More than an hour walk each way for lunch, but they were very good pancakes. And the walk was gorgeous, through the Amelisweerd Estate in Utrecht. It’s got an almost fairytale kind of beauty. Mixed in with World War II bunkers (you’ll have to check the Flickr photos for a view of them). Not to mention the self-pedaled beer wagon we encountered after lunch.
Truly, I didn’t mind the walk at all. It was our last day in the Netherlands, and it seemed appropriate to finally indulge in some Dutch food. The pancakes at Theehuls Rhijnauwen (warning: the site is in Dutch) are of course nothing like American pancakes. They were more like large (plate-sized), flat crepes, although thicker than a crepe. Toppings were either cooked into the batter or laid on top like you would on a pizza.
Mine was the zalmzee, topped with smoked salmon, herbed cheese, and capers. The amount of smoked salmon on the pancake was astounding. I couldn’t come close to eating it all and had to pass on the leftovers to my brother-in-law.
In general, the portions I was served in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany were quite large, usually more than I could eat. I ate plenty, though, and nearly always had dessert after lunch and dinner. But all the exercise I got, between hikes in the countryside and walking to lunch or dinner, I actually returned home having lost a few pounds. Not to mention my first trip back to the gym was a piece of cake.
All in all, a lovely visit.
