Being Sunday and with no rain in the forecast, this last day of the weekend gave us one more chance for an alfresco summer lunch. It was also the last day before our worldly possessions are finally moved to Elburg tomorrow, and with that in mind I looked for someplace that felt a bit more special. Ultimately we decided on a place that was halfway between Amsterdam and Elburg, and which even until now keeps me wondering why it took us this long to find.
In a beautiful country estate in Ermelo is an equally beautiful brasserie – and in the gorgeous surroundings of the Staverden Estate, a modest lunch was served under the biggest umbrella in the land.
We sat ourselves down to the quietest table we could find, and with the help of the quick waitstaff, got down to business. Teko surprised me again by ordering out of the usual and went for the Dutch croquettes. I stayed the course this time and, despite the appeal of the risotto, requested the house burger, which proved fortunate. The delicious Kasteelburger with cheddar cheese, fresh veggies, and fried onion ring, in a black sesame bun was just right for the occasion and wiped out in no time.
This estate for whatever reason was under my radar all this time, probably not surprising given the high number of significant, historical sites in this country. Not only was our lunch satisfying, strolling through the beautiful French-inspired garden, hearing the sound of our steps along its pebbled walkways, was so mentally refreshing it felt like I was suddenly transported to a quiet park in Salzburg, or even Versailles (sans the tourists). If it wasn’t for my endless, random online searches I would never have known about this place, but now that I have if fate smiles I’ll be able to come back for more. And with luck maybe even revisit the magic of this first visit.
filamornl | an Asian-American’s European life 