Bij Loes, Rotterdam
I just returned from lunch at Bij Loes in the old historic part of Delfshaven, and I must say, it was delightful. We took the subway to Delfshaven and walked towards the restaurant, passing several antique and art shops on the right, and old boats in the water on the left. We found Bij Loes and at first thought it may be closed as it was very quiet, but turns out we were early (noon) and the place filled up around one.
The gracious host, working the place all by herself, told us enthusiastically that it’s often busier in the weekends and that she gets requests for large groups more and more. The website is regularly updated so you can check if the place is closed for a private party, or call before coming over. She had to run a couple of cheese sandwiches over to the neighbors and then came back to take our orders. I ordered the vitello tonato and B had the livarham. After contemplating how to actually eat my sandwich I decided to taste the green beans first: still slightly crunchy, with mustard and sesame seeds, and salted just right. This was promising! I cut into my sandwich, had my first bite, and was delighted. The royal serving of veal was tender and tasty, and the tuna sauce wasn’t overwhelming at all. There were a couple of stray capers on the plate which added a nice salty kick. The bread was lightly toasted which means it didn’t get soggy from the sauces, and added a great crunch to the bite. There was lettuce under the meat as well, which caused some sliding and falling apart of the sandwich, but also greatly complemented the strong flavors of the veal and tuna. My friend B then offered me a taste of his sandwich, and as much as I liked my sandwich, his was the absolute winner. Smoked ham with a tapenade of bacon, pearl onions, and pine nuts, and the real kicker: a dressing of brown veal stock (the droplets you see in the picture), it was out of this world. The dressing was salty, slightly sweet, and had a strong meaty flavor. After he was done eating I dipped my finger into his leftover sauce and was still unashamedly sucking on my finger when the hostess cleared our plates.
We had room for a dessert so we decided to share a slice of cheesecake. Often times I find cheesecakes too sweet, and I hate it when they make the bottom out of Bastogne cookies, but this cheesecake had none of that! There was a topping of tangy lemon curd, and the crust was made out of wheat cookies or graham crackers, I’m not sure, but it was good. Crunchy, not at all soggy, and not too sweet. The cheesecake itself was the right consistency, nice and thick but not overly so . The lemon curd finished it off perfectly. We thoroughly enjoyed our lunch and I’m so happy I’ve found another great lunch spot in Rotterdam. We will definitely be coming back!
