Sherman's Food Adventures: Dutch Wooden Shoe

Dutch Wooden Shoe

We woke up today with the munchies and without food in the fridge. Originally, we were going to take Whipping Girl's advice and try Fantastic Restaurant. Apparently they have all-you-can-eat Dim Sum. If this makes some of you cringe, I hear ya because we have been to Fantastic before. It was a long time ago and we were not overly impressed. Maybe it's better now? I'm not even sure if AYCE Dim Sum is a good concept since there are quite a few inexpensive Dim Sum places. Well, it was a moot point because we ended up going to the Dutch Wooden Shoe Cafe instead. When I had asked Donna Chang where she wanted to eat, the Dutch Wooden Shoe was near the top of her list. Apparently, Whipping Girl had wanted to try this place as well; but she had already turned down the offer for some morning eats. She was choked that we went without her. She learned her lesson - never turn down a dining opportunity!

The Dutch Wooden Shoe Cafe resides at an old De Dutch Pannekoek House location. The menu and concept of the restaurant remains quite similar to De Dutch; but with a few different twists. In addition to some fusion Pannekoeks influenced by Mexican and Italian cuisine, there is a certain Indonesian flair as well. I can only surmise that the Dutch colonization of the East Indies has some influence. Consequently, you see things like Nasi Goreng and Bahnmi Goreng on the menu. I went along with this and ordered the Nasi Goreng which was a Pannekoek filled with Indonesian fried rice and ham topped with a fried egg. Spicy Peanut Sauce, Hot Sauce and salad were served on the side. First off, let me say I've had Nasi Goreng and this was no Nasi Goreng. With that being said, if I just accepted it for what it was, the Pannekoek with the side sauces was pretty darn good. Definitely something a bit different. On a side note, they actually messed up my order and made a Vegetarian Pannekoek instead. The HORROR! Well, not only did they quickly fix my order, they gave me the vegetarian one for free. I poked at it and gave some to my daughter; but I really didn't eat it. Viv had the Boeren or Farmer's Pannekoek. Piled on top of the Pannekoek were 2 Eggs, Ham, Bacon, Smoked Sausage, Hash browns and a side of Hollandaise. Almost exactly the same as De Dutch, this particular breakfast is a good amount of food. However, it is $3 cheaper here and practically the same.

Vandelay opted for the Windmill Waffle which was topped with Smoked Sausage, Spinach, Tomato, Fried Egg, Hollandaise and Edam Cheese. He generously gave me a sample so I could try it. The waffle was a perfect balance of crispiness and softness. Combined with all the ingredients on the plate, this was one delicious breakfast. Donna Chang went for "THE" French Toast with Apples. Presented beautifully on the plate, with a side of baked apples, the french toast was delicate. The nicely baked apples were slightly sweet and a bit tart, an excellent compliment to the buttery egg toast. I normally do not make a big fuss about my son's food because it is either quite standard or he doesn't really even eat it. He's a really picky eater. Today, he chose the Dutch Wooden Shoe Shaped Pannekoek with Chocolate Sprinkles. Nothing really exciting you say? Well, he finished the whole darn thing! This is significant because he NEVER finishes his food. Suffice to say, it was a major event, at least for us. Well, if even the pickiest of eaters ate all of his food, albeit not a lot, it bodes well for the restaurant. The adults of the table concurred because the food was indeed good. With slightly lower prices than De Dutch and serving essentially the same things with a few twists, how could you not be happy? We sure were!

The Good:
- Something different from the usual breakfast fare
- Reasonable prices compared to the De Dutch
- Good Portions

The Bad:
- Seating arrangements are a bit cramped

Dutch Wooden Shoe Cafe on Urbanspoon

2 comments:

holly said...

It's been a long time since I was last here and I don't remember the type of variety you described. Maybe they've changed owners since then but I would be willing to try it again as price is the usual deterrent to going to these kinds of places, especially the Pannekoek house.

Anson said...

Great review Sherman.

I guess another thing is on the weekends, you should go to the Wooden Shoe no later than 10am if you want to find a seat for 4.

Search this Site