Dutch with a light touch sums up the food at Amsterdam restaurant Wilde Zwijnen (Wild Boars). The shabby-chic interior and unexpected flavour combinations make this eatery a fantastic addition to the Oost neighbourhood, where the restaurant scene is still in its infancy.

We had originally gone to the Wilde Zwijnen for an afternoon drink, but as the wine flowed - the house Sauvignon Blanc was good but not spectacular - and the evening wore on, we decided to stay for food too.

Instead of a starter, we ordered the Amsterdam restaurant’s snack platter to share. Served on a round hunk of worn wood, which looked like it had been the lid of a barrel or vat in a former life, this comprised slices of cheese from renowned Fromagerie Kef, roasted beetroots, cocktail gherkins, a pot of light, lemony mayonnaise, chunky farmer’s pâté, and crusty sourdough bread. A great beginning!

Without exception, all the main courses looked fantastic. Many of the ingredients on Wilde Zwijnen’s menu are locally sourced or feature prominently in traditional Dutch food. These include North Sea shrimp, Alkmaar pearl barley, red cabbage and juniper berries. These are complemented by so-called forgotten vegetables such as parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes, and the odd dash of local liquor in the form of jenever (Dutch gin) from Amsterdam distillery Van Wees.

We visited the Amsterdam restaurant in January, when the menu was dominated by wintry dishes. The Wilde Zwijnen stew was actually made from wild boar, caught in the Veluwe region in the centre of Holland. The meat, which had been slow cooked for several hours, had a rich, earthy flavour.

The stew was served with green cabbage, a slick of celeriac purée, and a tangle of parsnip crisps. The parsnips’ sweet overtones added another dimension to the dish, but there were too many of them and it looked like the plate had had a handful of wood shavings thrown over it.

R’s grilled leg of venison was just as carefully prepared as the wild boar: seared on the outside and rosé on the inside. This was accompanied by red cabbage, sprouts, hete bliksem (potatoes with stewed apples) and a venison and cranberry sausage. It was like having Christmas dinner all over again.

Sides of salad, vegetables and potatoes can be ordered separately for around €3, but are not strictly necessary.

As we had with the main dishes, we struggled to choose a dessert. I eventually ordered semolina crème brûlée with a scoop of Earl Grey and blueberry sorbet, simply because it sounded the most intriguing. I couldn't detect the Earl Grey, but the semolina crème brûlée was inspired - smooth and silky, but much lighter than the standard version of the dessert which is made almost entirely from cream.

R.’s apple pie was more conventional, but came served with less conventional cinnamon ice cream and boerenjongens (raisins preserved in jenever), also from Van Wees.

Wilde Zwijnen's service was friendly and attentive at the start of the night when we were the only customers, but became increasingly distracted as the Amsterdam restaurant filled up.

Wilde Zwijnen is a great addition to Oost and the food was excellent, particularly for the money. Service needs to be tightened up, but if you don't want to become frustrated by it, visit on an evening when you have many hours ahead of you.

Restaurant info

Opening hours:
Tue-Sun 12.00-01.00 (lunch 12.00-16.00; dinner 18.00-22.15)

Payment method: cash or PIN (no credit cards)

Price indication:

Our rating:

eat amsterdam