Took the folks to dinner at @decentraledelft (The Netherlands) and let me tell you, this one is good. Set inside the Koornbeurs House, a 17th-century iconic building right in the heart of Delft’s old city, it’s the kind of space that feels steeped in history yet completely at ease with its modern, creative energy.
The staff were brilliant; knowledgeable about both food and wine, and generous with their time. You could tell they genuinely wanted you to understand what you were eating and why it worked.
The dishes were inventive without feeling gimmicky. There’s a clear respect for flavour and technique here. Some combinations hit the mark perfectly; others stretched a little further than my palate preferred, but even then, I respected the ambition.
The tuna karate was an early win: yellow tomatoes, pickled elements, and a papaya sauce that tied everything together. Fresh, vibrant, and textured in all the right ways. The squid course followed, dressed in inky drama with a touch of gochujang heat and a delicate Chinese seafood broth; complex but still clean.
The yellow beet with blu blanc, corn, and red cabbage was earthy and satisfying, a pause before things got indulgent again with the lobster raviolo we cheekily added to the menu. No regrets there. The yuzu and fennel underneath gave it a lift, while a gentle foam kept it elegant rather than rich.
Then came the lamb, paired with tangerine and tomato jam, served alongside asparagus. It was clever, fragrant, and perfectly cooked. Finished with a barbecued peach and rice crumble, the dessert was light and tropical, the lemongrass giving it that subtle Dutch-Asian twist that De Centrale pulls off so well.