Only local products are served at Tres, where Michael van der Kroft and Emy Koster craft refined gourmet cuisine in line with the zeitgeist. A visit to one of Rotterdam's hottest restaurants.
Top chef Michael van der Kroft showed remarkable foresight when he was inspecting potential sites for his own restaurant over five years ago: The empty 19th century warehouse at the harbor that would eventually become Tres was decrepit and in bad need of repairs. Nevertheless, he and his partner Emy Koster took the plunge and renovated the historic premises where sugar and coffee were once stored with a vision and a gentle hand, installing an open kitchen with wooden counters, a lounge and restrooms in the cellar.
Once inside, the first amuse-bouches are served with champagne, letting guests soak up the singular atmosphere and reflect on the stories that have been written in these historic premises. This evening, a total of 18 courses is on the menu. The theme: fall. In addition to game in all its facets – from pheasant and wild duck to hare, roe deer and stag – seasonal fruit and vegetables, fermented and pickled products as well as nuts and seeds from the forests were presented.
A staircase leads to the basement. There, Van der Kroft's young crew is already at their stations. The kitchen has an open design, which enables a constant exchange with the guests. The first highlight of the evening: "Oliebol", is prepared while we watch. A fluffy, deep-fried ball, Van der Kroft offers this characteristic Dutch doughnut every season, but varies the fillings. This evening, he picks pigeon. What an experience!
Afterwards, guests sit at a rustic wooden counter, which offers space for around twelve. An intimate setting is vital to the hosts in order to foster personal interaction. Emy Koster, who serves as hostess and sommelier, presents the options: a wine pairing with old world vintagges or a non-alcoholic accompaniment. Her mission: to find wines with a strong character that emphasize the intense aromas of autumnal dishes. She has invested a great deal of time and passion in tracking down small wineries worth discovering.
What follows is an inimitable sequence of around ten hearty game dishes, including an empanada with duck drumstick meat, a glazed wild duck with tahini, and venison with woodruff. It is impressive how the flavors of the base ingredients are brought out; enveloped, but never overpowered, by light, frothy sauces or strong jus. A particular standout was their signature dish, a pear cooked over two days with kombu. As the pear is coated with miso after dehydration and finished with pepper and smoked buckwheat, the sweetness is tempered – a masterpiece!
After three desserts, including a flambéed marshmallow lollipop with blackened koji, you can enjoy freshly brewed coffee and friandises in the lounge. And marvel at what the fields and forests surrounding Rotterdam have to offer and what innovative producers are now cultivating in the area. A culinary homage to the Dutch port city, Van der Kroft and Koster present playful, tasteful and thoroughly star-worthy cuisine.
Tres offers four seasonal menus: Fish and seafood in winter, lamb in spring, vegetables in summer and game in fall. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner from Thursday to Sunday. Tip: The harbor restaurant can also be reached by water cab!
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