5Streets Leiden

New favorite restaurant - La Diva

We've been meaning to go here for a long time and finally made a reservation, for a Portuguese themed night of all nights (we're going to Portugal later this summer on vacation). A perfectly good excuse to familiarize ourselves with the Portuguese kitchen.

Restaurant La Diva on Noordeinde 19 in Leiden is a restaurant that (when it's not having a theme night) does 'cuisine du jour'. No menu, you eat what the chef has prepared. There is a three course (during the week) or a four course menu. Three courses with wine for no more than 40 euros and four courses with wine for about 50 euros is an absolute bargain these days. Even more so when you see the good quality of the food.

The chef, Gerrit Jan, comes to chat to his guest in between courses and is a delight to talk to. His parents run a vineyard in Portugal and last night he served some of their wine. Very delicious indeed. When we mentioned we'd be travelling to Portugal he gave us their card and insisted that we'd go visit their vineyard. I think we might just take him up on his offer!

All in all, if you're looking for good food, good wine, a not too big a restaurant, with a personal touch, good staff and you're looking for good quality versus decent prices... you definitely need to go and enjoy dinner at La Diva.

posted by Cooks @ 12:09 PM