As its name implies Amuse Bistro is palate-pleasing, offering delectable, charming dishes.
Chef-owner Patrick van der Donk with his adorable wife Ivette, operate this intimate mom & pop bistro with French roots and Caribbean flair.
Located streetside at Plays Linda Beach Resort Amuse has gained a solid fan-base since opening day, over a year ago.
If the names of the owners sound familiar you are right, Patrick was the executive chef at the Flying Fishbone Restaurant for almost a decade, while Ivette mixed exclusive cocktails at Le Soleil Lounge, Tierra del Sol, for many years.
The menu is a fun mix and match with most dishes available in appetizer and main-course sizes, from lovely soups, salads and appetizers to pasta and seafood, steak, pork and chicken the menu bears the unmistakably signature of its talented creator.
“It has always been my dream,” he says, “to exercise my passion for cooking at an Amuse Bistro, where patrons sample and nosh, dish after dish, as much or as little until satisfied, feasting on small, delectable specialties, perfectly plated and garnished, escorted by appropriate sides, and drizzled with nicely-matched sauces, accompanied by quality wines, to be enjoyed at leisure, one at a time, or shared.”
At Amuse, a separate section of the menu is dedicated to Patrick’s Specials, such as pan fried halibut paired with a herb risotto, saffron sauce; grilled Caribbean rock lobster with ginger Hollandaise and crispy polenta; tenderloin and goose liver paired with a pumpkin risotto drizzled with red wine sauce and surf and turf, sirloin and shrimp, with garlic-butter paired with an eggplant and potato mash.
The desserts at Amuse are worthy of an article of their own. Make sure you still have space enough for a white chocolate parfait, or the heavenly crème brule with a caramel cap. Chef Patrick’s famous red wine ice cream escorts his favorite brownie dessert which is really worth the calories.
As the perfect dining room host, Ivette put together a nice Specialty Coffee list including an Aruban Coffee with Ponche Crema and a to-live-for Espresso Martini.
For a fun evening of tasting gourmet dishes at very reasonable prices, Amuse is a perfect choice.
