A jewel in the Dutch crown

The restaurant serves Dutch-European cuisine with a Chinese twist. Provided to China Daily  

Crown's Summer Lounge in the Netherlands Pavilion resembles a Barbie dollhouse. Provided to China Daily

   

Restaurant offers typical Dutch fare with a hint of Chinese, Shi Yingying reports.

The Crown's Summer Lounge, the exclusive dining venue where the royal couple, Dutch Prince of Orange and Princess Maxima, dined during their visit to the Expo 2010 Shanghai, opens its door to Expo visitors for the month of August.

Overlooking the Expo Garden on the top floor of the Netherlands Pavilion, the restaurant is decorated like a Barbie house. With pink columns, light toned wallpaper and mirrors on the wall, the Crown's Summer Lounge echoes pavilion's theme of "Happy Street".

"We serve Dutch-European cuisine, with an interesting Chinese twist," said Richard Jonker, from the Dutch caterers Maison Vand den Boer, the company in charge of the pavilion's restaurant and food stores.

"The twist could be a Chinese sauce or the use of Chinese vegetables - there's always something Chinese on the menu."

The wood photo frame on the table lists the delicious food available.

"Designing it this way, the menu can stay on the table during the whole meal and our waiters and waitresses can explain each course when it's served," said Jonker.

Dutch cuisine is slightly influenced by Asian styles as the Dutch have a history of bringing laborers to the Netherlands from Indonesia and China during its colonial period, but it does have a "typical Dutch flavor", according to Jonker.

Starting with the bitterballen, or savory creamy meatball, these deep-fried meatballs are filled with beef brisket, veal and in the case of Crown's Summer Lounge's Chinese twist, Peking duck, and served with mustard or mayonnaise. They are perfect companions for beer, especially Heineken.

Similar to Chinese dining, the Dutch restaurant encourages diners to share dishes, from the appetizer to the main course.

"What we do is we put the plate in the middle of table and give everyone a small plate, so that they can taste all of dishes and share them," said Jonker. "Usually when you look at the menu, you always have one or two things you want to try, that's why we set up this concept."

A pair of orange chopsticks is on the table next to the knife and fork, to make sure Chinese guests can enjoy their beloved Peking duck cooked in the European way. This main course, fried breast of duck with citrus and carrot in a coriander dressing turns a simple meal into an occasion.

"In China, people eat lots of duck, but not in this way," said Anja Albrecht, director of the restaurant. "Here we bake the duck breast quickly on both sides and then steam it. Because we prepare it with water, it keeps the taste tender."

While it's hard to skip the dark chocolate mousse or apple pie with vanilla cream served in the restaurant, instead sneak downstairs to the small shop on the ground floor for the Dutch waffle.

"It's different from the Belgium waffle, we call it stroopwafel - it's thin and crispy," said Jonker. "We cut the waffle in half, like a hamburger bun, and put in hot caramel syrup and close it."

Information

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