Note: This post was updated on 11/1/2018.
Whether you are Dutch or not, moving to a new area brings along a lot of excitement. There are new places to visit, events to attend, food to try, and people to meet. However, some things are irreplaceable, and don’t travel with you. Because what about friends, familiarity and food?
The obvious Kansas City food to miss out here is barbecue/BBQ, but when I moved from the Netherlands to the US, there were many more edible delights that I had to do without. Or so I thought.
What is Dutch Food Anyway?
Most Dutch foods are either comfort foods that stay hidden in our homes (stamppot, hachee), sweet stuff (apple pie, chocolate letters), “weird” stuff, such as raw herring or “drop” (licorice), or fried unhealthy (but oh so delicious) snacks, such as fries, “oliebollen” and croquettes. Except for the herring, my wife and I managed to either reproduce these foods, or were able to order them online.
There is something about finding your favorite food in your adopted hometown, so we ventured out to get our first tastes of Dutch in Portland.
Stroopwafels on Coffee
This Dutch treat has made its way into many hearts and supermarkets. Stroopwafels (pronounced as “strope whafoals”) are delicious caramel wafers that partner extremely well with coffee. Ideally, you place the stroopwafel on the coffee mug for a couple of minutes. This will warm the caramel, and as a result, you have an even better cookie to bite into.
I remember vividly how my mom and I would go to the weekend market in my home town. I was never a fan of that market, but the fresh and hot stroopwafels that you could buy there made it all worth it. You just can’t beat the smell of caramel wafting through the air. Imagine my excitement when I found about Prince Coffee. This small java joint serves homemade stroopwafels alongside their coffees.
The coffee we tried at Prince was alright. It was their drip coffee. Next time I’ll try another variety. Not really an issue, since the stroopwafels were what we were there for! The barista warmed the ones we were having there for us. The cookies were very tasty indeed. Being able to have the Dutch sweets that I craved, was definitely worth the trip to Kenton in North Portland.
If you’d like some further reading on Prince Coffee, then check out this article on Sprudge.
A Fried Food Named Friet
Making fries the Dutch way (then called “friet” or “patat”), is something I have become adept at. When you have a “snackbar” close by, there is little need to bring out the fryer every time. But when those translucent potato things you get at fast-food chains don’t cut it, you need to take matters in your own hand. Or, find a place that does know how it’s done.
On our quest for the crispy golden brown fries, we came across Potato Champion. This food cart is part of a pod called Cartopia, located in southeast Portland. According to Potato Champion’s website, they serve Belgium style fries. Since this is very similar to what I am used to, I had no complaints there.
I decided to go with one of my favorite toppings, but with a new twist: Satay Poutine. This Dutch/Canadian combo came with cheddar cheese curds and a house-made Thai peanut sauce. I did notice that quite a few fries still had the skins on them. I don’t really mind that, but I never leave those on when I make fries.
My wife tried another classic, although she had to assemble the meal herself, due to the fact that it was not on the menu. The “speciaal,” which simply means special in Dutch, is a combination of mayonnaise, curry sauce and chopped onions. Even though the menu lists all these separate items, the reaction of the “frymaster” worried us slightly when we ordered. Our concern was somewhat justified, because the sauces came in small plastic cups, and only the onions were on the fries already. I’d really like to see this all mixed in from the get-go for the best experience. Once again, it is not available on the menu as such, so with anything custom you do take a risk.
The Satay Poutine was the clear winner of our taste test. We’ll be back there for another round without a doubt. Only then I will probably go with something more outrageous (and less Dutch) such as the Palak Paneer Fries or the fries with satay sauce and a smokey chipotle raspberry jam. Can’t wait!
What About Dutch Bros?
Admittedly, Dutch Bros was one of the first places I wanted to try when I arrived in the Pacific Northwest. Coffee, windmills, tulips. How could I resist? The name of the company refers to Dane and Travis Boersma, the two brothers of Dutch descent that founded the company in 1992.
Most Dutch people like their coffee plain and simple, which is more in line with a typical Portland coffee shop it seems. The menu at Dutch Bros is quite daunting. Most of what they offer, falls in the category “liquid snack.” I picked up a drink there a few times, but I’d be hard pressed to tell you what exactly I ordered. If I understood the cheery lady that took my order correctly, the same drinks sometimes have different names. On the long list of creations, you can find the “White Zombie,” “Crazy Hawaiian,” “Molten Lava” and “Birthday Cake.” Mind you, those are just from the mocha section.
When you are in the mood for something sweet with caffeine, then Dutch Bros is a good choice. Their work ethic is solid, and I like the fact that you need to have worked for the company for at least three years if you want to become a franchisee.
Dutch ‘n’ Delicious
Another company I found when looking for Dutch food, was Smaaken. According to their website, “smaaken” is Dutch for tasty. Close, but not quite, as this exact word does not exist in Dutch. They serve Dutch-style waffles filled with anything you can think of: egg, artichokes, bacon, spinach, blueberries, goat cheese. You name it. Nobody I know growing up, ever ate a waffle sandwich. Then again, I am not afraid of trying some edible ridiculousness. I will definitely let you know when I get my hands on these outrageous waffles.
Update: Smaaken Waffle Sandwiches
Since I mentioned Smaaken in my original post, it was about time that I would try some of their creations. The waffle sandwich maker has two locations — one in Portland and one in Beaverton. So, on a surprisingly dry but chilly October afternoon my wife and I set course for The Lot at Scout Beer on Southeast 50th and Division.
We had a must-try sandwich in mind even before entering the food cart arena but also selected one on the spot to broaden our waffle sandwich horizons. “One famous Dutch painter and a bouncer” may sound like the beginning of a joke, but it’s actually what we ordered at Smaaken.
The “Rembrandt” came loaded with Cascade Farms sausage, spiced apples, cheddar and maple butter. This one we chose because it sounded good, not because of any Dutch ingredients. The combination of sweet and savory worked well and made for a tasty waffle sandwich. Just keep in mind that the Dutchiest thing about the Rembrandt is its name.
Remember that bouncer from earlier on? That’s what an “uitsmijter” is in Dutch. And being able to say, “De uitsmijter eet (eats) an uitsmijter,” doesn’t necessarily make us cannibals. Apparently, this staple in the Dutch kitchen is named after the folks that enjoyed the dish after their night shifts. In its traditional form, the Uitsmijter consists of one or more slices of (white) bread, fried eggs, Dutch cheese, such as Gouda, and ham. Smaaken’s version of the iconic Uitsmijter came with egg, upscale ham (Black Forest), cheddar, maple butter and of course, the thin waffles. The Uitsmijter waffle sandwich did not disappoint and was tasty as expected.
A sign inviting food cart patrons in caught my eye. And because I’m never not in the mood to try a new coffee joint, we moved indoors at Outlier Coffee. Or should I say Scout Beer? Because — if I understood the layout correctly — the Outlier Coffee cart is a welcomed guest at the bar. Didn’t try any beers, but the Red Panda ginger mocha was eye-poppingly delicious. As hearty food needs a hearty beverage, this ginger mocha turned out to be the perfect partner for the waffles.
Dutch or not, we’ll be back to try a pint at Scout, the regular coffee at Outlier or some more food at one of the carts at The Lot.
Dutch Diet Continued
Hopefully the stroopwafels and friet won’t be the last of the edible Dutch discoveries in the Portland area, so I will keep you updated when I find and try new fare.
Which foods do you miss from your country or area? Have you been able to find some good spots that serve your favorites? Don’t hesitate to share in the comments below!
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