Ron Gastrobar is the revamped restaurant of Chef Patron Ron Blaauw, located in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The restaurant was renovated in 2013, when Chef Ron Blaauw announced that he was changing his restaurant concept. Previously managing a high-end gourmet restaurant, Ron wanted to create a restaurant where diners could enjoy culinary delights in an informal, non-nonsense, relaxed setting.

Chef Ron Blaauw previously created and successfully managed several fine-dining restaurants in The Netherlands: Ron Blaauw in Oudekerk aan de Amstel; Ron Blaauw in Amsterdam (now Ron Gastrobar); and Blaauw on fifth (located in the Ajax Arena in Amsterdam). The Chef also has the culinary leadership of restaurant Bridges in the Sofitel hotel in Amsterdam. He is also known from various Dutch Television shows and published several cooking books as well. Ron is known for a contemporary cooking style where he combines Dutch ingredients with modern cooking techniques. He believes that the performance of the kitchen must prevail and that the atmosphere and staff are supposed to be subservient. Over the years, casual fine dining has become his trademark, and his restaurant Ron Gastrobar embodies this.

Executive Chef Bobby Rust is in charge of the kitchen at Ron Gastrobar. Bobby gained experience in several culinary temples in The Netherlands such as Oud Sluis, Le Cirque and De Librije, and uses this experience now to create tasteful, unfussy dishes at Ron Gastrobar. Bobby is considered as one of the upcoming talents in The Netherlands, together with other young chefs such as Joris Bijdendijk (Bridges), Syrco Bakker (Pure C), Thomas Groot (Bord’eau), Wouter Kik (De Vierbannen) and Laurent Smallegange (Spetters). Bobby Rust loves the cooking craft and adores beautiful products like whole chicken, good meat and spit roast. He goes for refinement and perfection in the kitchen, whether this is at a fine-dining restaurant or at a more casual restaurant like Ron Gastrobar

The interior of restaurant Ron Gastrobar is in line with the concept: unpretentious, classy and accessible. A beautiful wooden parquet floor runs throughout the restaurant, and the tables and chairs are also made of wood. Grey and golden colours, modern lighting and artful decorations complete the interior. There is also a nice meat maturation cabinet, a large bar and a spacious terrace. The restaurant seats 120 guests and 20 staff members (including 7 for the kitchen) serve the customers.

Bobby Rust serves varied, trendy and tasteful dishes to his guests. The concept is simple: all dishes are at 15 Euros, desserts at 8 Euros, and you can order as few or as many dishes as you like. A plate with Spanish sausages with a glass of Spanish wine? No problem. A tasting menu with oysters, a Mcfoie of goose liver, langoustine with leek, pizza with lobster and sweetbreads with bamboo bali? Possible as well. The variety of dishes makes choosing a challenge, as all dishes sound and look great. The prudent ones go for the barbeque spare ribs with home-made sambal, or the baked salmon with risotto with peas, beans and garden crème of green herbs. The boldest ones grab the gazpacho with cherries, avocado and almond, or a tasty preparation of mackerel with ginger, soy and yuzu.

The wines are briefly presented and the knowledge of the staff is limited. However, within the concept this aspect is subordinate, and unpretentious enjoyment is the key. And that can be done without a word of explanation.

Ron Gastrobar sets the standard for casual fine dining in Amsterdam. Ron Blaauw and his team created a unique, unfussy restaurant where great food is served in a spontaneous setting – exactly what you need for the perfect night out.

Written by Sven & Adriaan