It's Tuesday 5:51am in The Hague
Tips for The Hague
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Rob suggestsFine coffee, great pie
Added July 23rd 2008Buitenhof, across the street from the Binnenhof
In a typical Dutch-thirties-architecture building is housed café Dudok (they occupy similar buildings in Rotterdam and Arnhem). Normally a place for businessy people to gather, but a great place to have a cup of coffee and relax. It's not uncommon to see designers there meet up with clients. If you feel like eating something stunning, order the apple pie (might be the best I've ever eaten) or the lemon meringue.
The staff is friendly and comes across as just a bunch of friends running a café. Very comforting.
www.dudok.nl/... -
Peter suggestsFrench-Indonesian fusion cuisine, obviously only in The Hague
Added June 9th 2008Prinsestraat 42a (next to the Corso Theatre, and some other good restaurants)
The Hague is known for its Indonesian diaspora and food, and also for diplomacy and expense-account "classic" restaurants. In such a city, French-Indonesian is an obvious direction to take, and even better, it seems to work remarkably well at Restaurant Max, where Max and his friendly staff will ensure you have a relaxed, low-pressure and very fine dinner.
Recent favourites have been the Scallops in a subtly-Asian beurre blanc, the MamaMax chicken in an Indonesian village style with touches of French elegance. All-time favourite must be the BangBang Rendang salad, which on one occasion was so jaw-droppingly awesome we only regained the power of speech after the course was finished. Be warned, normally it is merely "very good".
www.restaurantmax.nl -
Malay suggests
Drink with a great view
Added May 20th 20082262 AB Leidschendam
Try Volle Maan in Den Haag for a drink. The place is opposite a lake and makes a good view in summer. They have good nibbles as well.
www.vollemaan.nl/... -
tijs suggestsJapanese dining
Added April 15th 2008Stadhouderslaan 76R
Excellent Japanese restaurant located on the other side of the street from the most intersting museum in The Hague; Het Gementemuseum. Good for business a nice business dinner or just you and your girlfriend.
This part of The Hague is very close to scheveningen and the beach.
www.shirasagi.nl
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Getting There
Automobiles
Parking is hellish. Everyone uses trams or a bicycle.
Planes
A taxi from the airport costs around €45. For the most laid-back ride into town, Ralph's taxi service offers a superior, leather-interiored TV-toting Merc (email ralph.q.s@worldonline.nl).
Trains
A 20-minute train from Schiphol airport to the city centre costs about €6 one-way.
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Local Knowledge
Dialing
Country code for the Netherlands: 31. Amsterdam: 20.
Reads
The Diary of Anne Frank; Tulip Fever by Deborah Moggach; Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier.
Do go / Don't Go
Weekends are busy all year round, and September is a big time for conferences, so book ahead.
Cuisine
Hearty, rib-sticking Northern fare, as well as herring, smoked eel, and Indonesian rijsttafel ('rice table'), an army of small spicy dishes.
Taxis
There are ranks all over, but you can usually hail; tip ten per cent. Beware of unlicensed mini-cabs.
Tipping
The Dutch aren't big tippers; ten per cent is usually about right, and it's common to give the bartender a euro with every round.
Currency
Euro.
Packing
Bicycle clips; puncture kit; an open mind.
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Worth Doing
Arts
Van Gogh Museum (www.vangoghmuseum.nl), Rijksmuseum (www.rijksmuseum.nl), Stedelijk Modern Art Museum (www.stedelijk.nl).
And...
Go with the flow in restaurants - Dutch service can be very laid-back.
Shopping
For designer labels, go to PC Hooftstraat. We prefer the Nine Streets - a grid within the canal network that is packed with boutiques and curiosity shops. We love DOM on Spuistraat, for all kinds of items you never thought you needed. Spmrkt is a warehouse of all things retro and cool: books, fashion, furniture, art. Spiegelstraat is renowned for antiques. For markets, on Saturdays and Mondays head to Noordermarkt for organic food and bric-à-brac, or the bigger, touristier Waterlooplein market for second-hand clothes. Albert Cuypmarkt in the Pijp claims to be Europe's longest street market.
Viewpoint
Owing to topography and building-height restrictions, nothing is that high up, but your best shot is the café on the sixth floor of Metz department store on Leidsestraat.
Something
In April or May, take a drive out to the tulip fields and feast your eyes.
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Diary
30 April Queen's Day - the whole of Amsterdam is on holiday and the canals come alive. May National Cycling Day on the second Saturday sees thousands pedalling through town. August Classical concerts on the canals; Gay Pride, when the city is awash with revellers (www.amsterdampride.nl). 5 December St Nicholas Day kicks off the Christmas festivities.
