Pllek (Amsterdam) 28/11/12

"Wharfie B.E.E.R.S!"

Attendees: Ben and Sarah
Price: €2.50 250ml tap beer
Location: Tt. Neveritaweg 59, NDSM Wharf, 10min ferry north from Amsterdam Centraal Station
Distance: It takes a bit of effort to get there but well worth the giddy feeling of finding somewhere cool and tucked away.
Ambience:  Casual afternoon crowd with the usual peaceful effects of the water views slightly thrown off by some noisy ongoing construction works.
Character: Constructed from a "U" shape of double-stacked shipping containers with the large central area roofed over, Pllek has a pretty unique and DIY style appeal right from the start. The enormous river facing windows let in plenty of light and provide a spectacular view.
Decor: Coffe tables are made from stacked forklift palettes. Tasteful flower and candle arrangements add a homely touch and bring it back from being too over the top "industrial". A giant disco ball is a funky centrepiece to the room.
Comfort: Couches face outwards to the water while a myriad of chairs and tables on the main floor could easily seat 100+ people. More seats line the side areas and a second level atrium style deck as well. There's also some benches out the front for the warmer months.
Patrons: A quiet crowd on a wednesday arvo ranging from some older retirees enjoying lunch to younger local types sharing a beer or coffee. All welcome.
Staff: Friendly service and as always in Amsterdam, no troubles ordering in English. "Dank U" or "Bedankt" will get you far.
Selection: A couple of standard tap beers and bottled options aren't too much to get excited about but a cut above Carlton Draught nonetheless.
Outdoor Area: Bench seats with some weird old tram carriages lying around and an above ground skate bowl add plenty of interesting areas to poke around.
Specials: Turntables set up in the corner suggest some nighttime or weekend DJs.
L.S.R: The south-facing windows have sunlight streaming through them until late in the afternoon when it begins to get dark. Some quiet grooves waft in the background giving a friendly cafe quality to the space.
Amenities: "L" shaped container arrangement houses some cubicles. A little cold - not the spot to stop and ponder the universe.
Top Suggestion: Stay open until we come back! NDSM is a quickly growing area with some very interesting galleries and spaces around. Give it a couple of years and we're sure Pllek will be pumping.
Field Notes: Since Amsterdam changed it squatting laws recently, the artist community has been driven out of the city and forced to find new areas. NDSM Wharf is one such place and is definitely worth checking out - a welcome respite from the madness of the city centre. It was a real shame we didn't visit until our last day - it would have been great to come back and check it out after hours. "Pllek" is simply Dutch for "place".

Arbitrary Score: 84
A laid-back dining hall with a grand vision for the future - we're sure all the seats will be filled before long! Well worth checking out to see where Rembrandt and van Gogh's modern counterparts are setting up shop today.

Cafe van Leeuwen (Amsterdam) 25/11/12

"Jazzy B.E.E.R.S!"

Attendees: Ben and Sarah
Price: €4 330ml tap beer. We went for a delicious dark porter, perfect for winter.
Location: Kaizersgracht 711, on the corner with the very charming Utrechtesstraat, south side of Amsterdam. Boutique retail with a pleasing lack of tourist hordes & a little more laid back than the "9 Streets" area.
Distance: It's in Amsterdam. Chances are you can walk, ride or tram there from anywhere in the city.
Ambience: Cozy lounge room atmosphere with a friendly conversational buzz. Easy to meet and chat with fellow patrons. Every Sunday there is live jazz starting at 5pm which creates an amazing vibe in such a small and intimate space.
Character: Traditional Amsterdam with no space wasted. Small without being claustrophobic and plenty of polished wooden charm. The very large windows on both outward facing walls (its on the corner) maximise the often cloudy daylight. Not too showy and easy to pass by on the street.
Decor: Very basic yet effective. Large diffuse overhanging lights and strategically placed candles add plenty of warmth to chase away the winter chills. The stage is a compact riser at the end of the room and the band is clearly the main feature with no-one's view getting blocked.
Comfort: Grab a stool at the bar or sit back on the heaters below the large windows. Plenty of options for the generally small amount of people the place can accommodate.
Patrons: A mixed local crowd with a couple of edgier jazz types, older gents and a group of friends sharing a few drinks. Everyone gets into the music and there's plenty of interaction in between tunes (you might need to know a little Dutch to decipher it).
Staff: A typically tall Dutch guy with a snappy haircut and a friendly manner, happy to recommend a good beer and provide a sample tasting of the tap options.
Selection: A couple of great local beers on tap and a few more bottled options. Basic but hits the spot.
Outdoor Area: Nothing outdoors (at least during winter) however there is an upstairs dining area for lunch.
Specials: Live jazz every Sunday beginning at 5pm through til around 9.
L.S.R: These musicians are a great representation of the local interest in jazz and really know how to play together and create an atmosphere. Expect to hear heavy, groove laden licks with a couple of virtuotic solos thrown in. Top marks.
Amenities: Take the incredibly steep spiral stairs down to a smaller basement area with some clean and tidy toilets. A candle on the sink is a classy touch.
Top Suggestion: A coat hook by the door would do wonders, we stripped off quite a few layers from walking around in the cold weather outside.
Field Notes: While it might be a tiny bar on a typical street, this is a great spot to relax, catch up with a friend, see some jazz or even just read a book. The lack of tourists is extremely encouraging - they probably got caught up in a coffeeshop somewhere up the street!

Arbitrary Score: 85
With plenty of traditional Amsterdam charm, Cafe van Leeuwen keeps it simple and offers a genuine local drinking spot with killer local jazz to boot.