Mayonaise and frietsaus are two different things. In the Netherlands, the law stipulates that mayonnaise contains at least 70% fat and at least 5% egg yolk. Products such as frietsaus and halvanaise contain less than 70% fat and should therefore not be called mayonnaise. Due to the lower fat content in these sauces, the taste and structure are also different from mayonnaise. Bram Ladage is also by far the number 1 for me. Nice test video.
Lol not one person who is Dutch would honesly think about mayonaise and the law or whatever a law stipulates. It also sounds real quasi-smart when people actually say that. And another thing now we're on it. Who thinks about the fat and egg ingredients and what not in their sause while ordering a patatje met. Like really 😅
@@dudtspeed Ofcourse I think about the fat in the sauce when I order a frietje met, thats why I never order fries with fritessaus because I think mayonaise tastes way better. And thats because the percentage of fat is higher. And yes, Im Dutch
@@joren7653 Yeah right. Good luck to anyone everytime actually thinking about should or should I not order the mayonaise on my fries because it's too fat for me but I can't restrain myself so I take it with sauce anyways again and again and again. Oh no 😂 Really.
@@dudtspeed Personally I think fritessaus is better on fries than real mayonaise. Real mayo is just too greasy and oily for me with just fries. In any other case I do generally prefer real mayo though.
It is funny, but most of the non-Holland parts of the Netherlands simply don't like either Febo nor Smullers. It is the generic bland taste that is only sold when you can't find something else but you need something to eat because you are on the move.
At Bram Ladage, the fresh patotoes are delivered skinned only. They cut the potatoes on the spot, and then they are fried. Most snackbars use either cooled or deepfrozen so-called pre-baked fries. You mentioned that you thought the fries from Ladage are rather soft. That is because they only fry them for 3 minutes at 170C, because that produces less (or none) of the carcinogen acrylamide in the frying fat. We at home fry them for 5 minutes at 180C, because they are much crispier then. Most frikandellen are made from mechanically-separated chicken meat (a Dutch invention) and some pork. More expensive (and imo better tasting) are made from chicken and beef. The 'original' from Gerrit the Vries from Dordrecht used to contain some horse meat, but that is too expensive nowadays. There is a very persistent urban legend in the Netherlands that firikandellen are made from offal. While most frikandellen you buy in the supermarket are very cheap, and therefore not made from the choisest meats, using offal is, and always was, prohibited by Dutch law.
Bram Ladage, never heard of. It surely is not one of the big snack chains in the Netherlands, but they can be big in the Rotterdam area. Smullers I use when I take the train and then for a quick snack, mostly a gehaktstaaf. Febo is convenient, but surely not the best. For good snack food, I normally look for local stores with good scores on internet. Can I give you a challenge? Please? Find the recipe for a vleeskroket and make them yourself. 😊
Bram Ladage fries are amongst my favorite, they use quality potatoes and you can definitely taste the freshness, my sauce of choice is saté/peanut sauce to go along with the fries.
You guys need to try the "grove" frikandel at the snackbar. In the supermarkt you also can find them as a "boeren" frikandel as a "fresh" product and in the frozen shelf you can sometimes find them als grove frikandel.
The first fries test wasn't really fair, because they were packaged when they were warm and than they will always be softer than fresh eaten at the snackbar, because of the warm steam inside the paper bag! 🤷🏻♂️ So they tast even better at the snackbar! 😁 By the way, i never eat the frozen stuff, only fresh fries! 😋 A great lunch tip to try out, is a 12 UURTJE! 👌🏼 ‼️But look for the original ones, because some places alter the dish‼️ A real one has a small cup of soup, three slices of bread: one slice with ham, cheese and fried egg sunny side up, one with a scoop of Huzaren salade and one with a croquette with butter and mustard! 🤤✌🏼
I completely agree with your assessment. We used to have a Bram Ladage here in Utrecht CS train station, but it sadly didn't return after the new station hall was built. There is a Smullers now, but it will never be as good as Bram Ladage was.
Yeah FEBO isn't really great for the regular stuff, but their Grillburgers are really nice and affordable (don't expect a real big burger, it's just a quick snack) after a broodje shoarma they were basically my to go to food after a night out drinking in Amsterdam.
I agree. Febo's prices used to be low, probably because of the larger production to personnel ratio (a normal place would fry on demand, Febo can fry in bulk). So i used to grab something often just walking by Febo. Nowadays, the prices are actually pretty high for a normal friettent, so I really don't think it's worth it.
Not surprised Bram ladage is the winner. Febo has a good rep also and won a review of burgers on tv. But i m biased. Used to live next to a bram ladage and i would wake up on a sunday morning after partying till 4 am. Shall i go to the supermarket for bread or downstairs for bram. Fries it is. They got a large fries double peanut sauce. 1 portion fries, peanut sauce, another portion of fries on top and more peanut sauce. So that was my breakfast on sundays. Back in old days being young, thinking you're invincible and made out of rubber.
For snackbars, always go local, FEBO and other bigger chains are fine but they generally are more into mass producing rather than the best result. Bram Ladage iirc is moreso akin to a "local" shop despite having multiple (Funnily enough I've never seen one in my 31 years of living in NL)
I understand going for Febo and Smullers, as you have noticed local beats the country wide available companies. Now as you have tried eierbal in Groningen, try other snacks. Like mexicano, kipcorn (like a chicken croquette but frikadel size), bamihap, vlammetjes, kaassoufle. There is more than croquette and frikandel. Also try raspatat: mashed potatoe fried filling is so much better than average fries from Febo or McDonald's / Burger King. I like raspatat saté with bami hap. Feels like you eat Dutch Indonesië fried fusion
Smullers was a brand of NS (yes the Dutch Railways)! Arround 1970 they had trouble to find companies for in their stations so they created several brands by their own (for example Julia's, Kiosk, Stations huiskamer, ...). Recently they sold some of them, including Smullers, to other companies... but that is why they are at train stations!
