Amsterdam for Valentine

The month of February was busy - filled with business related travels in Europe and visits from family/friends. One trip that was memorable, however, was the one day surprise trip to Amsterdam for Valentine's Day.

I didn't suspect a thing until the 13th, the night before Valentine's Day. The boyfriend surprised me with a quick "hey pack up for tomorrow, we're going away tomorrow!" Immediately I launched into a series of interrogations without an answer. Finally, on our way to the airport, he confessed we were going to Amsterdam where we spent our nights on one of our first dates 4 years ago.

The Toren
A boutique hotel in the heart of Amsterdam, it's actually been awarded the Tripadvisor #1 hotel in all of The Netherlands. From the service, location to the spectacular decor in each room it was definitely one of the most memorable stays I've had in my travels. This time we reserved a 2-floor suite.

The room was in a Victorian style. The ceiling had intricate golden details around a large chandelier and paintings. The plush velvet furniture on purple carpet and even a marble fireplace added to the atmosphere. The marble bathroom is located downstairs with a Jacuzzi.

 

I was also greeted by a bouquet of roses, champagne and strawberries upon arrival. What a romantic boyfriend, didn't know he planned all of this!

Since we were only staying overnight, we only had a few hours to enjoy the city. Although many museums and attractions including the Anne Frank House and the West Church were right next to the hotel, we were only able to enjoy the famous canals and coffee shops by briefly walking past them.

It was such a shame since the beautiful boutiques closed so early, all so inviting and unique. Maybe we should've tried to ride the bicycles with tulips in our baskets to get to the shops earlier.

Dinner at Posthoorn

We went some lengths outside of Amsterdam for this dinner. It's about 25 minutes drive north-east of Amsterdam, nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood as a hotel/restaurant. It's a one Michelin starred restaurant with a cozy but modern decor with impeccably presented food. We had a Valentine's Day menu.

Amuse bouche, pickles, creams, and goat cheese.

Another amuse bouche, fried chicken with a light curry emulsion.

Bread with caviar butter

Smoked fish trio. I got salmon, eel, and red snapper.

Northsea crab with fresh grapefruit, fennel, and Bearnaise sauce. So good!

Sole with scallops and sauerkraut. 

My favorite, braised Iberian pork! Served ultra tender with pata negra and an amazingly flavored sauce.

US Angus beef. Somehow they made the outside cooked until crispy and kept the middle nearly rare. Served in light Szechuan sauce.

Pre dessert with a slightly nutty ice cream

Lover's dessert, served with chocolate, passion fruit, and a banana-curry ice cream. Sounds weird, but it was surprisingly really good.

After a long night of dining and drinking, we bundled up back at the hotel. The bar area where they also serve breakfast is absolutely beautiful. They claim to serve the best gin&tonic in the city. We had to leave before we could try it out. Next time, I guess.