Dutch Snackbar: Whats on the menu?

When life gets super busy and I just don’t have the time to cook something, or it’s a time to spoil ourselves because of a birthday or celebration, we turn to the trusty Dutch snackbar.

Coming from the UK, I found the  Dutch snackbar sort of like your typical UK fish and chips stand, but also completely different. The types of chips served, and all the accompanying dishes are not something I had ever seen before, and it has been an adventure trying some of the different items.

So, if you have ever walked into a Dutch snackbar and thought ‘what on earth should I order?’, or if you normally play it safe but are curious about some of the other items on the menu, here is a breakdown of some of the most popular ‘delicacies’ and what they are.

Patat
Chips, normal cut chips, fried, etc. They aren’t the skinny sort you get from McDonald’s, but also not the chunky sort you get in the UK.

Raspatat
Potato puree, passed through a press to make French fries shaped chips (a bit like with play dough) and then deep-fried.

Vlaamse Frites
Thick cut potato chips, deep-fried and tossed through a seasoning.

Frikandel / Frikandel XXL
Skinless sausage made from chicken, beef and/or pork and deep-fried. For an extra helping, order a frikandel XXL!

Picanto
Similar to a frikandel, but spicy.

Kroket
The outside is crispy breadcrumbs, and the inside is a mix of beef or pork mince and potatoes, and then deep-fried. Some snackbars also sell vegetarian versions and ones with a cheese filling.

Bitterballen
Similar to a kroket but in bite size portions. The inside is usually a mix of beef and veal roux, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.

Gehaktbal
Good old Grandma’s meatball! These are pretty large, usually around the size of a tennis ball and made from minced beef, pork, breadcrumbs, onions and egg. Normally they are deep-fried, but some places cook them in ovens.

Berehap
A meatball cut into slices, and then skewered with slices of onion between the sliced meatball.

Eierbal
Similar to the British Scotch Egg; it is a hardboiled egg, surrounded by ragout, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.

Kipkorn
A mix of chicken and turkey mince, rolled into the form of a sausage and coated in either breadcrumbs or corn before being deep-fried.

Kipnuggets
Your good old friend, chicken nuggets. Most snackbars serve ones that are coated in batter and deep-fried, but sometimes you can also  find them coated in breadcrumbs.

Bamischijf or Nasischijf
A pressed disc of either bami goreng or nasi goreng, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.

Kaassoufflé
Melted cheese inside a thin dough-based wrap, coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.

Broodje ****
Any of the previous  items with the word broodje before or after means it is  that particular dish served with a bread roll.

*** Speciaal
Again like with a broodje, speciaal means it is the same dish, but served with a side of mayonnaise, (curry) ketchup and diced onions.