BTW, NS was franchisee of all the Starbucks and Burger Kings, and still is the franchisee of all AH to go locations at train stations. All the staff of these locations at train stations were officially employees of NS!
Try the 'smulrol' next time if you visit a snackbar. It is one of my favorite snacks. Bram Ladage is from those 3 also my favorite but i know some better local snackbars but they only have one shop. If i know that the fries are fresh than it is good. Here it is only 1 of 10 snackbars who sells there fries fresh as Bram Ladage. So i go specially to them when i want good fries.
@buncharted Smulrol is god tier on the snacklist of fame! Also when the fries are a bit darker it's not automatically the frying time, different potato varieties also are a factor. Most snackbars these days set a timer when the dump the potatoes in the oil, that is terrible practice. You need to check with your eyes and ears when they are ready, not just by timer.
Febo is great for tourists, because of the concept of getting food out of a wall. I do think local stores will always be better, but that will be such a hard thing to test. Do you look only at the ones close to you? Or are you going to do all of Dortrecht? I would also say that you should eat the food after the same time interval. e.g. if it takes 20 minutes to get home and on the table for the longest one, you must do that for all of them. I would never go to a store where I can not eat them directly local. After the time it takes to get home, the best taste is already gone. At least for me.
Every visit to the city centre of Rotterdam isn’t complete without a visit to Bram Ladage for a ‘friet & kroket’ moment. They never disappointed and are the best you can get on the street, like you noticed 😊
I think your results reflect how the three are perceived in the Netherlands. Bram Ladage would indeed win hands down. Having said that, as others have already mentioned, the local snackbars are often better than the big chains. That Febo is "the place to go" for tourists is actually quite sad.
So those brown fries... You need freshly sliced fries. For some reason (m o n e y) many places use frozen fries. Fresh is what makes them creamy inside but to really get that effect: Boil them in the fry for a minute or two. Then leave the basket hanging above the hot oil and then refry them again a few minutes later until they are brown. And don't forget a plentyfull and balanced amount of salt. The oil is also something to try around with. I'd recommend either animal fat or palm oil because of the good omega's and unsaturated fats.
There are 2 types of kroket: bakkery vs butchers. The bakery(above the rivers) use nice good quality meat cut in squares combined with a good rough and special crusty layer on the outside. The butchers are using "leftover meat" it was never there core bussiness but a way too use as much as possible. Van dobben, holtkamp, kwekkeboom and febo are bakerys. Mora, beckers and smullers/ladange are butchers. You cant compare the two
go to van dobbe in Amsterdam for a typical Amsterdam experience! they have the best kroket and you should also try broodje warm vlees with satesaus and broodje halfom, a real classic
I remember taking some American friends to a Friettent in my neighborhood. After we were done the snack called “Mexicano”was renamed to “Tire tracks” and the Frikandel was now named a “Freaking Dog” 🤣
You have already tasted Kapsalon? WARNING! this dish is a calorie bomb! Kapsalon is a hearty and popular Dutch fast food dish that originated in Rotterdam in 2003. It's a fusion of flavors and cultures, combining the familiar elements of French fries, meat, cheese, and salad with a unique twist. The Birth of Kapsalon The tale of Kapsalon begins with Nathaniël Gomes, a Cape Verdean hairdresser working in the Delfshaven district of Rotterdam. One day, while seeking a satisfying lunch, he requested a combination of his favorite foods from a nearby shawarma shop, El Aviva. The result was a layered masterpiece: crispy fries topped with döner or gyro meat, melted Gouda cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, and a drizzle of garlic sauce and sambal.
If you find yourself in leiden and are looking for a snack, Dapp has the best fries (patatje oorlog if you ask me), they're also cut there and they also come in the best container. The snacks are also really nice, the kaas kroket being my favourite.
Great review and I fully agree based on my limited experience. I usually go to non-chain snackbars, but my only experience with Bram Ladage was perfect. I have gone to Smullers multiple times because there was nothing else available and that's really a sort-of-hit and miss. Sometimes it's ok, sometimes the fries are soggy, and the frikandellen are a bit tasteless. My onetime fries at Febo were cold and very starchy. For a minute, I considered filing a false advertising claim for their slogan "the best". For a follow-up I'm curious about your opinion of La Bamba and a selection of snackbars not affiliated with any national chain.
One of my favourite Dutch snack foods is the "kapsalon". If you haven't already, you should try it! Other great ones are "patatje stoofvlees" or "broodje kaassouflé met pindasaus". I love how most snackbars have lots of options to choose from, but the pounds will start packing very fast if you indulge yourself too often...
FEBO. It might depend where you are? In Leeuwarden it is a place for bad food after a night of drinking. And a kroket? Always Kwekkeboom is probably the best after a home made one?
Do I live in the Netherlands at all? There is no Ladage, Smullers or Febo near me. We just have a cafetaria as part of the café in my tiny village. But I can get my friet oorlog without onion and bamiblok. And no automat for the snacks. I just call ahead, by the time I get there it is done. There is also a chain called Kwalitaria that is more of a franchise formula. There is a nice Kwalitaria in the town I go for grocery shopping. Smullers is or used to be owned by the NS and is only on main stations.
Bram will be best indeed. Febo i like because it's just hit n run. Bike past, get a frikandel out of the wall and get on to get the waterbus. No uncertainty on waiting times.
