BAK restaurant

BAK, Amsterdam

The address is discreet. You have to ring, climb the 3 floors of an old warehouse, walk down a long impersonal corridor and push — finally — a door to discover the place, a lovely table and an unobstructed view over the Houthaven. After that, it's a real straight-A student copy... all the markers and gimmicks of "Nordic" restaurants are present and mastered: ultra-present vegetables (roots), numerous courses, lacto-fermentation, kombucha, chefs coming out into the dining room, natural wines, herb oils, filtered water, reusable cutlery and no tablecloths, meticulous sourcing of ingredients, food pairings sometimes bold, sometimes comforting, little animal protein or overly fancy products, attentive and friendly service, legible and meticulous plating... In short, everything is perfect and just as you like it. Even the bill is very honest. Personally, discussions with straight-A students have never really thrilled me, but I have to admit that this one was genuinely delightful.