Aan de Gracht, Sneek
Our Recs · Restaurant
Aan de Gracht
We have eaten at the occasional restaurant. This was the best service of our lives.
It began with our name on the reserved table. Not, in itself, a big deal. There were waiters and waitresses. And then Chef Joris Tagting came out to greet us — and from that moment he took care of us himself. He waited on us from the start, and at the end he put our coats on.
We talked about food, and he worked out quickly that we like it and know it. Then we talked about life, travel, politics and football. For anyone who has not worked this out yet: the Dutch do not do small talk, and when they do want to talk to you, they mean it.
We started with Beerenburg, which as it happens comes from the same distillery we had visited earlier. Then oysters, and he made sure we could have two glasses of a Blanc de Blancs — it comes from Alsace rather than Champagne, and was only sold by the bottle. Then the charcuterie board: four Frisian meats, truly amazing.
While we were talking about travel he said, you have to go to Alsace. We had been, and mentioned how good pâté season is there. He disappeared and came back with a complimentary chicken liver pâté he marinates in port, Madeira and other wines. Unbelievable.
For the mains, the two-way preparation of wild boar went to James. Opposite: the bouillabaisse, a beet and apple salad with feta and walnut, and fries with the best mayonnaise either of us has ever had. The wine was a Riesling from Alsace.
Dessert the chef chose himself, based on what he had learned about us: chocolate mousse with home-made cherry ice cream for James, and a Frisian tiramisu opposite — which has nothing to do with the Italian one and is much better, and that is from someone who loves tiramisu.
At the end he offered port. So long as it isn't a ruby, came the answer. He fetched a twenty-year-old tawny and asked whether we knew it. We had been to Porto and knew it well — so he refused to serve it, disappeared for five minutes, and came back with a delicious award-winning ruby that was quite special. Just to shut us up. A rare one.
We were so grateful for the personal attention that we gave him a bottle of Alsace Pinot Blanc we had bought earlier, to enjoy with his staff at closing.
The food was a 9.5. The atmosphere a 9 — we did not love all the music, but it is a gezellig place. The service was a 10. It is the second-best meal we have ever had and the best service we have ever received, and we are a little sad that we will never have that exact evening again. Unless we go back. One day we will.
Aan de Gracht is a gem. Friesland has the friendliest Dutchies we have encountered anywhere, and we almost do not want them to market themselves better, because we would rather keep them to ourselves.
One last thing. He heard where we were booked the following night, in another city, and pulled a face. He suggested somewhere else. We changed the reservation.
The table
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