No surprise. Out of the three, Bram Ladage is the only one to use premium quality and fresh ingredients. They are also the only ones to use a double frying process. First round to cook the fries, second round to get them nice crispy and golden. Using fresh potatoes is their trade mark, that's what they are known for. And their fries indeed are really still soft potato on the inside. The other two food chains are just mediocre at best with their factory made and deep frozen ingredients and single frying process. As others have mentioned you are usually better off in the local snackbar. Bram Ladage really is the exception to this, but they also started as a local snackbar and they have always focussed on quality. I can still remember the long waiting queues on the Binnenrotte market for their original stand. Yummie. Btw. Did you know there are actually two different types of kroket? The most common one is the 'slagerskroket' (butcher's kroket). The ones you had were this type. The inside filling is a little dark because the boullion is made from cow meat left overs that is cooked off of the bones. The meat is therefore pulled and not chopped. The baker's kroket has a lighter filling due to the use of a fine piece of (usually) calf meat. Also the kroket itself is usually somewhat lighter colored, and the meat is chopped into tiny cubes and not pulled like the butcher's kroket. The baker's kroket is considered a bit more premium and is usually a little bit more expensive. There is a distinct difference in taste between the two types. You should check it out and let us know which one you prefer!
There's this nameless snackbar where I live that's tucked away in an obscure spot. But as you walk in you emediately see like five or six folks behind the counter working their ass off processing order after order. In spite of it's odd location and litterly having no name recognition the locals sure as hell manage to find this snackbar. Needless to say their fries and snacks action is on point.
Not sure where to go in Dordrecht, but if you are into kroket I recommend trying a bakery kroket (often veal or shrimp). They are a bit more pricey but soooo good!
I've never seen a Bram Ladage but will have to try their fries if I do. The others I'll skip, no thanks. I don't always have friet because it's so fat and hard to digest, but if I do I prefer local fish and friet shops. With that said, West Kapelle in Zeeland has some of the best friet I've ever tasted. Plus, once while visiting their local fish shop I got to see ring riders perform with their prettily decked out and braided horses (Zeeuwse paarden). Such a nice treat besides eating friet.
I always see video's where people eat a croquette without anything or mosterd. In my eyes you NEED "Maggi", you need a slice of bread (or a bolletje) and you need some mayo. But that's me xD
The problem with many snackbar fries, especially around busy times, is they keep them in the oil for less time to increase throughput, which makes them undercooked.
Top video.. actually I am also proud of you. Eating frikandel on a bread. You know when i did that around 1999.. At Theoś Snackbar in Haarlem.. I was declared crazy, barbarian etc.. glad to see you do it too. And above all. Fine you love the snacks and present your experiences.. Top!
When you have moved from The Netherlands to America and you go back to visit family, you really don't care where you get your patat met, frikandel special and kroket. You "attack" the first place where you can eat them. You start with 4 kroketjes with mustard, 2 frikandel special and 2 patat met and, if you're lucky, next door or close by: 6 Haringen met uitjes. That's just a start.
Hey, I just watched an NOS Jeugdjournaal video about frikandel that had video clips of this video included. Guess you guys have made the big time in Nederland!
I work for the Railways, so I get an employee discount at the Trainstation for food and drinks, even at Smullers. But even with that discount I won't get fries or snacks there. They do have a van Dobben Kroket there, which is the only good thing they have. Bram Ladage has been a childhoof favourite of mine, and their fries have always been top tier.
@@buncharted I can get an employee discount at the Kiosk, Julias, Smullers and Backwerk, even a lesser discount at the AH to Go even. I usually get coffee for 30cents at the Kiosk or Julia, as I work morning shift on the train. Occasionally get a snack at the Kiosk like a Saucijzenbroodje. Or a sandwich/broodje at Backwerk.
I once was at Bram Ladage in Rotterdam. On the menu was "patat" but also "frietsaus". So i ordered a "friet" with "patatsaus". That girl looked at me for some seconds and didn't get it. So stupid to call "friet" "patat" as they do above the great sewers. But yeah, they think a lot of themselves in Holland... Greetings from North-Brabant.
OMG I've got no time at the moment to follow your challenge in AMS on my own😛 Febo was a very bad nutritionally speaking find on one of my trips I still dream about.
Tip! Try the Bourgondiër kroket, they have a nice crispy outside and full of meat. Did you know that there are different rundvlees kroketten? Some contains 10 % meat 15,20 and even 25 % meat. So how lower the price, how lower the percentage of meat. Love your vlogs by the way.
I used to eat fries and croquettes rather frequently but nowadays I don't care too much for it anymore. But once in a while when I am in the Netherlands I eat a small portion with "Pindasaus" 🙂 It's just so delicious!
Totally agree....BL is way better than FEBO (no experience with Smullers). I believe that most tourists end up at FEBO to enjoy the "automatiek" experience and not so much because of their ratings on the food itself....
Wow,, how nice,, seriouse ,,just had my Fries and kroket from Bram Ladage for the first time 15 min ago. Bram Ladage is well known for only their fries,, Smullers and Febo only for their snacks so to compare is like apples and oranges because the potatoes for Bram Fries are fresh and hand-cut. Still happy and fun that you guys will give it a try. Note,, do not go to Smullers to order a Hamburger,, they have the worst !! The fries are ok for what you pay for it. Same for Febo but the snacks are much better than Smullers.i think I agree,,the Bram kroket was very nice but could have more meat in it. Note,,the kroket with little meat chunks is a bakery or luxury kroket. The kroket with ripped beef is a butcher kroket.
I enjoyed your test video of the most commonly eaten Dutch snacks, but I am curious to know what you think of Rass fries, a bami disk or a nasi ball, and finally a goulash croquette. I am looking forward to that test, also Dutch snacks but with a completely different taste
I live in small village in Brabant and I had never eaten Febo stuff in my life, it's probably here but not near me. By accident I was being a tourist in my own country and visited Amsterdam, I heard so much about Febo that it was the thing to eat. I tried it and I was far from impressed. Kroket, frikandel, tasted really weird and mediocre. The frikandel tasted like it had some Italian herb in it, very unpleasant.. Kroket was pretty bland. I did try Bram Ladage a couple times, cuz Rotterdam is much nearer to Brabant. Indeed, tasted great. My local snack bar also tastes pretty similar but yes I can agree, Bram Ladage is pretty good. It's as far as I can remember a bit more expensive than most local snackbars, and the amount you get is not that much but you pay for the quality over quantity I guess. Smullers I haven't tried or perhaps I've had it before but can't remember to be honest.
