Riaz

Tarique Shakil

Google

Feb 18, 2024

5

This restaurant has been around since 1981 and was founded by Mr. Riaz, whose son Tariq and his family are still cooking and running the restaurant. Mr. Riaz mother now 75 years old and is still in the kitchen doing her magic and cooking up Surinamese food. Mr. Riaz his no more but his legacy and cultural contribution to Amsterdam lives on in this institution he has left behind. This restaurant not only had good food but good story. The family is so inviting and friendly. This restaurant will not only be memorable to me because of the warm people but also it was the first time I ever ate Surinamese food. The two dishes i ordered were the roti with chicken and lamb curry which gave me a feel of Indian side of Suriname and then bami with beef, which gave the Indonesian side of Suriname. Both dishes were in touch with their roots of origin but also different. I can see the influence of Indonesian in the bami beef because of the kecap Manis base in the sauce of the beef. The curry had a dominant tumeric flavor more leaning toward Bengali style curry. What was unique with the curry was the addition of Asian long beans, and it works! I liked it. The roti was what we in India call roomali roti or handkerchief roti. It is very thin roti and larger size that is folded. There is in house ginger juice that grandma makes in the kitchen. Make sure to order that with the meals. I will definitely back in any future visit to Amsterdam. Thank you for your story and food.