Dutch and Delicate

William of Orange, the founder of the Orange-Nassau Dynasty of the Netherlands, was also known as William the Silent. This could be that he had good table manners and didn’t want to speak with his mouth full. That was our experience at the Fort Oranje restaurant. The food was delicious and flowed to our table with embarrassing prodigality.
Dutch food is usually thought of as being hearty, rather than delicate. My usual companion, who claims to eat like a bird (I believe an Ostrich is a bird),and I had an educational experience at the Fort Oranje. The food had a rare subtlety of flavour that is not often found in Thai or European food in Pattaya.
We could not miss the al fresco Oranje on Soi Wong Amat. It is open to the street but has a spacious interior at the same time. The ambience and decorations are just right. Subdued and intimate, the Orange streamers on the ceiling add the right touch of zest to the elegance.
Alighting from our vehicle, we were greeted by manger Dick Scholtes, who graciously showed us to a table and took our orders.
Mr. Scholtes told us that although the restaurant was Dutch, we should try the Thai food as it was special. How many times had we heard this. But being adventurous and hungry, we ordered the Kaeng Khiow Waan, and Isarn chicken Larb.
My friend, not wanting to insult Mr. Scholtes, also suggested a chef’s salad, so we could try the delectable looking dressings at the salad bar. I reluctantly acquiesced. Anything to please a lady, you know.
Our salad arrived, a large bowl of attractively arranged garden vegetables with slender strips of ham and Dutch sausage. The dressing I enjoyed most was made with finely grated onions, light oil and vinegar and a dash of pepper. The ingredients were perfectly balanced. Delicacy was the watchword for this dressing. No overbearing amount of mouth puckering vinegar, which is so common in many dressings.
My companion thought ordering two or three more dishes was de rigeur for a really cosmopolitan meal. Along with our Thai-Isarn delicacies, we ordered Kraphong fish. She thought she would have this to herself. But when this fruit of the sea arrived, swimming in fragrant banana and cashew sauce, I managed to spoon of some of this elegant sauce before she blocked further advances. I was informed that it was a shame that I couldn’t eat fish as it was perfectly cooked and melted in the mouth.
No sooner had we finished this than things were spiced up by the arrival of our Kaeng Khiow Waan. My companion and I agreed that we had not tasted such a delicious specimen of this dish in months. The larb was just right for cleaning the palate in anticipation of other delights from chef Boonsom Wongcharoen.
The highlight of the meal for me was the chicken breast with yellow curry sauce. This came served with garden vegetables and potatoes, as do all the set meals. A dish of the most aromatic, subtle curry sauce was a truly indescribable experience which can only be tasted and not described.
My gourmand, uh, gourmet friend said as we had come to a Dutch restaurant, we couldn’t go away without trying some solid Dutch fare. At Mr. Scholtes’s recommendation, we ordered the Suddelapje, tender beef and potatoes with endive. The beef was so tender that it could be cut with a fork, the potatoes perfect and the endive cooked in such a manner that even vegetable hating youngsters would love it.
We were completely full and ready to order coffee when Mr. Scholtes told us about the house speciality, the Gourmet, a popular Dutch dish. He showed us small pans in which the guest may cook a selection of meats and vegetables at the table. The cost is 490 baht for two people and the portions are huge.
As my companion’s eyes got bigger she whispered “If we jog up and down the Soi a few times we could probably find room.” I was up for it, but hadn’t brought my running shoes. We promised our host that we would try this attractive treat the next time.
The Fort Oranje’s prices are mid-range and the menu is quite varied. For those who think of Dutch food as only Krokettes and potatoes, we urge you to stop tilting at windmills and enjoy an evening at the Fort Oranje.

Recipe: MINESTRONI GENOVESE

This is not completely authentic as we do not have all the right ingredients. The soup, though, is a delight to cook and eat. Besides, think about all those splendid vitamins which you may ingest instead of those silly pills.
For the “Pesto Genovese” the vital ingredient for this regional delicacy, take a tablespoon of lightly toasted peeled almonds unless you have pine nuts (the real thing) and put them in a mortar.
Add:
three to four cloves of garlic;
a cup of loosely packed Bai Horapa (sweet Basil) or/and the same of Bai Munglack (lemon Basil);
two tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese;
Pound into a smooth paste and add two tablespoon of olive oil. Mix.
Needed for the soup:
a cup of sliced leeks; a cup of cooked white beans or lima beans, two cups of spinach (if available); a cup of finely cut white cabbage; one cup of cut French beans; a small plate of cauliflowerettes, one cup of cut white onion; one large peeled potato, cubed, and any other green or white vegetable you consider suitable for this soup, but keep in mind no tomatoes, carrots or anything else which will add orange or red colour to it. When finished the dish should be a fresh green.
Sauté the leeks and the onions in a bit of olive oil until they become transparent and limp. Add about one and a half litres of water, a teaspoon of thyme, a teaspoon of oregano and a teaspoon of dried rosemary. Bring to a boil. Add French beans and cubed potatoes, cook for ten minutes and add all the other vegetables and the pesto as well. Adjust the flavour with white pepper and salt. Cook until the potatoes are done. Add a can of sweet peas of good quality. Some people add pasta, like macaroni or linguini to give it more body. When ready add the “Pesto”. Enjoy it with a side order of garlic bread. Delicioso!!