourbon comfort.”
Inspiration, if you ask me.
A bolder dish sees whole milk-fed lamb being stewed and braised in sheep milk, with gherkins. By incorporating offal from a young animal (sweetbreads, liver, kidney etc.), Sparber hopes to educate people on the misunderstood parts of a carcass. “There is a huge array of textures here with lean meat, fattier cuts and deeply flavourful offal. With the caramelisation of the milk, an acidic hit of gherkins just makes sense.”
Bravo to any chef looking to use every scrap of a carcass, instead of simply the “desirable” parts. That, for me, is true sustainability.
Morels are a favourite too. Bringing in salt water and then braising results in heady, earthy flavours. By combining this with sweet carrots (in puree form for the end dish), Sparber balances these two humble ingredients perfectly.
“Tarragon oil brings it all together. The whole thing is wild with aromas – part forest, part honey farm.”
To hear this chef talk, to taste his food, is a joy. To eat knowing that this amount of consideration has gone into every dish leaves you with a full appreciation. Simple? No. This is deeply considered, highly conceptualised food.
Spring on a plate at Café Remouillage
The Place: Warm. Functional. Quirky.
The Base: €50 – 70pp
The Face: IYKYK crowd.
The Ace: The kombucha pairing is an excellent way to enjoy the complexity of the food, without alcohol, if you feel like keeping things tidy but still having an experience.
The Veg: Plenty. Clearly, the chef has a deep respect for seasonality and I am sure if you asked he would prepare a veg only menu.
Opening Hours: Thurs-Sat 18:30-23:30, Sun-Wed Closed
Images from @cafe_remouillage, Café Remouillage
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