De Kas

If you have one only night in Amsterdam and want to celebrate with a delicious tasting menu in a special setting, take a taxi to De Kas, in south-eastern Amsterdam. The restaurant is in a soaring glass conservatory, making it a particularly romantic spot for lunch or dinner during the warm summer months. For dinner, the menu is prix fixe only, consisting of five surprise courses that change often and include vegetarian choices.

The chef champions local ingredients, either plucked from the adjoining hothouse, where diners can see the produce for their dinners growing, or trucked from nearby farms. There’s nothing rustic or simple, however, about the presentation and the flavors. During a recent visit, the appetizer consisted of small portions of three dishes: a light scallop-and-grapefruit salad drizzled with lobster vinaigrette, chicory wrapped in tender Ibèrico ham and two types of Arat potatoes served with a gooey soft-boiled egg and chopped walnuts. The main course, a perfectly prepared slice of duck with crispy skin, came on a spiced pumpkin pie, and dessert was a trio of bay-leaf-infused pound cake, a poached pear and bittersweet chocolate-mocha ice cream.

Although it has been in operation since 2001, De Kas remains a spot to see and be seen, but the staff is congenial and down-to-earth. Reservations are necessary. For special occasions, you can book the chef’s table, in the kitchen, or the private pavilion, in the garden. Tip: if you come for dinner, stop at the InterContinental Amstel for a drink before journeying on to De Kas, about a thirty-minute drive from the canal belt.