The Meat and Potatoes of Dutch Cuisine

Dutch food sucks!! (In response to Corinne's request on more information on the food here in Holland.) I am by no means in any position to make such a criticism, but I think it is generally agreed that it is a true statement. A typical meal in a Dutch household consists of boiled meat, veggies, and potatoes. It's similar to English meals (pot roast, etc.) and rest of Northern Europe. (You've gotta go to France, Italy, and Spain for good food). Perhaps this is because colder climates don't allow for variety in agriculture, or they simply don't enjoy the act of dining. The Dutch in general are very laid back people but someone pointed out that it also means they lack passion, which seems to be very much the case when it comes to food. Their attitude seems to be 'eat to live' (as opposed to 'live to eat') and they simply don't care for the better tasting food. To the contrary, dining in Southern Europe is seen as something to be enjoyed. In these countries, people sit back, sip wines, and savour the flavor of meals in company of friends or families in a relaxed atmosphere.

Despite the lack of recommendable Dutch dish, there are no shortages of places to dine here in the Hague. Restaurants are everywhere, providing international cuisine. Indonesian food is especially popular since Indonesia used to be a Dutch colony. You also get your McD's and KFC (ick), and the Dutch really love their fries with mayonnaise. As far as Michelin rating goes, there are only three 3 star restuarants, but about 70 one star restaurant in all of Holland.

I personally am not big into going out to eat at fancy restaurants, but because I don't like to cook, I would like to be able to do cheap take outs. As with majority of rural U.S., there's no such thing as healthy fast food. Getting prepared food in the grocery store is a bit of a challenge too since I can't read Dutch for ingredients and instructions. So far I've been lucky and my roommate has cooked brunch and dinner, and one night was spent dining out. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to survive rest of the evenings here tho.