Smullers was good when they were new on the first two or three stations, they had a very destinctive taste back then (late 90s), but when they grew they sized down on quality. Comparing to a regular snackshop it is basic to the bone, as is FEBO. Easy to avoid. There is another chain, Kwalitaria, but they might be not that common in your area. Usually they are quite good, for a chain. Bram Ladage is not that common over here, but as fresh 'friet' goes, I prefer 'Manneken Pis' all day every day.
Agree with Bram Ladage as the winner. When I lived in Rotterdam that was my go to snack place. But I have a soft spot for Febo kroketten, their fries are very generic and bland....still much better than McDonalds and Burger King fries though
You should try the viandel thats a frikandel in a crispy cover. And when you see the febo try there sate kroket. It very tasty. But you live in dordrecht so go to Brokking ant ask for a brokki g gebakje. That is a specialty from dordrecht. Its a hazelnut meregue broken with slagroom. It is realy is great. (Krispijnseweg 49)
bram ladage in rotterdam and dordrecht might be one and the same store brand, but the quality in rotterdam is way better than in dordrecht also: 1. bram ladage 2. smullers 3. febo imo
Febo is not the holy grail. You expected too much. It is not great taste but it is comfortfood aka easy to get and just lekker enough to enjoy. Good as a quick snack when you’re out all day. ❤❤❤
You're wrong sir, Febo is the holy grail.......of food related tourist traps. 😉 I agree with the conclusion of the video, Bram Ladage is the best by far!
as far as I can tell none of these chain's have any location's in the south of the netherlands. the only one I know is Febo from seeing it in Amsterdam
euuuh friet needs to be golden brown ( or "burned" ). i know world wide Mac donalds has ruined it with their very pasty fries. But they need to be golden brown like that.
Bram ladage fries are great.....................but fries stoofvlees are horrible..............but i lived near belgium..........so I am probally spoiled 😀😀😀😀
Bram Ladage ? Must be a local shop as I've never heard of them and I'm living in Utrecht. It would have been better to go to a snackbar which is affiliated with "Foodmaster" or even "Kwalitaria" as these kind of snackbars have central procurement and assortment. But again, very entertaining content. Keep up the work!. Groeten!
The fries from Smullers and McDonalds come from the same factory: Lamb Weston. So what you said isn’t that strange. At the contrary: you are a connaisseur!
Mayonaise and frietsaus are two different things. In the Netherlands, the law stipulates that mayonnaise contains at least 70% fat and at least 5% egg yolk. Products such as frietsaus and halvanaise contain less than 70% fat and should therefore not be called mayonnaise. Due to the lower fat content in these sauces, the taste and structure are also different from mayonnaise. Bram Ladage is also by far the number 1 for me. Nice test video.
Even then mayonnaise changed recently. Nowadays store bought mayonaise contains rapeseed oil instead of sunflower oil. The reason is obviously sad.
Lol not one person who is Dutch would honesly think about mayonaise and the law or whatever a law stipulates. It also sounds real quasi-smart when people actually say that. And another thing now we're on it. Who thinks about the fat and egg ingredients and what not in their sause while ordering a patatje met. Like really 😅
@@dudtspeed Ofcourse I think about the fat in the sauce when I order a frietje met, thats why I never order fries with fritessaus because I think mayonaise tastes way better. And thats because the percentage of fat is higher. And yes, Im Dutch
@@joren7653 Yeah right. Good luck to anyone everytime actually thinking about should or should I not order the mayonaise on my fries because it's too fat for me but I can't restrain myself so I take it with sauce anyways again and again and again. Oh no 😂 Really.
@@dudtspeed Personally I think fritessaus is better on fries than real mayonaise. Real mayo is just too greasy and oily for me with just fries. In any other case I do generally prefer real mayo though.
Interesting. Never heard of Bram Ladage but I trust your verdict because of the patented rating system.
This is a institution in Rotterdam.
@@BmanNL1 also situated in Leiden. I really mis Patatje oorlog( Mayo/peanutsatay sause and unions sprinkeled over it).
First of all, your 'Goedemorgen' is getting better and better. This one is close to accent-less. 👍
If you want a kroket with more beef meat, some snackbars sell " Van Dobben" kroketten. They are 👍
Kwekkeboom is also nice.
Go the next time to Broodje van Dobben at the Leidseplein in Amsterdam
Home made kroketten are very delicious
Better to Eetsalon Van Dobben at the Korte Reguliersdwarstraat
Never heard of Bram Ladage and I didn't know smullers, apparently there is one in my hometown at the train station.
bram ladage has a bunch of locations in and around rotterdam
Try patat stoofvlees at Vermoens Taria in Wielwijk or Patat van Nancy at the market. Famous in Dordt!
It is funny, but most of the non-Holland parts of the Netherlands simply don't like either Febo nor Smullers. It is the generic bland taste that is only sold when you can't find something else but you need something to eat because you are on the move.
makes sense, especially since smullers is only in train stations. i think they’re ok with being the convenient and fast option
At Bram Ladage, the fresh patotoes are delivered skinned only. They cut the potatoes on the spot, and then they are fried. Most snackbars use either cooled or deepfrozen so-called pre-baked fries. You mentioned that you thought the fries from Ladage are rather soft. That is because they only fry them for 3 minutes at 170C, because that produces less (or none) of the carcinogen acrylamide in the frying fat. We at home fry them for 5 minutes at 180C, because they are much crispier then.
