Just off the Onze Lieve Vrouweplain (square of our lady) is Nxt Door, a restaurant specialising in actually – just about a bit of everything, but especially seafood. Nxt door makes use of the local ingredients on offer, plus the weird – but utterly wonderful fish. When something local comes into season, they make damn good use of it. The restaurant is run by husband and wife duo, of whom I have no idea of their names – though I can assure you they are very infectious and know exactly what they are doing.
A deeply coloured brown loaf, which literally just left the oven as we arrived was delicious. I saw the owner trying to cut it and get it over to us without giving himself third degree burns. A little salt, a little oil, it was how the dutch may say, perfectie! Only just round the corner from Nxt Door is a stunning bakery with its own mill called De Bisschopsmolen – a great attraction in its own right, but the bread was still even better here.
When dutch white asparagus comes into season in the Netherlands, they abuse it like they’ve never seen it before – every year. There are even dedicated festivals and events to this humble vegetable that makes its flavour profile apparent in more than one way, and I wouldn’t want to mention what in my review. Here they managed to conjure up an amuse bouche of white asparagus with smoked ham and chive – it was divine. Although subsequently everywhere I went in Maastricht was serving almost exactly the same palette teaser.
Yes, yes I know those scallops look good – and just to rub it in – they were some of the finest I’ve eaten in a long while. Though I will criticise them for being not as hot as I’d like – probably a slight delay from the kitchen. The scallops were as tender and soft as butter but with a nice crisp blackened outside from the hot pan. Accompanied by some dollops of a well-tempered wasabi sauce, a little sauce from the pan and some green – an utter delight.
Now this next dish I would not have eaten if I knew what it was. You’ll notice the gorgeously attractive Atlantic Wolfish groupie posing for you – and smiling if you can call it that. They love eating sea urchins, crabs, lobsters, shellfish – just about anything a fish shouldn’t eat. And I also ended up eating IT, and liked it, but not loved it. It’s an incredibly meaty fish and surprisingly the skin is very edible, but I’d have still loved it nice and crunchy. It’s also a very strong flavoured fish – the bottom feeding type which has that taste of the seabed. You need to love fish to appreciate it. Paired with a little steamed vegetables and sauce of anchovy and capers – it was actually rather lovely.
Medium rare cooked duck breast arrived looking just as good as it tasted but like the scallops, was a little bit cold. The flavour was there, and so was the crispy skin but I couldn’t steer away from the arrangement of vegetables which were exactly the same that came with the fish. They were good, but doesn’t necessarily go with every dish, and they were much better suited to fish.
When I heard my dessert of strawberries and cream was arriving, I was a little disappointed. But once it arrived it was one of those occasions whereby the descriptor gave nothing away. A ball of perfectly made vanilla ice cream on a bed of biscuit crumble, fresh blueberries and raspberries. But above all a mesmerizing caramel/chocolate topped strawberry base and thick whipped cream mixture. I really have no idea exactly what it was, other than be it stunning. A real shock to the palette to be honest, and a great one.
I don’t want any of you reading this to then come to Maastricht, really. I want it all to myself, but at the same time it’s so amazing that I urge you to experience the same extraordinary city I love. Ryanair may have cancelled flights here so the trip now via Eindhoven can be lengthy – but it’s well worth it. With an adjoining bar (part of Nxt Door) it’s a great place to start a night out in this gorgeous city. I drunk my body weight in delicious rose wine and stumbled back over the Sint Servaasburg Bridge (pictured above) – a stunning walk back. If you’re looking for good honest food, fabulous service and delicious wine in Maastricht I couldn’t think of anywhere better.
7/10
