A Muse-Inspired Bistro by Susan Campbell Creative cuisine to arouse your taste buds.
Patrick van der Donk and his wife Ivette haven’t looked back in the three years since they founded Amuse Bistro on the strip beside Playa Linda Resort. The booming bistro’s name was inspired by the French tradition of serving diners an amuse-bouche: little bites of gourmet fare to showcase the chef ’s culinary talents. While the offering of small plates alongside full-sized entrées was a unique concept on Aruba, the restaurant’s real claim to fame is now Chef Patrick’s creative cuisine. Amuse Bistro’s special three and five-course specials with wine pairings have also become a huge draw. “I was born and raised in ’s-Hertogenbosch (Duke’s Forest) in Holland, where my father grew all kinds of fresh fruits and vegetables,” says Patrick. “Cooking was often dependent on what grew best and when, which made balancing of different tastes and textures a daily necessity. That’s when I became interested in experiment ing with food.”
24
Patrick went on to study culinary arts in Eindhoven and Utrecht, and cooked under many famous chefs in the Netherlands. “I then moved to Australia where I also worked as a chef in Melbourne but once I fell in love with Aruba, I never looked back.” On Aruba, Patrick created great dishes for some of the island’s foremost dining spots and later met his wife Ivette, an award-winning mixologist. After dating for 11 years, (now married for four) they decided to combine talents and open their own establishment. It’s turned out to be a marriage made in restaurant-owning heaven. “Ivette handles the door, the bar, the décor, the guests, the staff – basically everything else but the food,” says Patrick. “That allows me free reign in the kitchen to create, and I so appreciate that.” And create he does. Inspired dishes like rock lobster served in a baked potato with wholegrain mustard, lemon, and parmesan cheese will definitely “amuse” your palate. So will Patrick’s signature herb-crusted lamb chops, while the chocolate brownie served with homemade, redwine ice cream is to die for. In fact all dishes served at Amuse are made from scratch and are seriously delightful. But don’t take my word for it, try them yourself. K
Portrait by Paul van Driel. Bottom photo courtesy of Amuse Bistro