Cafe Amsterdam - European Style in Midtown

I have been meaning to give Cafe Amsterdam a try for some time, but unfortunately, I let my impression of a restaurant be affected by who was recommending it, so I kept putting off.  Pretty stupid on my part.

A few weeks ago, my wife and I packed up our one year old and went out for breakfast.  We planned to go to one of our other favorite restaurants, but at the last second I made the decision to turn into Metro Mall parking lot (across from the Sears Mall), and pulled up to Cafe Amsterdam.  

Going to a new restaurant with a one year old can be considered brave or stupid...I'll let you decide.  Suffice it to say, that our experience at Cafe Amsterdam was positive, and the restaurant and staff were ready to accept us with our little food critic.

I love a good Eggs Benedict, so I was excited to see that Cafe Amsterdam had not one, but a variety of four different Benedict options.  I went with the Moluska Benedict: two poached eggs on English muffin with salmon lox, red onions then topped with hollandaise sauce and capers, and served with cottage potatoes.  I lox, lachs, laks...no matter how you spell it...I love it!  I am also a hollandaise sauce snob.  I was not disappointed with either component of the dish.  I wasn't sure how they would pair, but matching the richness of the lox with that of the hollandaise and yolk left me wanting more.

The only problem with going to breakfast at Cafe Amsterdam is the fact that I could not partake of my favorite Belgian beer, Chimay.  Chimay and a huge variety of other Belgian, local, and international ales and ciders are available on tap or by the bottle.  They also have a healthy variety of meads and wines on their list of beverages.

As for me, I have learned a valuable lesson.  From now on, I won't let my impression of someone else affect my opinion of a restaurant.

Cafe Amsterdam:

Address - 530 E Benson Blvd #3, Anchorage, AK 99503

Phone - 907.274.0074

Website - cafe-amsterdam.com

Overall Recommendation - This is Eurostyle cafe with a great selection of Belgian and local beers.  The food is tasty and the staff is friendly.  Perfect for a late weekend breakfast, but I look forward to going back for lunch or dinner...when I can have some Chimay!

Bear Tooth Theatre Pub - more than movies

The Bear Tooth is made up of three separate parts.  The Bear Tooth Grill, the Bear Tooth Theatrepub, and the Bear Tooth restaurant.  The menu for the Theatre Pub and Restaurant are the same.  The menue for the grill is separate, and I will write about it in some future posting.

The theatrepub is a great place to see late run movies, shows, and concerts all while enjoying a great pizza, burrito, taco, wrap, etc.  There are many vegetarian and vegan options on the menu, which is great, but I love the more traditional offerings.  You can enjoy all of this and wash it down with a great beer!

What some people forget, is that there is a small restaurant/seating area outside of the theatre.  You can sit and order off the menu just like you would at the Moose's Tooth (the Bear Tooth's cousin).  It is not usually as crowded as the Moose's Tooth, so when I need a pizza fix, the Bear Tooth is a great choice.

I have had some great burritos at the Bear Tooth, including the Chicken Colorado, the Steak & guacamole, and the Steak Chipotle.  But on Saturday night, I needed a pizza, and I was looking for something on the lighter side.

The Wild Mushroom pizza was the perfect choice.  Chock full of portabella and crimini, and sun-dried tomatoes...this pizza rocks!  It has goat, mozzarella, and provolone cheeses on top of a denali sauce (a special non-tomato based house sauce).

The key to Bear/Moose's Tooth pizza is the crust.  It has a great savory flavor with just a hint of sweetness.  On the Wild Mushroom pizza, the crust combines with the denali sauce to bring out the flavors of the cheese and mushrooms.  With those sun-dried tomatoes, every bite has a bright tangy finish.

I enjoy the the Moose's Tooth Hard Apple Ale with almost all of the pizzas at the Tooth restaurants.  It is light and fruity, and it balances with the crust and toppings.

Whether you are catching a movie, or not, the Bear Tooth has something for nearly everyone.

Bear Tooth Theatrepub:

Address - 1230 West 27th Avenue

Phone - 907.276.4200

Website - beartooththeatre.net

Overall Recommendation:  I don't think you can do better than Bear/Moose's Tooth pizza in Anchorage.  Add in the burritos, tacos, and beer, and you have an incredible combination.