Thursday 28 December 2017

Radish

I was over in the Baarsjes on Saturday, for reasons I won't go into here. I used to live around that way and it's amazing to see how it's changed in the last five years.

The Jan Evertsenstraat used to be rough and ready. Packed with Turkish gree grocers, phone centres, kebab shops. All the usual stuff for a high street in an immigrant-rich area. But there's been a transformation.


First come the fancy coffee places. Then the trendy eateries. Before you know it, gentrificatoion is complete.

One the way to my appointment, I noticed a colourful Oedipus sign. That might be worth checking out I thought. Which is what I duly did later. Radijs, the place is called. Which means radish in English.


What is it? "Modern neighbourhood café" their website calls it. A posh lunchroom is how I'd describe it. With beer.

Obviously, I'm completely out of place. What with my clean-shaved cheeks and untrendy shirt. It's mostly younger types tuccking into posh sarnies. Despite there being half a dozen draughts, I don't see any takers for beer. Other than me, of course. I go for an old-school favourite: La Chouffe.


I'm slightly puzzled by the chairs. They look like the ones schools had in my youth. They always struck as being designed with comfort in mind. In particular, in providing as little of it as possible. Why are they popular in trendy places?

I just have the one.




Radijs Amsterdam
Jan Evertsenstraat 41HS,
1057 BM Amsterdam.
Tel: 020 751 3232
http://www.radijs-amsterdam.nl/

5 comments:

Professor Pie-Tin said...

You're a cruel man Ron.
Tempting us with hints of a mysterious assignation and leaving us none the wiser.
Unless it was to do with your piles of course in which case I'd completely understand.

Ron Pattinson said...

Professor Pie Tin,

I can assure you I kept my kecks on at all times.

Kristen England said...

Ronaldo your style is so old it's now cool again. You could get 50 bob for each of your 'game worn' button down short sleeves or your suede elbox patched granddad cardies!

Anonymous said...

Uncomfortable chairs in lunch spots means faster turnover means higher profits. Unless you are someone like my wife, who loves to linger no matter how hard and misshapen the chairs are.

Oblivious said...

I bet it started out as free up cycling. They someone stated to pay cash and know people will pay a good bit of money for the pleasure of been on trend and unconformable