“Quiz question: who was Paul Breitner? (you are not allowed to Google)”. I was with friends at Bar Breitner and we texted exactly this question to a few men. No one knew the answer. Answer: German footballer who scored the equalizer in the World Cup final of 1974 against the Netherlands. The lost final for us. “Okay, why are you then in a tent with that name?’ was the next question. I will tell you.
Last Friday, I braved ridiculous amounts of rain and wind gusts for my dinner appointment at Bar Breitner on Van der Palmkade. It’s a bit tucked away between apartment buildings and not really on a main road, so a brave place to start something. But when I heard that I absolutely had to make a reservation, I was no longer worried.
If you know that Bar Breitner is run by the same entrepreneurs as Huf, Le Patron, and Bar Paul, then you take off your raincoat around the corner, because then it’s certain: “that place is trendy”. Still a bit bewildered, I walked in and immediately saw my dearest friends at a table with a bottle of wine. I can hardly think of a nicer moment.
The restaurant has wooden tables with a linen runner, funny desk lamps hang on the wall, and the chairs we recognize from our high school days. Lots of candlelight and plates from the 70s, I think (?) with nice brown edges. And then the wine glasses. I believe one of the finest types of glasses I have had in a restaurant (and there have been a lot, you know). No mega high stem, yet a very deep glass. Do you understand? Sorry, hard to explain.
The menu is not German, but French. Luckily. We ordered charcuterie, tabbouleh, Niçoise salad, and a roulade of seasonal vegetables as a starter. Everything to share and everything was finished cleanly. Delicious. If there’s steak tartare on the menu, there’s a good chance I’ll order it, so I chose that as my main course. Nice that I could mix the onions, pickles, and capers in myself. I love that. The thin crispy fries and fresh vegetables were served in large portions in silver containers. Everything was served by a nice, very friendly young staff. So nice that even when I asked for a cigarette, one was in front of my nose in no time.
For dessert, a simple delicious cheese platter and a chocolate cake where the warm chocolate perfectly flows out when you cut it open. The atmosphere was great, so we ordered sambuca and gin and tonic with cucumber. Both my favorites.
Wobbling and extremely satisfied on my way home. Sorry guys, Paul Breitner or not, but this is really going to be a new hangout. Especially in the summer, because then there will be a super nice terrace.
By the way, I put that cigarette back in my mouth ten times, but - it was difficult, ultimately not lit. One of my good resolutions for 2015. Yep, I smoked. I did say I’m a wannabe fit girl.