Most frikandellen are made from mechanically-separated chicken meat (a Dutch invention) and some pork. More expensive (and imo better tasting) are made from chicken and beef. The 'original' from Gerrit the Vries from Dordrecht used to contain some horse meat, but that is too expensive nowadays. There is a very persistent urban legend in the Netherlands that firikandellen are made from offal. While most frikandellen you buy in the supermarket are very cheap, and therefore not made from the choisest meats, using offal is, and always was, prohibited by Dutch law.
Bram Ladage, never heard of. It surely is not one of the big snack chains in the Netherlands, but they can be big in the Rotterdam area.
Smullers I use when I take the train and then for a quick snack, mostly a gehaktstaaf.
Febo is convenient, but surely not the best.
For good snack food, I normally look for local stores with good scores on internet.
Can I give you a challenge? Please?
Find the recipe for a vleeskroket and make them yourself. 😊
Bram ladage is also in Leiden. I love them
I agree. I had never heard of Bram Ladage either. They might have shops in the west, but definetely not a all over The Netherlands snack chain.
Bram Ladage fries are amongst my favorite, they use quality potatoes and you can definitely taste the freshness, my sauce of choice is saté/peanut sauce to go along with the fries.
You guys need to try the "grove" frikandel at the snackbar.
In the supermarkt you also can find them as a "boeren" frikandel as a "fresh" product and in the frozen shelf you can sometimes find them als grove frikandel.
It's turkey separator meat anyways.
The first fries test wasn't really fair, because they were packaged when they were warm and than they will always be softer than fresh eaten at the snackbar, because of the warm steam inside the paper bag! 🤷🏻♂️ So they tast even better at the snackbar! 😁
By the way, i never eat the frozen stuff, only fresh fries! 😋
A great lunch tip to try out, is a 12 UURTJE! 👌🏼
‼️But look for the original ones, because some places alter the dish‼️
A real one has a small cup of soup, three slices of bread: one slice with ham, cheese and fried egg sunny side up, one with a scoop of Huzaren salade and one with a croquette with butter and mustard! 🤤✌🏼
try RAS patat,made from mashed patatos
I completely agree with your assessment.
We used to have a Bram Ladage here in Utrecht CS train station, but it sadly didn't return after the new station hall was built. There is a Smullers now, but it will never be as good as Bram Ladage was.
oh man, what a loss!
Thank goodness there is a Manneken Pis at Utrecht station;)
Yeah FEBO isn't really great for the regular stuff, but their Grillburgers are really nice and affordable (don't expect a real big burger, it's just a quick snack) after a broodje shoarma they were basically my to go to food after a night out drinking in Amsterdam.
A plain Grillburger costs € 4,25 at the Febo nowadays. For a really small burger that isn't affordable in my book. Below the € 3,- it's a banger.
I agree. Febo's prices used to be low, probably because of the larger production to personnel ratio (a normal place would fry on demand, Febo can fry in bulk). So i used to grab something often just walking by Febo. Nowadays, the prices are actually pretty high for a normal friettent, so I really don't think it's worth it.
Not surprised Bram ladage is the winner. Febo has a good rep also and won a review of burgers on tv. But i m biased. Used to live next to a bram ladage and i would wake up on a sunday morning after partying till 4 am. Shall i go to the supermarket for bread or downstairs for bram. Fries it is. They got a large fries double peanut sauce. 1 portion fries, peanut sauce, another portion of fries on top and more peanut sauce. So that was my breakfast on sundays.
Back in old days being young, thinking you're invincible and made out of rubber.
For snackbars, always go local, FEBO and other bigger chains are fine but they generally are more into mass producing rather than the best result. Bram Ladage iirc is moreso akin to a "local" shop despite having multiple
(Funnily enough I've never seen one in my 31 years of living in NL)
I never saw one in 61 years.
I understand going for Febo and Smullers, as you have noticed local beats the country wide available companies. Now as you have tried eierbal in Groningen, try other snacks. Like mexicano, kipcorn (like a chicken croquette but frikadel size), bamihap, vlammetjes, kaassoufle.
There is more than croquette and frikandel. Also try raspatat: mashed potatoe fried filling is so much better than average fries from Febo or McDonald's / Burger King. I like raspatat saté with bami hap. Feels like you eat Dutch Indonesië fried fusion
Smullers was a brand of NS (yes the Dutch Railways)! Arround 1970 they had trouble to find companies for in their stations so they created several brands by their own (for example Julia's, Kiosk, Stations huiskamer, ...). Recently they sold some of them, including Smullers, to other companies... but that is why they are at train stations!
BTW, NS was franchisee of all the Starbucks and Burger Kings, and still is the franchisee of all AH to go locations at train stations. All the staff of these locations at train stations were officially employees of NS!
Smullers has got a vegan Mayo and…. Vegetarian bami schijf 😋
Try the 'smulrol' next time if you visit a snackbar. It is one of my favorite snacks.
Bram Ladage is from those 3 also my favorite but i know some better local snackbars but they only have one shop. If i know that the fries are fresh than it is good. Here it is only 1 of 10 snackbars who sells there fries fresh as Bram Ladage. So i go specially to them when i want good fries.
oh wow - i've never heard of this but it sounds like something we'd really like! thank you for the tip :)
@buncharted Smulrol is god tier on the snacklist of fame! Also when the fries are a bit darker it's not automatically the frying time, different potato varieties also are a factor. Most snackbars these days set a timer when the dump the potatoes in the oil, that is terrible practice. You need to check with your eyes and ears when they are ready, not just by timer.
You should try 'Vitaaltje' or 'Speciaaltje´ at Febo. Those are really delicious
Febo is great for tourists, because of the concept of getting food out of a wall. I do think local stores will always be better, but that will be such a hard thing to test. Do you look only at the ones close to you? Or are you going to do all of Dortrecht? I would also say that you should eat the food after the same time interval. e.g. if it takes 20 minutes to get home and on the table for the longest one, you must do that for all of them.
I would never go to a store where I can not eat them directly local. After the time it takes to get home, the best taste is already gone. At least for me.
