RESTAURANT CHAR.D OPENS IN AMSTERDAM: THE CITY’S NEW TAKE ON GRILL CUISINE

words NATALIE GAL

We had the chance to be at the opening of char.d, the new hotspot near Rembrandtplein, where we tried a fine-dining take on the comfort food a grill has to offer. Top chefs and longtime friends Dean Baker and Slava Nazaryan have created something warm and comforting, yet at the same time sexy and a little chic, and the meal was absolutely memorable.

“Our dishes tell a story of conscious sourcing, minimal impact, and genuine hospitality,” says Dean. And he’s right on point. There’s nothing over the top here, just homey meals with a fine-dining twist, a trend we’re seeing more and more of (and we’re very much here for it). At char.d, it’s perfected.

The highlights of the menu? Rock oysters with strawberry hot sauce, a daring move that paid off beautifully. The charred beef with egg yolk and black garlic was absolutely outstanding. But the greatest moment of the evening, according to everyone around the chefs’ table, was the corn-fed chicken with miso and brown butter. No doubt the best chicken we’ve ever had. If you’re an Amsterdammer, you’ve got to visit and put this spot at the top of your list of recent openings.

And what about the team? Dean grew up in the Cotswolds, probably my favorite place on earth (after Amsterdam, of course), the epitome of English countryside, with the romantic little villages we all know so well from literature. Slava grew up on a farm in Russia but has spent most of his life in the Netherlands. Two very different upbringings, but together they bring a fascinating perspective to the kitchen. Both chefs earned their stripes at some of our favorite Amsterdam spots, MOMO, Nela, The Duchess, so coming from that background, you can expect nothing less than high quality in every dish at char.d.