Grand Café De Admiraal in Noordwest

Asking €6.99 for a chicken kebab panini, you expect a bit more than this… worthless

Letdown: dangerous allergy mistakes and lack of hospitality. Last Saturday evening, my girlfriend and I settled in here. Since the establishment has been taken over by a descendant of the Van der Valk family, we were curious about the new direction. Unfortunately, the experience turned out to be a disappointment. My girlfriend has a severe paprika allergy that can make her extremely ill. This was communicated in advance during the online reservation, repeated at the reception, and explicitly mentioned again to the waiter at the table. Despite this, the main course was simply served *with* paprika. Another waiter confirmed that it was on the bill, but that it had simply been overlooked in the kitchen and by himself. A downright dangerous mistake. What makes it even worse is that no effort was subsequently made to rectify this with a simple gesture such as a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. Apart from this incident, we never truly felt like guests for a single moment. There was no focus on the experience or hospitality, and the dishes were nothing special either; it was absolutely not 'preparé avec amour', as one might expect here. Moreover, when things quieted down later in the evening, the atmosphere changed due to the loud shouting and joking of the chefs from the open kitchen. De Rietschans has traditionally had a chic appearance with matching, steep prices. That reputation, the quality of the food, and the pricing are absolutely not being lived up to in this way. The establishment visibly lacks firm management. From now on, they will really have to pull out all the stops, otherwise they won't make it. Our conclusion? You are better off going to a regular Van der Valk restaurant: proven dishes, appropriate service, and at a normal price. We won't be seen here again anytime soon.

Always surprising. Delicious food. Great concept.

The quality and service do not match the price.

We both ordered something with avocado. The Vegetarian Club Sandwich and the Avocado Salad. Both are worth trying. We thought it was a success. Always nice at Flinders Nieuwweg. When the weather is good, it has one of the nicest terraces in Groningen.