Every visit to the city centre of Rotterdam isn’t complete without a visit to Bram Ladage for a ‘friet & kroket’ moment. They never disappointed and are the best you can get on the street, like you noticed 😊
I think your results reflect how the three are perceived in the Netherlands. Bram Ladage would indeed win hands down. Having said that, as others have already mentioned, the local snackbars are often better than the big chains. That Febo is "the place to go" for tourists is actually quite sad.
So those brown fries...
You need freshly sliced fries. For some reason (m o n e y) many places use frozen fries. Fresh is what makes them creamy inside but to really get that effect:
Boil them in the fry for a minute or two. Then leave the basket hanging above the hot oil and then refry them again a few minutes later until they are brown. And don't forget a plentyfull and balanced amount of salt.
The oil is also something to try around with.
I'd recommend either animal fat or palm oil because of the good omega's and unsaturated fats.
There are 2 types of kroket: bakkery vs butchers. The bakery(above the rivers) use nice good quality meat cut in squares combined with a good rough and special crusty layer on the outside. The butchers are using "leftover meat" it was never there core bussiness but a way too use as much as possible. Van dobben, holtkamp, kwekkeboom and febo are bakerys. Mora, beckers and smullers/ladange are butchers. You cant compare the two
go to van dobbe in Amsterdam for a typical Amsterdam experience! they have the best kroket and you should also try broodje warm vlees with satesaus and broodje halfom, a real classic
I remember taking some American friends to a Friettent in my neighborhood. After we were done the snack called “Mexicano”was renamed to “Tire tracks” and the Frikandel was now named a “Freaking Dog” 🤣
"mexicano" looks like an unsauced mcrib from mcdonald's to me, haha
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McRib
@@buncharted Try the Mora Ribster. Some snackbars have it or just buy it from the frozen section in the supermarket and fry it yourself
@@buncharted yeah you could surely see that in it too 😁
You have already tasted Kapsalon?
WARNING! this dish is a calorie bomb!
Kapsalon is a hearty and popular Dutch fast food dish that originated in Rotterdam in 2003. It's a fusion of flavors and cultures, combining the familiar elements of French fries, meat, cheese, and salad with a unique twist.
The Birth of Kapsalon
The tale of Kapsalon begins with Nathaniël Gomes, a Cape Verdean hairdresser working in the Delfshaven district of Rotterdam. One day, while seeking a satisfying lunch, he requested a combination of his favorite foods from a nearby shawarma shop, El Aviva. The result was a layered masterpiece: crispy fries topped with döner or gyro meat, melted Gouda cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, and a drizzle of garlic sauce and sambal.
If you find yourself in leiden and are looking for a snack, Dapp has the best fries (patatje oorlog if you ask me), they're also cut there and they also come in the best container. The snacks are also really nice, the kaas kroket being my favourite.
Great review and I fully agree based on my limited experience. I usually go to non-chain snackbars, but my only experience with Bram Ladage was perfect. I have gone to Smullers multiple times because there was nothing else available and that's really a sort-of-hit and miss. Sometimes it's ok, sometimes the fries are soggy, and the frikandellen are a bit tasteless. My onetime fries at Febo were cold and very starchy. For a minute, I considered filing a false advertising claim for their slogan "the best".
For a follow-up I'm curious about your opinion of La Bamba and a selection of snackbars not affiliated with any national chain.
One of my favourite Dutch snack foods is the "kapsalon". If you haven't already, you should try it!
Other great ones are "patatje stoofvlees" or "broodje kaassouflé met pindasaus". I love how most snackbars have lots of options to choose from, but the pounds will start packing very fast if you indulge yourself too often...
we love kapsalon! we tried it in our first dutch food video and umm… let’s just say many times off camera since then 😂
Raspatat with stoofvlees.
FEBO. It might depend where you are? In Leeuwarden it is a place for bad food after a night of drinking. And a kroket? Always Kwekkeboom is probably the best after a home made one?
Do I live in the Netherlands at all? There is no Ladage, Smullers or Febo near me. We just have a cafetaria as part of the café in my tiny village. But I can get my friet oorlog without onion and bamiblok. And no automat for the snacks. I just call ahead, by the time I get there it is done.
There is also a chain called Kwalitaria that is more of a franchise formula. There is a nice Kwalitaria in the town I go for grocery shopping. Smullers is or used to be owned by the NS and is only on main stations.
Bram will be best indeed. Febo i like because it's just hit n run. Bike past, get a frikandel out of the wall and get on to get the waterbus. No uncertainty on waiting times.
Try van Dobben kroket and meatball in Amsterdam (Reguliersdwarstraat) en Dungelmann in Den Haag for pittige gehaktbal en kroket.
Funny FEBO kroketten are my fav! Everybody is different I guess 😄 Love from Oosterhout nb, but Born Schapenkop 🐑 Dordtsche 😊
No surprise. Out of the three, Bram Ladage is the only one to use premium quality and fresh ingredients. They are also the only ones to use a double frying process. First round to cook the fries, second round to get them nice crispy and golden. Using fresh potatoes is their trade mark, that's what they are known for. And their fries indeed are really still soft potato on the inside. The other two food chains are just mediocre at best with their factory made and deep frozen ingredients and single frying process. As others have mentioned you are usually better off in the local snackbar. Bram Ladage really is the exception to this, but they also started as a local snackbar and they have always focussed on quality. I can still remember the long waiting queues on the Binnenrotte market for their original stand. Yummie.
Btw. Did you know there are actually two different types of kroket? The most common one is the 'slagerskroket' (butcher's kroket). The ones you had were this type. The inside filling is a little dark because the boullion is made from cow meat left overs that is cooked off of the bones. The meat is therefore pulled and not chopped. The baker's kroket has a lighter filling due to the use of a fine piece of (usually) calf meat. Also the kroket itself is usually somewhat lighter colored, and the meat is chopped into tiny cubes and not pulled like the butcher's kroket. The baker's kroket is considered a bit more premium and is usually a little bit more expensive. There is a distinct difference in taste between the two types. You should check it out and let us know which one you prefer!
