FG Restaurant Rotterdam, The Netherlands

During our stay in Rotterdam in April 2016 my fiancé celebrated his birthday and to have a memorable day, we decided to have lunch at a Michelin starred restaurant.

We chose FG Restaurant, because we thought it was the most fitting for our needs as we wanted to try something new.

The Mainport Hotel by Inntel Hotels (Please see review.) was just three stops by tram from the restaurant.

At the time FG Restaurant (2 Michelin stars) was still at their former location at Lloyd Straat, but they have now moved to a new location as of August 2016.

The harbor location was a bit remote, near the nautical college, but very easily accessible and we enjoyed the architecture of the area. Some buildings seemed to have been old warehouses.

Arriving a bit earlier than our reserved time we explored the area. We made photos of FG, when the Maître d' approached us. Learning that we had a reservation he invited us in, even so there were still around ten minutes left. We were glad about it, since the weather was good, but the wind was a bit biting by the water.

The building was understated, while the interior was colorful and contemporary. We both liked the art work and the mushroom shaped light features. We have seen similar features a few years ago during our stay at the Rey Juan Carlos I in Barcelona.

The premises at the new address seem to be less lavish, yet thoroughly modern, based on the photographs online.

At the restaurant we were warmly welcomed, our jackets taken and brought to our table. We passed the open kitchen.

Soon afterwards our waiter brought warm napkins.

We were given different menus including the three course surprise lunch. We chose the latter, because the others contained too many ingredients my better half can't eat mostly due to allergies.

Our waiter offered to start with a glass of Champagne or cocktails with and without alcohol. My fiancé chose the alcoholic version, while I had the alcohol free signature house cocktail.

We ordered a bottle of still water, which was delivered first and was BRU from Belgium.

Like the meal the cocktails were a surprise too. Both arrived smoking - it was an illusion, since they were cold. A sure sign Francois Geurds, the chef and owner of FG, had worked under Heston Blumenthal at the Fat Duck.

My fiancé’s cocktail contained cranberry juice, Pimm's, ginger and orange pieces, while mine was made with vanilla and citrus fruits. We both loved them.

Soon afterwards the Amuse Bouches arrived. They were Piccalilli sorbet and star anise in a tomato cone, Tom Kai with brill, onions and herbs and a typical pastry from Bordeaux filled for him with goose liver pate and for me with quince.

The greetings from the kitchen were a delight and showed already the high caliber cuisine we could expect from such a beautiful restaurant with a top chef.

The most surprising dish was the Piccalilli sorbet in a tomato cone. It was like popping candy and went off in our mouths like fireworks.

We encountered the Bordeaux pastry again at VAU in Berlin (1 Michelin Star, review to follow.) and at Harrods in London. There are different varieties, either unfilled or with different flavors, both savory and sweet.

The brill reminded us promptly about our travels to Thailand. It was well balanced and subtle flavored.

Next came bread rolls with olive oil from Spain and handmade butter and sea salt from the Normandy.

Our starter was cod with lobster mousse, micro herbs, paprika and broth. It was delightful. Again the balance of the textures and flavors was there.

The main course was another fish dish. This time around it was sea bass with orange oil broth, white and green asparagus, peas and Japanese seaweed. The broth was added at the table. The sweet and savory combination and difference between tender and less tender ingredients was working well and the diverse textures shined through every single bite.

Dessert was dark chocolate, coconut disc, pastry, pineapple mousse and pieces, coconut sorbet and a chocolate disc.

The top and bottom were soft, while the discs were hard, so this was an interesting dish too.

Instead of tea or coffee, we opted for hot chocolate, which was served in a wine glass and made with Valrhona chocolate.

Of course the positive surprises were not finished just yet. There was a playful candy floss cloud nest, served with FG branded hard boiled candy and mousse with candid caramel apple. The fig and lychee sorbet drink was served in little bottles with straws and used as a palate cleanser, which rounded up our meal perfectly as we remember fondly these beautiful culinary memories.

Service was very attentive, due to us being the only diners for lunch, which surprised us. Effectively our lunch was a private memorable affair in a beautiful 2 Michelin star setting. We were impressed the whole kitchen brigade was just there for us.

Of course the staff used the time as well to prep for dinner and some paper work so that they could get ready for later in the evening which was interesting to see.

Our lunch cost 139.50 Euro (ca. 155 USD). Good value overall. The bill came in a sea shell, another unusual touch.

Should we return to Rotterdam we will definitely have lunch at FG Restaurant again due to our very positive experience and overall beautiful impression and tastes we enjoyed together.

 

©2016