Duende Tapascafé, Amsterdam

There were moments when I thought we were fated not to eat at Duende! A heavy snowfall in England meant that our anticipated afternoon arrival in Amsterdam was put back to midnight and, the following evening, a huge thunderstorm as we were walking to the restaurant forced us to take refuge in another bar before we were even half way there! However, on our third night we made it and I was extremely glad we did.

This lovely local tapas bar is warm and inviting, tables are close together or shared which creates an atmosphere of chattiness and ebullience. So if you are looking for a more sedate or intimate environment this may not be the place for you! On a Sunday night the place was busy, mainly it seemed with locals from the surrounding Jordaan area. Flamenco music played in counterpoint to the conversation, candlelight illuminated hands and faces and a jug of sangria helped to lend the scene a mellow, relaxing feel.

As for the food .. it was excellent although Steve did – with a rather pained expression – chose to forgo trying a certain part of a bull’s anatomy, as had been promised in one of the guide books! The meal was gobbled up with hands and fingers and when eventually we stepped back into the chilly Amsterdam evening we felt that we had taken a little bit of the sunny Med with us. Recommended!

Favorite Dish: We had
Marinated Anchovies – they kicked like a mule and had us slapping o0r lips – and thighs – in tasty delight!
Sausages in red Mojo (a spicy salsa)
Prawns in Olive Oil and Garlic – Oooohhhh, soooooo nice!
Spanish Tortilla – yum!
Goats Cheese from Muria
Bread and Butter – great for dipping in the oil/garlic left after we’d eaten all the prawns
Jug of Sangria
2 espresso coffees

Total plus tip (Service was excellent and very friendly):- 39 euros (26.00 sterling/47 USD) and worth every penny
You may have to ask for an English menu

Open: Mon-Thurs 4pm-1am
Fri-Sat: 4pm-3am
Sun: 2pm-1am