Smullers was owned by servex, the horeca department of the NS, thats why its only located at trainstations. They sold smullers too Lagardère in 2018
You should try a kalfsvleeskroket!!! Those are my favorite 😍
I tried Bram yesterday for the first time and it indeed exceeded my expectations
There's this nameless snackbar where I live that's tucked away in an obscure spot. But as you walk in you emediately see like five or six folks behind the counter working their ass off processing order after order. In spite of it's odd location and litterly having no name recognition the locals sure as hell manage to find this snackbar. Needless to say their fries and snacks action is on point.
Not sure where to go in Dordrecht, but if you are into kroket I recommend trying a bakery kroket (often veal or shrimp). They are a bit more pricey but soooo good!
I've never seen a Bram Ladage but will have to try their fries if I do. The others I'll skip, no thanks. I don't always have friet because it's so fat and hard to digest, but if I do I prefer local fish and friet shops. With that said, West Kapelle in Zeeland has some of the best friet I've ever tasted. Plus, once while visiting their local fish shop I got to see ring riders perform with their prettily decked out and braided horses (Zeeuwse paarden). Such a nice treat besides eating friet.
I always see video's where people eat a croquette without anything or mosterd. In my eyes you NEED "Maggi", you need a slice of bread (or a bolletje) and you need some mayo. But that's me xD
two of the three krokets were with mustard! 😅
The problem with many snackbar fries, especially around busy times, is they keep them in the oil for less time to increase throughput, which makes them undercooked.
Febo had it's first "automatiek" at a pastry bakery at the FErdinand BOLstraat and it started with kroketten
Top video.. actually I am also proud of you. Eating frikandel on a bread. You know when i did that around 1999.. At Theoś Snackbar in Haarlem.. I was declared crazy, barbarian etc.. glad to see you do it too. And above all. Fine you love the snacks and present your experiences.. Top!
When you have moved from The Netherlands to America and you go back to visit family, you really don't care where you get your patat met, frikandel special and kroket. You "attack" the first place where you can eat them. You start with 4 kroketjes with mustard, 2 frikandel special and 2 patat met and, if you're lucky, next door or close by: 6 Haringen met uitjes. That's just a start.
Hey, I just watched an NOS Jeugdjournaal video about frikandel that had video clips of this video included. Guess you guys have made the big time in Nederland!
I work for the Railways, so I get an employee discount at the Trainstation for food and drinks, even at Smullers. But even with that discount I won't get fries or snacks there. They do have a van Dobben Kroket there, which is the only good thing they have.
Bram Ladage has been a childhoof favourite of mine, and their fries have always been top tier.
what do you use your discount on? i’m curious!
@@buncharted I can get an employee discount at the Kiosk, Julias, Smullers and Backwerk, even a lesser discount at the AH to Go even.
I usually get coffee for 30cents at the Kiosk or Julia, as I work morning shift on the train. Occasionally get a snack at the Kiosk like a Saucijzenbroodje. Or a sandwich/broodje at Backwerk.
Maybe you should try a viandel in stead of a frikandel. It's a frikandel with a crispy outside.
Everyone knew that Bram Ladage would win 👍
Have you ever tried the saté kroket from Febo? That's so good!!!
You guys should try to make your own kroketten. At first it seems to be difficult but once you know what you are doing its actually not that hard
Respect for trying the traditional Dutch way to get blisters on the roof of your mouth!
😂😂😂
1:49 , try raspatat, its deepfried mashed potatoes
Smullers and Febo are so hard to find. But the locations you guys have been to, I recognise immediatly as I've been there to xD
I once was at Bram Ladage in Rotterdam. On the menu was "patat" but also "frietsaus". So i ordered a "friet" with "patatsaus". That girl looked at me for some seconds and didn't get it. So stupid to call "friet" "patat" as they do above the great sewers. But yeah, they think a lot of themselves in Holland... Greetings from North-Brabant.
It's quite something to be the spare Belgian guy around, right! 😉
I'm less insulted by being called a 'reserveBelg' than by being called a Hollandse.
Ze dacht "weer zo'n Belg"
OMG I've got no time at the moment to follow your challenge in AMS on my own😛 Febo was a very bad nutritionally speaking find on one of my trips I still dream about.
If you ever visit Delft, go to the little snack boutique owned by Luc, opposite of the Hema in Delft city center
So nice that you were in my city Dordrecht. I immediately feel like having a frikadel... ❤️
we live here :) 👋
Tip! Try the Bourgondiër kroket, they have a nice crispy outside and full of meat. Did you know that there are different rundvlees kroketten? Some contains 10 % meat 15,20 and even 25 % meat. So how lower the price, how lower the percentage of meat.
Love your vlogs by the way.
Bram Ladage never heard of
I used to eat fries and croquettes rather frequently but nowadays I don't care too much for it anymore. But once in a while when I am in the Netherlands I eat a small portion with "Pindasaus" 🙂 It's just so delicious!
we have a soft spot for fries and the broodje frikandel special.
pindasaus and satesaus are so underrated!
jaaa, vooral na het zwemmen he!@@buncharted
Your 'goedemorgen' was quite OKay!
A brammetje (fries) are the best! They cut them themselves and fried twice as is usual.
Totally agree....BL is way better than FEBO (no experience with Smullers). I believe that most tourists end up at FEBO to enjoy the "automatiek" experience and not so much because of their ratings on the food itself....
De volgende keer zou je bij de FEBO een saté croquet moeten proeven.
Daar staan zij bekend om
Wow,, how nice,, seriouse ,,just had my Fries and kroket from Bram Ladage for the first time 15 min ago.
