Restaurant Le Garage

JOOP BRAAKHEKKE - LE GARAGE

Joop Braakhekke started his culinary career in Paris and Barcelona, came back to Holland to establish his first own bistro -Le Philosophe- in Apeldoorn. However, he wanted to make it in Amsterdam after 10 years.

'Le Garage' in Amsterdam was a real garage in the fifties. The synonyme is that in that time motorcars were restaurated and now human beings. You can say that the restaurant is an elegant bistro, Brasserie-like, with a 3 course menu at a fixed price, a formula you can find in all the cities of the world, especially in Paris. The ambiance is also very French, sophisticated long couches and mirrors along the wall. See and to be seen, that's the question in 'Le Garage'!
The food is excellent and the kind of kitchen is the fusion-cuisine. Because Joop Braakhekke is very interested in the world's culinary culture, the influences of different kitchens will be found on the menu. You can find dishes from Thailand, Italy, France ofcourse, but also own ideas like escargots perdus, Joop's vision on tete de veau. It is peculiarly regional.

The wines that have been chosen on the list are simple and great, so great and riped bourgundies and bordeaux next to elegant and frivolous wines from the south west corner of France, unkown wines from unknown areas. Also wines from Italy and Spain. And a few from the overseas countries, because his philosophy is first to choose European wines and only if those do not offer a special type of character, wines from overseas will be introduced.

However, Braakhekke dislikes the snobappeal around wine and food, one simply has to enjoy it. Having guests in 'Le Garage' is a feeling, a total, and somehow a theatre-play.

The greatest compliment he ever got was from the lady who said:" I had a wonderful evening and I didn't have any idea I was in Amsterdam". She did not only come to 'Le Garage' because of Joop as TV-personality, but to enjoy the culinary circus 'Le Garage' is.

Reservations required
Open 7 nights a week,
Lunch Monday till Friday