Dutch stories about food (some in double Dutch)

Jazz weekend in our home town is over again for one year. We had 4 very pleasant days, lovely weather, lovely music - any style of Jazz imaginable was present - and good company.

On the Saturday we has some remarkable marketing encounters I must tell you about:

One of the first things my partner and I always do when we arrive back in our home town is to find the nearest 'snack-bar' for Dutch fries and fried snacks. (Dutch fries are different from French fries, just simple frites - frietjes in Dutch - and much better than what the English call their chips). It's just one of those things we miss since moving to the UK.
This time we had English guests with us, one with specific diet requirements: no yeast. Frites are not a problem, but various snacks are.

So, as typical English persons, they wanted a fried egg with chips. And fried eggs (omelet) were on the menu-card. Only, they came with three slices of bread (with or brown). Could we change that to just fries? Anyone seen Jack Nicholson ordering omelet on wheat-bread? That was what came to mind. No, omelet comes on bread, not with fries.
OK, can we have a burger without the bread bun than? And some fries added to the side?
Jack Nicholson all over again. In the end we ordered two regular hamburgers and a medium extra portion of fries and left one of the bread buns uneaten.

I know, a simple solution, but one the owner of the snack-bar could have offered himself, not?

That evening another favourite food was on the program, also one we miss dearly: Indonesian Rijst-tafel (rise-table). We were with 7 in total and hungry! Only 2 of us had never eaten this splendid and varied traditional 'colonial' dish.
Besides our guest with the no yeast diet requirements we had one vegetarian, two who don't like fish and three omnivores. As we sat down at a large table we asked if it was possible to order various set rijsttafel menus and then just swap dishes among each other. The waitress suggested the kitchen could combine various menu's themselves, add some extra vegetarian dishes (always on a rijsttafel menu anyway), reduce the number of fish-dishes and have the nasi (fried rice) and bami (fried noodles) without the normal ham (bacon).
In 1 minute everything was organised! The ordered drinks arrived 2 minutes later and 10 minutes later a whole parade of dishes were brought to our table: each and everyone with an explanation of what was in it.
The food was excellent, varied and plentiful. We loved it, everyone did for that matter, every 'diet-requirement' was catered for - without any fuss! Hats off (as always) to the kitchen and waiters of Indonesian Restaurant "Bali" at the main square in our home town Bergen op Zoom.

One day, two restaurants, two very different experiences.

Comments

[Kent Blumberg]

It takes such small effort to listen to a customer and customize the product. And it makes such a big difference to the customer experience. The second restaurant obviously gets it. You and Ton obviously "get it" with your business. Too bad more businesses remain clueless.

Side note: I was lucky enough to enjoy Rijst-tafel in Jakarta about ten years ago. Amazing!

[Karin H.]

Hi Kent

We can but try, not? The results (specially returning customers and increasing number of recommendations) do show we 'listen' well to our customers.

Rijst-tafel is great, one of my old-time favourites and always on the 'menu' when we're 'back' home.

Karin H.

[Simon]

I miss the rijst-tafel from my time in Amsterdam. Lekker! Great post, btw

Simon

[Karin H.]

Cheers Simon!

I might dig-out my old recipe book again and make one myself! (If I can find the right ingredients in good old England that is)

Karin H.

[Stuart Baker]

Karin, I was just at a seminar for a few days where there was a guest presenter one morning. He is basically a marketing advisor and coach. A wild, alive guy guy!

He told wonderful stories of seemingly everyday people who opened up their own uniqueness to the world in a big and often wacky way, with great results. He kept urging us to not only "think outside the box" but to ACT outside the box.

He also kept asking who makes the rules that so many people follow.

He was highlighted recently in a book with Stephen Covey. I can dig out the reference.

Your story reminds me of this. He was inspirational.

Thanks,

Stuart Baker
www.consciouscooperation.com

[Karin H.]

Hi Stuart

Please do (dig out the reference I mean).

ACT outside the box, that's is a great one and worth to follow. Thanks for bringing this here.

Karin H.