Bram Ladage is well known for only their fries,, Smullers and Febo only for their snacks so to compare is like apples and oranges because the potatoes for Bram Fries are fresh and hand-cut.
Still happy and fun that you guys will give it a try.
Note,, do not go to Smullers to order a Hamburger,, they have the worst !!
The fries are ok for what you pay for it.
Same for Febo but the snacks are much better than Smullers.i think
I agree,,the Bram kroket was very nice but could have more meat in it.
Note,,the kroket with little meat chunks is a bakery or luxury kroket.
The kroket with ripped beef is a butcher kroket.
2:38 Michelle wordt op brute wijze geswaffeld 😮
I was surprised to see you guys in my hometown, how are you liking Dordrecht? :)
we love dordrecht! super accessible and a lot of really great restaurants - what more could you ask for? 😄
Frikandellen rulezzzz!!!!
I enjoyed your test video of the most commonly eaten Dutch snacks, but I am curious to know what you think of Rass fries, a bami disk or a nasi ball, and finally a goulash croquette. I am looking forward to that test, also Dutch snacks but with a completely different taste
There should be a special place in hell for RAS.
@@BmanNL1...Yeah, I agree....it tastes fake huh!?
I live in small village in Brabant and I had never eaten Febo stuff in my life, it's probably here but not near me. By accident I was being a tourist in my own country and visited Amsterdam, I heard so much about Febo that it was the thing to eat. I tried it and I was far from impressed. Kroket, frikandel, tasted really weird and mediocre. The frikandel tasted like it had some Italian herb in it, very unpleasant.. Kroket was pretty bland.
I did try Bram Ladage a couple times, cuz Rotterdam is much nearer to Brabant. Indeed, tasted great. My local snack bar also tastes pretty similar but yes I can agree, Bram Ladage is pretty good. It's as far as I can remember a bit more expensive than most local snackbars, and the amount you get is not that much but you pay for the quality over quantity I guess. Smullers I haven't tried or perhaps I've had it before but can't remember to be honest.
Smullers was good when they were new on the first two or three stations, they had a very destinctive taste back then (late 90s), but when they grew they sized down on quality. Comparing to a regular snackshop it is basic to the bone, as is FEBO. Easy to avoid. There is another chain, Kwalitaria, but they might be not that common in your area. Usually they are quite good, for a chain. Bram Ladage is not that common over here, but as fresh 'friet' goes, I prefer 'Manneken Pis' all day every day.
Agree with Bram Ladage as the winner. When I lived in Rotterdam that was my go to snack place. But I have a soft spot for Febo kroketten, their fries are very generic and bland....still much better than McDonalds and Burger King fries though
You should try the kroket at HEMA in Dordrecht. I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of it 😋
I've lived in NL for my entire life, never heard of Bram Ladage. Is it a region based chain?
You should try the viandel thats a frikandel in a crispy cover. And when you see the febo try there sate kroket. It very tasty. But you live in dordrecht so go to Brokking ant ask for a brokki g gebakje. That is a specialty from dordrecht. Its a hazelnut meregue broken with slagroom. It is realy is great. (Krispijnseweg 49)
we tried it in our dordrecht vlog! it is tasty but it’s a little sweet for our tastes 😋
they also make a very good saucijzenbroodje!
bram ladage in rotterdam and dordrecht might be one and the same store brand, but the quality in rotterdam is way better than in dordrecht
also:
1. bram ladage
2. smullers
3. febo
imo
I have never heard of Bram Ladage. Is it like a fastfood place? Would be a bit difficult for a snackbar to compete with them I think.
its a snack bar chain that’s in and around rotterdam
If you guys still wanna watch some dutch youtubers, I would recommend Etenmetnick he cooks food in Dutch!
In Dordrecht you have try the fries at De Smulhoek Transvaalstraat 105a in Dordt(as the say)👏🏽👏🏽👌🏽👌🏽
Smullers is only in train stations, big reason for that is who owns smullers. And that would be the NS
Wrong, Smullers is owned by Lagardere Travel Retail.
Febo is not the holy grail. You expected too much. It is not great taste but it is comfortfood aka easy to get and just lekker enough to enjoy. Good as a quick snack when you’re out all day. ❤❤❤
You're wrong sir, Febo is the holy grail.......of food related tourist traps. 😉 I agree with the conclusion of the video, Bram Ladage is the best by far!
1: Ladage 2: Ratelband 3:Febo 4: Smullers
Kroket is the same as bitterballen, only the form factor is different.
as far as I can tell none of these chain's have any location's in the south of the netherlands. the only one I know is Febo from seeing it in Amsterdam
Nicely presented video.
I always feel like the Febo fries are undercooked, they could be browner. Also, nothing beats De Bram.
Smullers is owned by NS...so is Julia's, Kiosk and "stations Huis kamer"
Goedemorgen klonk erg Nederlands, and beforehand ik verwacht dat Bram dit eenvoudig wint met als 2e Smullers.
euuuh friet needs to be golden brown ( or "burned" ). i know world wide Mac donalds has ruined it with their very pasty fries. But they need to be golden brown like that.
i think i have to agree with you
And crispy
Bram ladage fries are great.....................but fries stoofvlees are horrible..............but i lived near belgium..........so I am probally spoiled 😀😀😀😀
Bram Ladage ? Must be a local shop as I've never heard of them and I'm living in Utrecht. It would have been better to go to a snackbar which is affiliated with "Foodmaster" or even "Kwalitaria" as these kind of snackbars have central procurement and assortment.
But again, very entertaining content. Keep up the work!. Groeten!
i think there’s a bram in utrecht! but it is more around rotterdam and the surrounding area.
The fries from Smullers and McDonalds come from the same factory: Lamb Weston. So what you said isn’t that strange. At the contrary: you are a connaisseur!
heyyy! i knew something was familiar about them :)
Smallers? It is smullers, with a "u" and pronounced approximately as the "u" in to cut.