Restaurant Prinsenkelder in Delft
When friends and family come to visit, we love taking them to a local restaurant. While it’s funny to watch guests translate a Dutch menu with their iPhones, it’s also nice to show off the fantastic cuisine we have found here. When two visitors from New England came to town, we chose the Prinsenkelder for a double-date night.
The history of this restaurant alone is impressive. In 1400, it was the basement of a refectory. It is also historically important as the restaurant lies underneath the building where William of Orange was murdered. To get to the Prinsenkelder, you walk past a Best Western hotel and down a narrow lane. Then you enter through an unassuming door and walk down a set of stairs into a vaulted basement with columns around you. The space feels below water level but the staff felt fresh and enthusiastic. Taper candles on each table project just the right light to make your table feel intimate.
The restaurant staff went out of their way to explain the menu and the history of the building. They were kind and attentive but not pushy. Our group was quite interested in hearing all about the three-course menu options as well as about the preparations of some of the traditional Dutch dishes. While the menu does change periodically, expect an excellent selection of meats (including game), fish and vegetarian dishes.
Elizabeth spotted two starters she really wanted to try and found them to be a sufficient meal for her. The rest of our group sampled from the three-course menu where each dish was expertly prepared and served in a relaxed but not slow manner. The Prinsenkelder’s wine list was long – I found it a chore to pick a wine. However, the book is arranged by style and region with plenty of educational tidbits about the wine regions thrown in at the bottom of the pages. So if you enjoy reading a wine list, you wouldn’t mind. I was anxious to rejoin the conversation at our table, so picking a wine was a chore. However, the Argentinian Malbec was divine. Be sure you don’t miss dessert. One of our guests chose the “Surprise Plate” and the rest of the table was envious. It came with a variety of delicious treats (think ice creams and chocolates).
We had high expectations of the Prinsenkelder and we were surely pleased by the experience. We’d love to go back and hope that you too enjoy this great Delft restaurant!
