A bar with red panelling, Thonet chairs, smoked-glass mirrors, shutters on the windows and sansevierias as decoration. Thanks to its refined details, time seems to have stood still for at least half a century at Café-Brasserie ‘Nationaal’ on the corner of Prinsegracht and Boekhorststraat. But appearances can be deceiving. The latest addition to the Grote Markt Group has been open since 2024; prior to that, the building was responsibly stripped back and made gas-free and sustainable with the help of Stadsherstel.

“We all came across some really cool things whilst carrying out the work,” recalls cocktail expert Carl Tjong a Tjoe, who is now in charge of the bar. “For example, the ornate cast-iron pillar had been completely boarded up and the ceilings had been lowered considerably. The original green coat of paint served as the starting point for the restaurant area.” That colour dates back to the time when the original Café Nationaal was based here, at the start of the twentieth century. “Market traders could grab a quick bite to eat there, and beer was served from the ZHB, the Hague brewery that has also recently been revived.”

Vol-au-vent

So Basaal Chef Jermaine Huisman’s menu, however, is anything but like that. He draws inspiration from the generous Belgian cuisine. “We wanted to create a classic restaurant, but not a French one. There are already plenty of those, and French cuisine is just a little too formal,” he explains over dinner. “Owner Maarten Hinloopen and his wife Eveline love visiting Brussels, and that’s how the idea came about.” The menu, which changes with the seasons, features classics such as vol-au-vent, steak and chips, and Brussels waffles. “But our vol-au-vent is made with lobster, and the steak is of the highest quality. We uphold the highest standards of craftsmanship; from the sauces to the crème brûlée: we make everything ourselves.”

Tradition may be sacred, but Huisman is bringing the menu up to date. “However delicious some dishes may be, certain ingredients are simply no longer acceptable,” he says. “We don’t serve eel in green sauce here, because the species is endangered. And foie gras – however delicious it may be – we now consider unethical. Instead, we’re serving a deep-fried courgette flower with a vegan filling, though served in a rich sauce. That’s how we’re trying to ’veganise‘ more classic dishes.’

Technology

It was a bit of a change for the former head chef at Capriole. “I came from the fine-dining world, where I used a lot of plant-based ingredients, so I had to dig out my old cookbooks again,” Huisman admits. “It’s interesting to work with traditional techniques again. For example, we take our Gildehoen chicken apart completely ourselves. The bones go into the stock, which forms the basis for the sauce. We use the trimmings to make our own farce, which we then roll up into a lovely rouleau. When it comes to cooking, however, we do use the modern sous-vide technique.” The chicken liver mousse he developed already has a loyal following. “People don’t want that one taken off the menu,” Huisman says with a wink.

Whilst Tjong a Tjoe runs the bar and Huisman the kitchen, Lucas Winckers completes the trio as maître d“. Together with Paul Fonderie, sommelier at the Grote Markt, he put together the accessible wine list. ”Naturally, there’s a strong focus on Old World wines,“ he says. ”Mainly from France, although the house wines are Spanish and Italian. There are big names from Bordeaux and Burgundy, but also simpler entry-level wines. And we have a Pinot Gris from Limburg.”

Vinyl

The gentlemen always agree on the concept together. “We start the day as a restaurant, and as the evening progresses, the pub atmosphere really comes to the fore,” explains the maître d“. ”After ten o’clock, we play laid-back music on vinyl to create the perfect atmosphere for hanging out at the bar with a beer or a cocktail; it doesn’t all have to be so polished. And sometimes we have Belgian events on the programme, such as the mussel festivals.“ Tjong a Tjoe adds: ‘I’ve just started infusing vodka with old oyster shells. Once that’s ready, we’ll organise a tasting with oysters and a cocktail made with the oyster vodka and martini to create a maritime atmosphere. And for game season, I’ll come up with something else again.’ Will there be a big screen set up when the Red Devils are playing? ”No,“ laughs Huisman. ”Something like that would be more suited to one of the other Grote Markt cafés.“

On the terrace, you can enjoy the afternoon sun.

The target audience for ‘Nationaal’ is slightly older than that of, say, Zèta or Vavoom. “There’s just as little fuss here as anywhere else, but here the food takes centre stage, whereas with the other concepts it’s the drinks,” the chef summarises. “That’s why we can also offer a lot for the corporate market,” continues maître Winckers. “We can host drinks receptions for up to forty people, as well as a lunch or dinner with a bespoke wine pairing. Do come and have a taste – and make sure your belt can be loosened by another notch.”

www.cafebrasserienationaal.nl