Pendergast — Restaurant in Amsterdam

I enjoyed the BBQ overall with the pork cheeks being the star of my plate. The black eyed peas were spot on. The ribs were so moist and juicy they were on the border of being too soft and the rub was fantastic. The mac and cheese was creamy but lacked any depth or character however the cornbread and the kale (I thought it was supposed to be collard greens) hit all of the familiar notes which takes me to the brisket. I read so many reviews trying to satisfy my desire to find some great brisket in NL and the reviews were so favorable for Pendergast that I had to give it a try but sadly I was let down. I want to believe that I had a bad cut therefore I will return for another go but on this day it was not moist enough at all. The flavor of the crust or rim was amazing and a lot of care went into the smoking I could tell but it wasn't moist at all as if it were over done. I must confess that I am from the States of Southern descent and I have had my share of brisket so I may be a bit more critical than some but brisket, at the very least, should yield some juices when prodded with a fork. There should be some juices forming around the tines and the meat should have some give whereas my meat on this day was very dry and firm throughout sadly. The service was quick and the server was pleasant and very helpful and the overall BBQ experience was a positive one outside of the brisket. I would recommend Pendergast for as far as NL BBQ is concerned it’s right up there with the best. I almost forgot the dessert! Peacan pie was delicious and FINALLY a slice of cheesecake that is as dense as the slices from the States (If you are an Expat you'll know what I mean). Great great desserts! Check out Pendergast it's...

Disappointing experience on a Saturday.

Service was typical what Amsterdam is known for: quite apathetic and friendliness on the bare minimum level. The place was filled with groups of loud men excited to eat all of the meat; it felt more like an Argentinian steakhouse than a small American eatery. These groups of men would regularly go outside as a group to smoke. Since it’s a small place it’s quite disruptive - and smelly - for the groups to come in and out constantly.

My partner ordered the brisket which was delicious. I had the smoked seitan with mac & cheese, but the seitan was hard. It was difficult to chew after which it felt as a brick in my stomach. Not sure why they use penne for the mac& cheese, but that’s what they do. It’s more pasta than sauce and then it’s even more like a white sauce than actual cheese.

We also ordered the garlic mashed potatoes but it didn’t taste like garlic. You’d also expect a smooth mash, but this wasn’t the case unfortunately.

For dessert we ordered the chocolate pecan pie, which was delicious. That was probably the only thing really worth it. We ordered the NY cheesecake as well, but there is nothing New York about it. It tasted like silken tofu, so more like a vegan cheesecake.

Lastly, when you order a ginger beer you get a 150 ml (!!!) bottle that costs €4. I’ve never seen a smaller bottle except for liquor.

We gave the place feedback, but they didn’t come back to us. Rest assured we’ll not be coming back...

A good place for an American BBQ meal. We ordered a sharing option that came with beef cheek, beef rib, pork rib plus sides of potato mash, Mac n cheese and salad. The meats were perfectly cooked and fall of the bone. The flavours were nice but would have loved for it to be a bit smokier for our liking, but that's personal preference. Of the the meats, I like the tenderness and flavor of the beef rib the most. The homemade BBQ sauce was delightful and I was also really impressed with the mash.

The downside for us was the fact it took an hour from ordering to the food reaching our table. It wasn't super busy and given we were second to order we would have expected to be served before the first table received and finished both their main and desserts. We only found out after we enquired about the delay that it was due to delivery orders that our meal was delayed. This we can understand to an extent, however it would have been nice to just be told of this delay to manage our expectations. Aside from this, staff and service was good and friendly.

All in all, if I'm wanting American BBQ, I would return and recommend, but really suggest the Pendergast team to manage patrons' expectations if there are longer than expected delays on the food reaching the table. Better yet, throw in a complimentary side or so to keep them happy and away...