Entrepreneur Jan Wieger van der Linden opens the”De Oesterbar” in old state.

De “De Oesterbar” opens this evening.

Amsterdam – Fish restaurant “De Oesterbar” on the Leidseplein opens this evening after largely a year. The renovation of the town monument has cost hands full money and lasted longer than it was planned.

The renovation of the restaurant on the ground floor, well-known  of the flagstones and aquariums, is still in full pace. Employees expire in order to get the restaurant in excellent conditions for the official opening this evening. On the turquoise nature stones still lays cardboard for the protection of it. The aquarium in the hall has been, on the other hand, already filled with marine water for the lobsters which can soon be chosen by the customers themselves.

Jan Wieger van der Linden starts to become an expert in bar and restaurant activities.

Jan Wieger van der Linden, who bought previous year “Café Hoppe”, “Bodega Keyzer” and “De Oesterbar” of restaurant tycoon Sjoerd Kooistra, was dazzled by the activities which had to happen at the “De Oesterbar”. When the kitchen – which came from a submarine. - was taken away, the floor collapsed. The building pale subsides, the entrance stood crooked and the back of it hung.

Van der Linden: “ For the eye it seemed well, but architectural it was a wreck. It disappointed considerably. I expected the costs to be on two hundred, two and a half hundred thousand Euros, but eventually the costs became eight hundred thousand euro’s. We would like to open in June already but we have not been able to obtain that.”

Moreover, Jan Wieger van der Linden had different kind of opinions with the council of Amsterdam. “The construction of the building was during the foundation activities laid still for three months. But the whole year there were problems with the council. Our intention was to construct hardwood casings like in former days, but the construction drawings were not approved because the technical details were missing.”

Municipality doesn’t cooperate

That kind of problems last till the end. “We had permission for the ogre yellow marquises, of course renewed, to hang them on the front of the restaurant but yesterday the council disapproved this, according to Jan Wieger van der Linden.”

Jan Wieger van der Linden is done with it. “I hang those things, no matter what. If they don’t like it, the can start a lawsuit against me. We want to bring the building in old state. I invest eight hundred thousand euro’s in a town monument, but the gratitude of the municipality is far far away.
For the blue neon lights with the old logo of the “De Oesterbar” the authorization came on the edge of time.

Decoration fishes return

Also the decoration fishes – the coral devil, morays, and ball fishes- from the “De Oesterbar” return. They are back from a year at the aquarium service. “The old tropical buddies, who had been here for more than ten years, will swim here soon again. Even the fishes are frequent guests here, “although Ralph Woerde, who will run the “De Oesterbar” with his wife Francesca.

Jan Wieger van der Linden choose for the same flags and the same wainscots

Formers customers are also walking by and in. “The old customers are happy that the “De Oesterbar”  opens again. They see the old flags, the same wainscots and chairs and could hardly wait,” says Woerde.

For the oyster bar meanwhile 45 of the desired 65 friends/shareholders who are soon for 25 per cent owner, has been found. The new business concept was recently also for Hoppe and bodega Keyzer introduced by Jan Wieger van der Linden. From the restaurant the quests take a right look into the kitchen.

Two times per day fresh fish is invoked. There are evergreens like solo meuniere and smoked salmon on the card and there is a more extended oyster card with all kinds of oysters which can be baked, grilled, and poached baked.

Jan Wieger van der Linden goals are at a high level. “It has to become a top restaurant. I would like to have Guide Michelin as a guest.

Recently a cloakroom employee in former days, the 73 years old Tini, came in. “She is thrilled to return. And that will happen! We would like to have an old fashion employee back in the restaurant, who speaks with Amsterdam slang.