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Herrie

<p>Amsterdam's newest showcase for celebrity chef Herman den Blijker (at 6'4” with a shaved head, he has an ego the size of a small Benelux nation: even though he's not actually the chef—he selected one via a reality-TV contest show—den Blijker named the restaurant after himself anyway). This three-level glam-fest takes every aspect of dining and makes it just a bit more exciting, from the perilous spiral-staircase ascent to the main room, to the all-white, mirrored-and-curtained décor (is that Marcel Wanders over there, or his reflection?). The cuisine deploys a formidable arsenal of tricky techniques like Parmesan foam (in spaghettini with truffles and poached eggs) for food that's occasionally delicious, but not transporting. Still, this qualifies as a bona fide Scene in laid-back Amsterdam, and you should partake of it.</p> <p><strong>Insider Tip:</strong> The cellar-level bar is, surprisingly enough, the perfect antidote to the overdone restaurant: dark, sexy, and genuinely cool, with excellent cocktails and wines by the glass.</p>