Hearth — Restaurant in Amsterdam

Last night at Heart, a vegan restaurant in the east of Amsterdam, was a remarkable journey through a kaleidoscope of flavors and colors, leaving an indelible mark on my palate. The experience was not just about the food, but also the warmth and kindness of the staff, making the evening truly special.

We started with the Syrian-inspired sushi featuring red quinoa, which was a symphony of flavors. The quinoa's nutty texture, combined with the soft, marinated eggplant and the sharpness of pickled cucumber, created a delightful contrast. The smoky tofu added depth, and the dish was beautifully adorned with smoked paprika aioli, adding a creamy, spicy kick.

To our surprise, the kitchen sent us a complimentary taste of their Mexican-inspired sushi. This creation was a vivid artwork of green spirulina rice, providing a subtle earthiness, paired with creamy avocado and a rich black bean crème. The chipotle mayo introduced a smoky heat, and the pink sesame seeds sprinkled on top were not only visually stunning but added a nice crunch.

For the mains, the broccoli gnocchi was a revelation. The gnocchi themselves were light and airy, melting in the mouth with each bite. The sun-dried tomato sauce provided a tangy, sweet contrast, and the cashew nut garlic cheese was a creamy, nutty wonder, perfectly complementing the gnocchi. The crispy potato chips on top added a delightful crunch, making each bite a complex mix of textures.

The black charcoal ravioli was a dramatic, visually striking dish. Stuffed with shiitake mushrooms, each ravioli was an umami-packed treasure. The teriyaki sauce added a sweet and salty glaze, and the wasabi crisp offered a sudden, sharp hit of heat, balanced by the nuttiness of sesame. This dish was not just a treat for the taste buds but also a feast for the eyes.

We didn't order a desert, but the kitchen send us the Lemon curd with sablé and blueberries as a New year's gesture, this gracious on-the-house dessert, was the perfect finale. The lemon curd was the right balance of tart and sweet, complemented by the buttery sablé. The fresh blueberries added a burst of freshness, rounding off the meal beautifully.

The dishes at Heart were not only a delight to the taste buds but also a visual feast, adorned with colorful flower petals, making each plate look like a piece of art. The creativity and thought put into each dish were evident, and the kind-hearted staff with Marco & Marco and the others making the experience all the more enjoyable. Heart is not just a restaurant; it's a celebration of vegan cuisine...

As a chef, I understand the pressures of running a busy service, and it was apparent that the venue was understaffed during our visit. The front-of-house team seemed overwhelmed possible due to inexperience, leading to a 15-minute wait to be seated despite having a reservation. Throughout the evening, service remained inattentive, with unusually long waits between courses. At times, there was clear confusion among staff about which courses had been served.

Unfortunately, the food did not redeem the experience. We opted for the tasting menu, which leaned heavily on the attempt of presentation but fell far short on flavour and technical execution. The sushi-style courses were particularly underwhelming in both taste and texture. A supposed beetroot dumpling turned out to be little more than a thin slice of beetroot—more garnish than dish.

The rest of the menu continued to disappoint: dishes were strangely spiced, poorly balanced, and unnecessarily complicated. The tomato noodles, for instance, were completely devoid of flavour. Thick, heavy ravioli lacked finesse that made chewing them a real effort. Several plates included whole corriander and mustard seeds and too cumin that overwhelmed the palate when bitten into.

These missteps revealed a concerning lack of technical skill in the kitchen and a confused approach to flavour pairing.

The cocktail list echoed the same issues—ambitious and complicated to the point we had a little giggle on paper but lacking refinement and coherence in execution.

Overall, the evening felt like an attempt at high-concept dining without the fundamental technique or clarity to support it. A disappointing experience from both a culinary and service perspective.

The two ONLY redeeming points of the evening was a really lovely bottle of Chardonnay and the equally lovely server Maya from Poland who was the only server who made any kind of attempt at friendly attentive service, but was running...

We dined on 10th August 2024, and although I'm only getting to this review nearly two weeks later, the experience we had at HEARTH has not left me. Vegan / gluten-free dining has often left me underwhelmed, and I'm keen to review in this space more frequently, so I'll start here. In summary, we loved it. The colours, textures, presentation, and taste all married well together, and it was clear when I saw the chef's pass when I arrived that my best offering was to try a few dishes. I won't name them, as I think all future diners should go with their own instincts and preferences, but I enjoyed everything I ate and reluctantly shared it with my partner so we could discuss each dish and its merits. The restaurant is pricey but the ambience, staff friendliness, and food did not leave us feeling underwhelmed whatsoever as our waitress went out of her way to host, and even brought the chef over for some pleasantries. This has been one of my favourites to date, and I'll be returning when I'm next in Amsterdam. A full house, some tasteful music, and passionate staff add to the evening but most importantly, the food was the star. One negative was that we were charged for a bottle of sparkling water which we never in fact had, but even though I noticed it, I was too happy to mention it. We spoke about the food all the way home. Thank you to HEARTH....