Restaurant Elea — Restaurant in The Hague

Had a wonderful evening at Elea! Upon entering, you find yourself in a spaciously designed restaurant with plenty of room between tables, which we really appreciated. The interior is clean and tasteful, though for my personal taste just a touch too sterile, a hint of personality could add even more warmth and ambiance to the experience.

The service was excellent. I felt like they had a close eye on everything. One of the staff members noticed I had given my girlfriend a gift during dinner, and later in the evening they surprised us with a small birthday dessert, such a thoughtful and attentive touch. The enthusiastic staff helped us feel very welcome. They were also careful to consider allergies and dietary preferences, which was great!

And now, the highlight: the food! We had a 7-course menu that truly impressed us. We started with three amuse-bouches and delicious bread served with a special dip and butter. This was followed by Greek inspired dishes, with the yellowtail and scallops standing out as highlights, followed by a perfectly cooked duck with a rich, flavorful jus. Every wine paired with the dishes was spot on. The dessert was a personal favorite, every flavor harmonized beautifully, which was surprising given that it included an ingredient like carrot. I’d honestly come back just for that!

Would definitely return and have already recommended it to a friend. A solid...

The staff's behavior is very inconsistent. Upon arrival, several staff members blocked the entrance while they were chatting amongst themselves. They noticed us, but did not move out of the way or welcome us. Once inside, it seemed like our reservation was not initially known to the staff. The staff was varying from warm and friendly, to aloof and stiff to very uncomfortable/tense. A warm smile would go a long way. When we got up from the table to go to the bathroom, we had to actively ask where the bathroom was, while the staff was just standing there doing nothing and staring at me.

Most of the dishes were very unbalanced. In general, the sauces and other ingredients overshadowed the main ingredient (e.g. the sea bass, cauliflower). The duck breast was flavorful, but strangely cut length wise along the grain of the fibers, giving it a tougher character, wasting such a beautiful piece of meat.

Wine or non alcoholic pairing is very fairly priced.

The restaurant has a good concept, but still needs some fine-tuning and when these issues are addressed, it could become a great fine dining destination.

EDIT: The restaurant called back and we discussed the issues. Great to see a place actively doing a follow up when customers don't have the best experience and take...

An incredible experience!

Dining there was a gift from my girlfriend for my birthday, and as a Greek who has dined in many Greek restaurants in the Netherlands and Greece, I must admit that this was one of the best I had!

The interior was balanced and minimalistic. Elea is focused on giving a food experience in a place that can be comfortable and appealing for everyone that loves Greek cuisine in a more contemporary and fine dining frame, without exaggerating.

The food was just amazing, we had the 5-course menu—a great combination of modern cooking art and tradition. My favourite was Arakas, with pea, carrot, potato and feta. Everything in the dish was balanced and took me back to my city.

Service was friendly and they knew how to act and treat people so they will feel comfortable and like home. They explained every dish in detail and ensured everything would be nice and cosy. They dealt with a small issue professionally and with affection.

I suggest this experience to everyone. Great job from the owner and people working there, for conveying a great cooking tradition to cooking art.

Thank...