Release Date: February 2, 2008

CafÉ Amsterdam at National Gallery of Art Serves DC Area's Only Dutch Cuisine for Exhibition Pride Of Place: Dutch Cityscapes of the Golden Age; New Menu Starts January 30; Exhibition Opens February 1, 2009

Signature dish Gebakken vis (sautéed spinach and mushrooms rolled inside fresh sole fillet), created by Chef David Rogers of Restaurant Associates at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, for Café Amsterdam, at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, January 30 through May 3, 2009. Photo by Rob Shelley © 2008 Board of Trustees, National Gallery of Art, Washington.

Visitors to the National Gallery of Art's Café Amsterdam may enjoy hearty cuisine derived from traditional Dutch fare in signature dishes created by Chef David Rogers of Restaurant Associates at the National Gallery of Art. The perfect antidote for winter's chill, these warming, substantial dishes are presented in conjunction with the exhibition Pride of Place: Dutch Cityscapes of the Golden Age. The exhibition is on view in the Gallery's West Building February 1 through May 3, 2009.

The buffet and à la carte menu in Café Amsterdam is available through the run of the exhibition. The café, one of the most distinctive dining spots in the nation's capital, is situated around a fountain near the West Building entrance at 6th Street and Constitution Avenue NW.

Café Amsterdam

The only restaurant in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area specializing in Dutch cuisine, Café Amsterdam's à la carte menu features kalkoen met appels en saus (sliced turkey with apples, Calvados sauce, sage, and roasted root vegetables), gestoofde runderlappen (beer-braised beef and mashed cauliflower), and gebakken vis (sautéed spinach and mushrooms rolled inside fresh sole fillet, served with braised cabbage). These adaptations of traditional Dutch fare were created by Chef David Rogers, who also developed the buffet items.

Buffet menu selections include customary dishes such as endive and beet root salad; vijfscaft, a hearty bean and sausage stew; a selection of Dutch cheese, including Gouda, Edam, smoked Gouda, and goat cheese; rode kool (braised red cabbage); chicken prepared with a Dutch spice blend; roasted vegetables, including turnips, celery root, beets, and parsnips; fresh pears and Dutch breads; and a traditional Dutch Apple pie, served with whipped cream.

Beer, wine, juice, soda, and bottled water are available, as well as coffee, tea, cappuccino, and espresso. Suggested beverage pairings are provided for the entrées. The price of the full buffet is $19.25; à la carte items are priced accordingly. Recipe cards for selected dishes are available free of charge.

Café Amsterdam is open Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 4:00 p.m. A special dessert and beverage menu is served from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Sundays to accommodate visitors who attend the free Sunday evening concerts in the West Garden Court. To reserve for groups of eight or more, please contact the café manager at (202) 714-7454.

For more information about the Gallery and its restaurants, visit www.nga.gov/dining.

The Exhibition

Pride of Place: Dutch Cityscapes of the Golden Age showcases stunning images of towns and cities, from wide-angle panoramas depicting the urban skyline to renderings of daily life along canals, in streets, and in town squares. The exhibition tells the story of Dutch urban life in the 17th century by presenting 48 paintings with 23 maps, atlases, and illustrated books. The National Gallery of Art is the only U.S. venue for this exhibition, which premiered at the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague.

Exhibition Organization and Support

The exhibition was organized by the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis, The Hague.

This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of Greg and Candy Fazakerley and Eijk and Rose-Marie van Otterloo.

The exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities.

General Information

The National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden are at all times free to the public. They are located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, and are open Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Gallery is closed on December 25 and January 1. For information call (202) 737-4215 or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (202) 842-6176, or visit the Gallery's Web site at www.nga.gov. The Gallery is now on Facebook—become a fan at www.facebook.com/NationalGalleryofArt.

Visitors will be asked to present all carried items for inspection upon entering the East and West Buildings. Checkrooms are free of charge and located at each entrance. Luggage and other oversized bags must be presented at the 4th Street entrances to the East or West Building to permit x-ray screening and must be deposited in the checkrooms at those entrances. For the safety of visitors and the works of art, nothing may be carried into the Gallery on a visitor's back. Any bag or other items that cannot be carried reasonably and safely in some other manner must be left in the checkrooms. Items larger than 17 x 26 inches cannot be accepted by the Gallery or its checkrooms.

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phone: (202) 842-6353 e-mail: pressinfo@nga.gov

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