Please note that since writing this blog post, Cafe Ruys has closed down
I’ve always been a Westside kinda girl. I’ve moved from Westermarkt to Lelylaan to Oud-West to Westerpark during the course of my life in Amsterdam, and anything to the east of the Amstel remains a bit of a mystery to me. The same could be said of my friend Nicola, who was a long-standing member of the OWLs (Oud-West Ladies) before she went the way of many a thirtysomething and decided to move in with her boyfriend… Which is why, last Saturday night, I found myself foraging for restaurants on the east side of town (apparently you get more balcony for your buck over there) before turning up at her housewarming party.
Admittedly, my Dutchie and I arrived early at Café Ruys ( formerly Villa Ruysch, I believe) and the airy space was decidedly empty. Two hours later, it still wasn’t exactly buzzing, but hey – at least a reservation wasn’t necessary. Service was all a bit mañana but in a good way – I didn’t like the wine I’d ordered, and the waiter just smiled and asked if I wanted to try something else. I nearly fell off my chair.
The food is Italian, but because the atmosphere is more grand café than trattoria you don’t feel like you have to order the traditional Italian antipasti/primi/secondi. So we got a pizzette to share over drinks while we contemplated the rest of the menu. The base was thin, crisp and nutty; the topping of rocket, fontina and salami fresh. I wasn’t crazy about the quality of the olives, but I could have eaten the whole thing again anyway.
