3 Foods to Eat in Rotterdam

I love to eat, so you can always count on me to taste the local cuisine. This week, I bring to you three foods to eat in Rotterdam.

Kroket

Krokets (croquettes) are deep fried ragouts. The ragout is typically made with some type of meat, flour, and butter. The outside is crunchy, but the inside is very soft. In my opinion, it tasted like fried gravy; in Dwight’s opinion, it felt like “something was crawling around in his mouth.” 

Krokets are eaten either between bread, like a sandwich or plain with a condiment. We purchased ours from Bram Ladage.

Frites

Frites are french fries. Although I’m sure you’ve had french fries before, what makes them special in the Netherlands is that they’re fresh, hand cut, and deep fried to a crisp. Frites are found on every menu and are usually eaten with a big slather of mayonnaise. I couldn’t bring myself to eat that much fat in one sitting, so I just used ketchup. 

These were some of the best frites I’ve ever had. However, there is a warning. I had french fries from KFC, and they were your regular run of the mill fries, so I suggest trying some from an actual Dutch food truck or restaurant, like Bram Ladage. 

Soused Herring

Soused herring (pickled herring) is considered a Dutch delicacy. The herring is prepared in some type of brine, but it most definitely is raw. There are two ways to eat soused herring. The first is to hold it by the tail and then drop the whole fish in your mouth. The second way is to have it sliced with some onions and pickles. When it comes to food, I’m brave, but not that brave. I had herring the second way. 

It wasn’t bad. Soused herring reminded me of ceviche in Panamá. The process of pickling is similar, and you eat it with onions and pickles. If you eat sushi, you’ll probably enjoy this, too. I had herring from Royal Fish.