A Taste of the South... in Amsterdam

Mississippi Bar Kitchen

Nothing tastes better than Southern food… even in the heart of Amsterdam, Netherlands, where a Mississippi-inspired restaurant has become quite popular.

“You’re not going to believe this,” I shouted to my husband in the other room of our 11th floor hotel room in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Flipping through a magazine found in every hotel room on the planet, I had spotted a full-page image of the Mississippi Bar Kitchen… only the restaurant wasn’t in Mississippi or even in the South. In the magazine’s section The Very Best Bars and Restaurants of Amsterdam, Netherlands, the Mississippi Bar Kitchen was described as a “laid-back restaurant” where patrons can be “transported to the pre-industrial U.S. South.”

Really? Then, it describes “Southern comfort cuisine,” listing familiar favorites like hushpuppies, gumbo, jambalaya, brisket, and could it be, crocodile burger. We must go!

Since November 2017, the Dutch have been charmed by what we in the South know as mouth-watering, scrumptious eats that illustrate our culture. Our food accents life; it’s hard to experience one without the other. Moments like Friday night football and burgers, Saturday and college football with a side of barbecue, and Sunday dinner on-the-grounds with fried chicken and banana pudding define the South.

And now, the South has come to the Netherlands.

In Amsterdam, taste becomes their introduction to the Southern culture. And for Arik Nahimov and the other three owners of Mississippi Bar Kitchen who each bring their own unique contribution to the mix, they hope that one taste will never be enough. Combining years of restaurant experience with design and culinary taste, the four have worked to achieve authenticity of concept and dishes.

Mississippi Bar’s Pecan Pie

According to Nahimov, Mississippi Bar Kitchen had been an “idea in his head for quite some time about doing something different in Amsterdam.” He wanted “something authentic with a relaxed and open atmosphere but not hip. The idea was to serve food everyone understands and not come up with the latest fad that would be completely uninteresting after a few years.”

It was Anthony Webb, an American who had been living in Amsterdam for 20 years that helped develop the restaurant’s convincing menu.

“Anthony grew up in New York City eating soul food from his mother and grandmother’s kitchens,” confirms Nahimov. “He has fond memories of delicious church cooking parties on special holidays that, for him, defined what ‘food for your soul’ should taste like.”

And for Webb, he understands the complexities of Southern food. “It is a complex cuisine with American, European and African influences. It is rich, cultured and simple, all at the same time. It is focused on the perfect combination of flavors and textures.”

Nahimov knows that “Southern comfort cuisine is new to Amsterdam.” However, when people uncover the African and European roots of the kitchen, he continues, the taste has been around for quite some time.

“Our Chef, Sebastiaan van der Gulik is Dutch,” says Nahimov. “He has extensive experience in a number of restaurants and was able to understand the Southern recipes quite quickly after doing tastings with our resident American (Anthony) and following tried-and-true recipes from famous Southern chefs. We settled on the main parts of our menu after many trials, a few errors, a lot of extra pounds, and a result that was as close to perfection as we could get it.”

They gathered as many Southerners as they could find and began to perfect the taste.

“We’ve had quite a few Southerners in and are always super keen to hear their feedback,” says Nahimov. “In the first week we were open, two chefs visited from New Orleans and tried most of our menu. They were actually quite surprised to find that we had authentic dishes and were spot on with the taste and ingredients.”

Mississippi Bar’s Mississippi Mud

And the spot-on menu speaks volumes. With a “perfect balance of authentic Southern cuisine,” Mississippi Bar Kitchen features Louisiana stews likes Jumbo Gumbo and Jambalaya, and for the smoke lover, Memphis Dry Rub BBQ Smoked Chicken or Smokehouse Nachos with a Mint Julep to cool things off. And it can’t be Southern without pecan pie, collard greens, mac n’ cheese and cornbread. If it’s vegetarian or vegan you require, they have that, too. Nahimov’s favorites, however, are Coca-Cola Ribs and Chicken in a Basket.

And you can’t have the food without the feel. With the interior a showcase of industrial and colonial influences, the indoor conservatory features wood furniture and offers the atmosphere of the pre-industrial South.

“We have tried to get the small details right,” offers Nahimov. “The design and feeling within the restaurant were just as important as the food and drink and level of service. The reception has been quite strong with our Dutch and international visitors alike.”

And although most Dutch people are unfamiliar with eats like hush puppies, slow smoked meats or fried okra, the popularity of this eatery is growing.

With inspiration hailing from the Mississippi River and a Southern culture thriving on good food, Mississippi Bar Kitchen is opening the world’s eyes to what we in the South have known all along: nothing tastes better than Southern cooking.

mississippibarkitchen.com

By Judy Garrison | Photography courtesy of Seeing Southern Photography

Judy and Len Garrison are freelance travel writers and photographers from Athens, Georgia. Known as Seeing Southern, they travel the world in search of the story behind the story.