Normally when I am writing up a Pizza vs Pasta Tasteem review... I'm more than likely to be writing for the Pizza team! I do love my pasta... but often when I am with kids, they are just going to want the pizza option instead. So, it is lucky that I am quite partial to pizzas as well!

I do travel quite often up to Amsterdam for work... so there are quite a few times that I have managed to try out new and different restaurants. However, eating there is not quite the same as eating on tour... when you are "at home", you are less likely to grab something fancy and just go to a known place that isn't too expensive!

However, this time... we were rehearsing in an area that wasn't so well known to us... and so we had to do the away team thing and ask Google for some advice on where to eat! As usual, one of my colleagues came up with the scouted suggestions and we all settled on this particular place... Ristorante Gusto! (Actually, she lives in Amsterdam and had already been here...).

The Space

Like many places in Netherlands (Amsterdam especially)... the room layout is thin and long. However, from the very front of the building... it was clear that you are entering a very nice sort of restaurant... I mean, not Michlen star sort of thing... but something with a decent amount of ambience and atmosphere!

The lighting and room were just great. It was a bit on the quiet side of things, as we were the first diners in the door... the benefits of working dinners between rehearsals! They do schedule them so that we can try and get some fast service without battling other diners at the rush hour for dinner!

Anyway, as I said... the lighting of the place was really quite mellow and leant a nice cosy atmosphere to the dinner. Definitely something that I do look for in a restaurant!

A nicely stocked bar rounds out the setting... as did the warmth from the nearby kitchen!

The Menu

A very Italian menu... as to be expected, focussing mostly on the pastas and main dishes. The restaurant has a small limited menu... something that is always a good sign, it is best to keep things compact and concentrate on doing these things really to a high quality!

Although there were a few of the main meat dishes that were really interesting for me... I didn't have the time to really sort through the things that I really would have had liked to try. We had a short hour to eat and get back to the rehearsal... so, pastas... being the quickest thing on the menu would have to suffice!

Ohhhhhh.... but those desserts.... next time!

The Food

I ended up settling on the Ravioli filled with beef stewed in red wine. As it was a pretty early dinner, I didn't really end up ordering more... I figured that after the evening rehearsal session, I could have more if I wanted on the way to the train station.

Actually, part of the reason for this choice was also my limitation due to the cheeses that had in the other dishes. I don't really agree so well with the stronger cheeses, and so I had to avoid them... or suffer the pain of a very unconformable stomach during the next few hours of playing the violin!

However, when the Ravioli arrived... it was really quite good! The pasta outside was just perfect and firm, and the filling was delicious and full of taste! These were a great choice!

The Experience

It was a pretty short hour that we spent in this really nice restaurant... I really wished that we had much longer to spare... as the rest of the menu looked really great, and I really wanted to have some of the desserts as well. Unfortunately, worked beckoned... so we had to make do with a single pasta dish each!

The staff were really friendly... and in an otherwise busy part of Amsterdam, they were kind enough to make space for us before the dinner rush arrived to sweep everyone off their feet!

We had a native Italian in our dinner party... and he was quite impressed! If you know anything about Italians eating Italian food outside of Italy... well, that is quite a compliment!

I would definitely be returning here... I have a few more things to try out!

Opening Times

Monday 3:30–11:30pm
Tuesday 3:30–11:30pm
Wednesday 3:30–11:30pm
Thursday 3:30–11:30pm
Friday 3:30–11:30pm
Saturday 3:30–11:30pm
Sunday 3:30–11:30pm

Contact Details

Address: Kloveniersburgwal 7, 1011 JT Amsterdam
Phone: +31 (0) 20 626 2582
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://gustorestaurant.nl/restaurant/en/

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