Mr Porter | Amsterdam

Let’s just begin with the quote they put on their website which is spot on: “About Mr Porter; A companion by day, a hunter by night. A gentleman, a merciless lover. A jetsetter and a local. It is this duality, this constant battle of extremes that is MR PORTER. Cosmopolitan yet familiar. Extravagant yet modest. MR PORTER fearlessly explores the borders between dinner and sinner.”
This restaurant on the 5th floor of the W Hotel is very cool. Trying to get even with all trendy hotel bars and restaurants in other metropolitan cities around the world. Amsterdam needs more of these so I am happy! The view from this restaurant is absolutely amazing, the food is great, the lounge looks stunning with the coolest sleek interior decor and is just breathtaking at sunset. The whole place turns an orangy yellow, it’s like setting foot in the Garden of Eden (in my imagination…). I will update the current photograph with the one that captures this as soon as I’ve been able to shoot it and you’ll see. Spuistraat 175, Amsterdam | +31208113399 | €€€| Tram; Dam (1, 2, 5, 13, 14, 17) | Website

Snaps + Rye | London

Again in my hood. BUT my hood is so good that you have to forgive me. This tiny little Danish place has the best Smørrebrød in London and when I am in town I get the one with salmon at least twice a week… It is freakin’ divine. They serve great Latte’s in stylish mugs and the place is also great for a quick lunch by yourself. In the evenings they have a weekly changing menu which is original and fresh. The interior is simple, clean and fresh and perhaps not a place to pick for a romantic night out. I really like all the people that work in this place. They are amazingly kind and interested and thus I am a happy, content, returning customer of Snaps and Rye. 93 Golborne Road, Notting Hill | +4420 8964 3004 | Tube: Ladbroke Grove / Westbourne Park | ££ | Website

Toscanini | Amsterdam

I have tried to make a reservation here a million times but they are always fully booked so I was so incredibly excited that I managed to get a table last night by just walking in! Probably already known well by lots of you but a absolute winner if you ask me!! Best Italian food and wine menu. Great atmosphere in the cozy Jordaan. Super nice, no nonsense staff. Open kitchen and really nice open interior that is made cozy with candles in the evenings. I would recommend this place for dinner with lovers, friends, business and parents! Lindengracht 75 | +3120 623 2813 | Website | €€€ | Tram 3 (Willemstraat)

Sexy Fish | London

A new trendy Asian seafood restaurant in Mayfair that I checked out last night. Love the name of this restaurant so I made my reservation 1 month ago already to save a spot for a Friday night. The place feels very glamorous and on all the walls are sexy fish to admire made by Damien Hirst, Frank Gehry and Michael Roberts. Apparently the bar holds one of the world’s biggest Japanese whisky collections that I did not try but other cocktails are quite spectacular as well (especially how they are presented!)
My date noted that place has quite a high ‘voetbalvrouwen gehalte‘ which I guess was quite true. Sorry for the none Dutch amongst you. However, if  you have something to celebrate and would like to celebrate in style, I guess this is a great place to go. The crispy duck salad is not as good as the one at Hakkasan but still very good and the Sesame Seed Sea Brass is to die for.  Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square W1J 6BR | Tube: Green Park | Website | open noon to 2am | ££££ | +442037642000

Breda | Amsterdam

Delicious food from the south of Holland (Breda!), great interior design, atmosphere and really good service. We are hooked! Elsje and I finally found a time to catch up together so we needed to find a good new spot for this. Very last minute we decided to try the new restaurant Breda as it was closeby (central Amsterdam) and the interior look and feel looked very tasteful. Apparently they are booked up for the next few weeks ahead but they had a last minute cancellation – lucky us. They let you choose between 3 types of menus: Basic, Extra and Full Monty, and don’t tell you much about the menu. The Basic already consists of 7 courses and oh my, they were so good. Our favourites: the cauliflower dish, steak with hummus and purple carrot and the rosemary ice cream with nuts and nougat for desert… Aaah! Can’t wait to go back! Singel 210 | Tram: Dam | Tel: +31 (0)20 622 52 33 | Website | €€€€

