Some people say that there’s no such thing as ‘Dutch cuisine’. I don’t agree with them. True, if you want to eat a typical Dutch meal, it’s not easy to find a restaurant. The most typical Dutch dishes are probably our snacks. Whenever you go to a bar, you’ll find ‘bitterballen’ on the menu, a snack consisting of little round croquettes. And of course there is the croquette itself. Or, as we call it, the ‘kroket’. It’s a fried snack, consisting of breaded beef or veal ragout.

The most famous croquette in The Hague is made by Dungelmann, a traditional butcher shop in the city centre. Conveniently, the shop can be found in the middle of one of the busiest shopping streets. What a good way to have a little break while shopping! Eating a croquette at Dungelmann is one of the local customs that you should absolutely try. At least once a week my children ask me if we can go there to get some ‘broodjes kroket’, buns with croquettes.

The croquette counter can be found at the far end of the shop. Be prepared to get in line! Especially during the lunch hour, the line can be long. The wait is short though. The personnel is very efficient, and so are the customers. Ask for a ‘broodje croquette’ and you’ll get the question ‘traditional or special?’. It all depends on taste. For me, the traditional one is the best. Eat it with some mustard on top. Enjoy!