Markthal Rotterdam World Food Day tour - part 3
The Markthal World Food Day tour ended at the 21 Pinchos tapas bar. It was a fun tour of 45 minutes and I learned a lot of things (enough to fill 3 blog posts!).
We were treated to two planks filled with many different kinds of pinchos (loosely translated as skewers). There were hams, cheeses, shrimps, anchovy, and stuffed mushrooms.
I tried the one with two shrimps (very sweet, crunchy skin, and subtly marinated with herbs) and the one with crab mousse and tiny sea grapes on top. I am not sure if it is crab mousse though, as it could also be shrimp or lobster. The flavor is very subtle and not too sweet or too mayonnaise-y. I really like how the airy, sweet mousse blended with the salty, caviar like, crispy sea grapes.
I have only eaten sea grapes in Japan and I am surprised to have found it here at a tapas restaurant. They have an interesting sea water like flavor and I like it more than real caviar. It can be a bit too salty sometimes, which is why you need to combine it with things with more subtle tastes.
Before we went to 21 Pinchos tapas bar, I got to taste a cup with three thick slices of smoked sausage and it was very tasty. Needless to say, I bought two to take back home (2 for €5 deal).
21 Pinchos tapas bar
Located right at the entrance of the Markthal from the Blaak metrostation side, is the 21 Pinchos tapas bar. It has been awarded as the best tapas bar in the Netherlands in 2016. It is a great place to end a busy work day, as they have a nice variety of alcoholic drinks and many different kinds of sliced french baguette with topping to choose from (5 for €12 and 10 for €20).I tried the one with two shrimps (very sweet, crunchy skin, and subtly marinated with herbs) and the one with crab mousse and tiny sea grapes on top. I am not sure if it is crab mousse though, as it could also be shrimp or lobster. The flavor is very subtle and not too sweet or too mayonnaise-y. I really like how the airy, sweet mousse blended with the salty, caviar like, crispy sea grapes.
I have only eaten sea grapes in Japan and I am surprised to have found it here at a tapas restaurant. They have an interesting sea water like flavor and I like it more than real caviar. It can be a bit too salty sometimes, which is why you need to combine it with things with more subtle tastes.
De Groene Weg
Right next to the 21 Pinchos tapas bar, is the second shop, which I had visited before in a tour, and I heard something new there too. De Groene Weg butcher shop has now also taken over the vacated shop opposite of their own shop and they have started selling Dutch "rookworsten", which are typical Dutch smoked sausages. It is exactly the thing, which I missed in the Markthal (I mentioned it before in this post, although I thought it would be from the HEMA store).Before we went to 21 Pinchos tapas bar, I got to taste a cup with three thick slices of smoked sausage and it was very tasty. Needless to say, I bought two to take back home (2 for €5 deal).