Salmuera | Amsterdam

I had the best warm and cozy dinner in this South American Fusion restaurant last month with my brother. Outside it was cold and raining and this restaurant invited us in with its cozy look and feel. I love the way the place looks. It’s very big and spacious but cozy at the same time because the space is separated in smaller areas with clever lighting and lots of wood and wall pieces. The romantic atmosphere is emphasised by a red rose and a candle on each table. To me it actually felt like I was back in Brazil for a bit!
Their food and cocktails are amazing. They do great appetizers and delicious steaks and the ceviche on the menu is also really good. In the summer, you can sit outside on their terrace. Rozengracht 106-H, 1016 NH Amsterdam, Netherlands |Tram: Westerpark (13, 14, 17) / Rozengracht (10) |+31 20 624 5752 | ££ | Website

Bodyism | London

I am obsessed! You know, we live in a time where people are conscious about their body and living and eating healthy. Body awareness is just something people are interested in nowadays. At least I am. I am not trying to overdo the whole health thing but I try to use my common sense and like to try places that are focused on being healthy. Bodyism is such a place and does it in a great way thanks to its founder James Duigan (best known for working with Elle Macpherson.. rephrase THE BODY haha).
This little cafe has a few stools and tables for sitting down and a studio in the back where you can probably get one of the best work-outs in London (haven’t tried and tested…) All food in their cafe is organic, gluten-free and they only use refined sugars. The clean and lean coffee is probably the best alternative to normal cappuccino I have ever tasted.. I actually liked it MUCH better then my daily take-away skinny latte from Starbucks. Bit expensive though. The shop/cafe looks gorgeous. Very LA. It’s all plants, healthy food, design lamps, stools, yoga pants and books. I like it! 222 – 224 Westbourne Grove, London, W11 2RH | Tube: Notting Hill Gate | £££ | Website

Rijks Restaurant | Amsterdam

If you are looking for a fine dining restaurant with the best food you can get in Amsterdam you should go here for sure. This place just completely blew my mind. A little bit stiff perhaps for my taste but on the other hand the place looks spacious, modern, clean and fresh and the service is attentive and nice. We had the tasting lunch menu which was absolutely fantastic. Fantastic is actually an understatement. It was SO good. SO GOOD… I just wanted to keep each bite in my mouth for as long as possible to completely take in all the amazing flavours. Perhaps I start to sound a little cuckoo now but I would just like to convince you! This is a great tip for anyone going to Amsterdam as a tourist. Go to the Rijksmuseum to absorb some great Old Master Paintings and review what you have seen in this restaurant and the day can no longer go wrong if you ask me. Museumstraat 2, 1077 XX Amsterdam, Netherlands | +31 20 674 7555 | Tram 2, 5, Rijksmuseum | €€€ | Website

North Audley Cantine (N.A.C) London

Completely excited about this relatively new restaurant in Mayfair. Just a few steps away from Roka Mayfair actually (very different food, atmosphere and price range though!) This is a great French Bistro restaurant to go to for lunch during business hours but it looks so good that I think it will probably also be really nice in the evenings or for drinks in the afternoon. The interior style is contemporary and industrial with very cool light fixtures and it looks light and fresh during the day. I Loved their tableware so much that I now have the same tableware at home and I also found their salads original and fresh.
In their basement they have a very cool looking cocktail bar. 41 North Audley Street, London | Tube: Bond Street | +4420 7493 3443 | ££ |Website

Roka Mayfair | London

Oh my what is this restaurant good… Heavenly…The best. I am in love. I had trouble getting a reservation here so I would recommend making a reservation a few weeks before especially if you want to go in the weekend.
I also recommend you try the Premium tasting menu.. Expensive but the best, and it allows you to try things you may not select yourself. I basically could not speak a few times because I was just trying to figure out how to express myself about the divine food that entered my mouth haha…
Okay so; the restaurant is located in Mayfair (there is another Roka in Marlybone – see Guusje’s post), has a contemporary Japanese Robatayaki cuisine (award-winning) and has room for about 80 people in the main dining area, a few high tables with stools for 2 guests and seats around their Robatayaki grill. They also have a few tables outside on the pavement. The grill is in the center of the restaurant and the whole place has a warm contemporary feel to it. I wish I could eat here everyday! 30 North Audley Street, Mayfair, London | +4420 7305 5644 | ££££ | Tube; Marble Arch or Bond Street | Website | Map