Eastern delights at Restaurant Badhu

Badhu, as its name already hints at, is located in a former bath house on Willem van Noortplein. The bath house where people used to go to take care of their hygiene has definitely found another calling, but it stills fulfills a social function. In the old waiting rooms of Restaurant Badhu – men to the left and women to the right – with a view on the bar, you can lounge and enjoy delicious ‘mezzes’.

Restaurant Badhu

The building is in an Amsterdam style and the restaurant is a collection of modern and vintage elements. The restaurant consists of different areas where you can sit and relax. You can take a seat at a table, but also chill on the couch. The terrace is a nice place to sit and let the busy-ness of the neighbourhood pass you by.

Tasting the menu

Restaurant Badhu recently got a new menu and we got to come taste it. On a sun-baked Saturday afternoon, I cycled to Willem van Noortplein. Upon arriving at the restaurant, all guests could take a seat in one of the blue lounge areas with green decor.

The menu is full of mezzes, which are small dishes with influences from different countries. These small dishes are perfect for sharing for an evening of slow dining. The menu includes cold and warm dishes, from soup to bacon. Even the vegetarian dishes are well represented: roasted endive and pomegranate, rose petals, red onion, and rose petal jam; grilled vegetables; and a salad of roasted beetroot. Carnivores shouldn’t be worried, though, because there are also more than enough options for them.

Delicious mezzes and accompanying drinks

The afternoon consisted of a tasting of delicious little dishes and accompanying wines, cocktails, mocktails, organic limoncello, and a delicious sherry. The party began with Lebanese lavash bread with sweet pumpkin hummus and fresh Turkish cheese dip. A delicious fresh mint tea was served alongside the dish. It was time to relax and to enjoy all the dishes that were put in front of us.

My favourites during an afternoon of tasting at Badhu are among others the smoked mackerel salad, the pastrami, the roasted endive, the beef tagine with cauliflower curry, and the butternut squash. To end the feast, we also got to taste all desserts. The sweet zucchini cake with pistachio ice cream, which I secretly ate almost all of myself, was delicious and is definitely recommended.

After having tasted about 10 dishes, it was time to roll back towards the city for an afternoon of shopping. If you want to enjoy an Eastern atmosphere and a variety of cuisines, then I highly recommend Badhu. LE:EN is also one of my favourite restaurants, and Badhu’s big sister can go on the list too.