Restaurant Meliefste is a marvellous gastronomical restaurant in the picturesque town of Wolphaartsdijk in The Netherlands. Wolphaartsdijk is located in the province Zeeland and known as a popular holiday destination. Many tourists and locals enjoy walking, sports and water related activities on and around the famous lake “Veerse Meer”. The sea is just a few kilometres away. The views on the lake are hard to beat and pulling up a chair at the chef’s locally inspired table is a unalloyed experience.
Location & Interior
Meliefste found accommodation in a beautiful historical building at the marina side. The restaurant is sheltered in the original ‘Veerhuis’ in the yacht club, which was substantially renovated. Guests are welcomed in a stylish interior that is divided into three dining areas, two inside and an outside terrace. The kitchen was extended and thoroughly levelled up to meet to the latest modern standards. The chefs are visibly at work during service through a huge window, inducing extra dynamics in the main dining rooms. The decoration mingles authentic, classic elements and refined modern details. The small summer terrace overlooks the harbour side of the Veerse Meer.
The Chef & the team
Meliefste is a house where passion, knowledge and love for cooking amalgamate. Thijs Meliefste is permanently on the watch for new dishes and evolution in his cooking style. Looking back over previous visits, that mentality is truly tangible. Thijs Meliefste was formerly sous-chef of restaurant Katseveer in Wilhelminadorp, also located in Zeeland. Previous to that, he gained experience in restaurant Het Gebaar in Antwerp, and attended an internship at restaurant The Fat Duck in London. He met his wife and lady of the house Anuschka in restaurant Het Gebaar and today they are creating gastronomical experiences together in Wolphaartsdijk. Sommelier & restaurant manager Steven van Roemburg succours the guests with a smooth and professional service.
Gastronomy
The chef’s cooking art is pure and mirrors the exquisite natural surroundings. With his kitchen team, Thijs goes foraging in the surrounding fields for wild herbs and plants on a daily basis. Fish and shellfish are caught by the local fishermen, as much as possible in the nearby Veerse Meer. It is evident that both seasons and surroundings play the key role in what restaurant Meliefste conjures up.
The menu of restaurant Meliefste reflects nature and the Zeeland environment. Special plants, vegetables from the area, fresh fish from the Oosterschelde and the Veerse Meer, or meat from the surrounding villages: respect for the product is always at the forefront. The team works with the finest and best local produce, freshly delivered every day: always products with a story and ingredients that are treated with far-reaching care.
Tasting menu
- Brokkel X.O cheese and piccalilli
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- Hemp seed cracker with anchovies & green herbs
- Tartelette stuffed with sheep’s cheese, candied shallot, cumin & paprika
- Chicken skin and smoked eel
- Mousse of mussel, marigold, saffron & cockle
- Venus’s-shell Veense Meer, almond, tomato marinade and herb oil, razor clams, celeriac
- North-Sea crab salad with zucchini, salty plants, radish and lovage-based ceviche
- Lake mackerel lightly smoked and combined with algae, bottarga and caviar
- Dutch shrimp, horseradish, dill, tomato, foamy bisque of shrimp, shrimp broth, toast with rouille and fresh Dutch shrimps
- Irish Mór Oyster poached, salad and emulsion of leeks and jelly of draught juice of leeks and oyster, spicy oil of dill and caviar
- Sea bass matured for several days and then baked crispy on its skin side on the plancha, celeriac as salad and cream, chives, puffed buckwheat, watercress, mousseline sauce, foamy gravy of verbena
- Lobster, Dutch truffle, mousseline, chanterelles and sauce of Jerusalem artichoke
- Venison, cream of blood sausage, smoked beetroot, chestnut and pistachio, jus of venison with cranberries
- Pre-dessert with local conference pear poached in pear juice, accompanied by an emulsion of pear and champagne, hazelnut ice cream
- Conference pear, chicory and hazelnut
- Mignardises
Service & Wine
As you would expect in a setting like this, the service is discrete, highly professional and elegant. At Meliefste, the team is enthusiastic to share the story of the products used and the choices made for their preparations. The kitchen chefs regularly approach their guests to clarify their creations. They enjoy sharing their passion and being able to offer you that extra experience with the dish. There is an interesting wine list on offer and wine pairing arrangements are available to complete the chef’s tasting menu.
Why visit?
Delicious dishes, an excellent price/quality ratio and a professional, charming service are only a few assets of this delightful restaurant. Restaurant Meliefste is a must-visit next time you are in the Zeeland area.
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Meliefste
Wolphaartsdijkseveer 1
4471 ND Wolphaartsdijk
The Netherlands
