TerraZen Centre

This is the place to go for some comfort food with a Jamaican and Asian mix. We had a Jamaican plate and a vegan plate, both big and delicious. It's a family-run business, in a small room with basic decor. With this in mind, we ended up finding it a bit overpriced (€16 for each plate) for the atmosphere. Also, get ready to be followed by an unpleasant deep-frying smell that will be hard to get rid of.

we came here after arriving in amsterdam, it is a small very friendly place, the food in simply amazing, we went everyday of our trip! the vegan burger was the favourite...the didn't need dinner after this meal, amazing value for money! true hidden gem of the vegan world :)

love this place in the very centre of amsterdam
the food there never disappoints and is a welcome diversion to all the burgers you get elsewhere

Nice place, awesome owner/chef. Definitely worth a visit..

I really enjoyed this meal, was a little pricey, but in my opinion it was worth it. Very kitsch interior as you just sit anywhere and it's small.

Ate here tonight, got the "Rasta Pasta", it was awsome! Cool setting and the owner is a really nice guy, makes you feel at home! Couldn't recommend more - 5 stars!

Very kind people out there, they will help you patiently and explain you everything what you wanna know over menu. Prices are not cheap but only because meals are really generous which makes you full and eating desert from casual action becoming a big challenge 😅🤗

The restaurant or centre or small place with vegan food is really bad, unfriendly and dirty. If you want to try bad vegan service - this is the place. The lady was extremely rude; i am just surprised how they still survived in this unfriendly environment.

I was excited to visit TerraZen but was quite disappointed at how expensive everything was: 16 euros for the Jamaican plate which was a normal round plate with rice, salad and cooked veg; 7.50 euros for a really small green salad; 11 euros for one long roll of sushi. The restaurant has limited seating available and was quite cramped as its a very small place thats not very easy to find.

Tiny quaint pricey vegan cafe just off the main thoroughfare. Seats 10...8 at a family style table and 2 at a "kiddie" table. Interesting and fun atmosphere with extremely friendly Jamaican owner/chef!Though were really looking forward to going, we left slightly disappointed. The gyoza and spring rolls were breaded and DEEP fried, tempura style. Not as were expecting. The Jamaica Plate was tasty and best of the three. The choco cake with coconut ice "cream" however was divine! Would only return for dessert as would like to try the hot apple pie and definitely the coconut ice cream again!

We found TerraZen on HappyCow and were couldn't have been more pleased with our experience. The entrance includes a grassy cobbled path and it feels like you're stepping into someone's home. The furnishing was mixed of various bits and pieces to make for a hippie / relaxed spot to eat, with a communal table in the middle, to make for a friendly environment to share with others.

The basic menu of 20 mixed items, including burgers, sushi, tacos, noodles, salads etc gives lots of choice for customers, with the average price of each dish at around 10 euros. We were surprised at the generous portions and the friendly, happy and welcoming attitude of the owners / employees.

Definitely worth multiple visits and we will certainly be back!

Place was bit hard to find because there isnt no name out side etc. Some local told us that this place name has changed couple times. I dont know is that true.

Food was good. I took "chicken" and fries, but dish was small. It could also be more pleasent with some dip, now it was dry and very salty. It was tasty but 12€ for snack plate is too much.

Staff was very funny and helpful. Also atmosphere was nice and I did like place look.

The atmosphere quiet and cosy matched the food. The seaweed salad was tasty and felt nourishing, while the the bio tacos were full of flavour. As a travelling foodie also in search of wifi, the password was long! No restaraunt vibe, just a great go to place for quick vegan food

Updated from previous review on 2016-10-25

Ok, I know I'm going to make myself unpopular here, but I hate Terrazen. I once went there and my plate was sticking to the table, the cutlery is not at all clean nor are the walls, doors, toilets or anything else. That in itself though wouldn't put me off somewhere entirely if the food was good, but it often isn't'. I've been here quite a lot of times, for a while it was one of the only vegan places in Amsterdam so you ended up there whether you liked it or not a lot of the time. The food is very strange, yes there are some nice things on the menu but there are a lot of things that are odd and do not taste good. I remember ordering a lentil soup once that was totally cold, pale and slightly fluorescent green and really a lot like eating fabric softner. It's true that the staff are really nice so I almost feel bad for putting this online, but I wouldn't go there and I don't want other people to think this is representative of vegan Amsterdam.

The vegan dish was amazing! Absolutely mind-blown at how good it was. It tasted like a lot of years of cooking skills and knowledge had gone into making it.

I went here a while ago with my mom, we had the sushi and the 'chicken' wrap. Both were good, although the chicken wrap was my favourite! The atmosphere is very casual and not meant for fine dining, but TerraZen is definitely a nice place to have a laid back lunch.

Updated from previous review on 2016-10-19

petite cantine sans prétentions,assiette vegan copieuse, du goût mais très poivrée. une grande table centrale à partager ou 4 petites places assises en coins.les produits sont certainement bio mais l'hygiène semble médiocre... le chat qui faisait des aller - retour dans la cuisine, les mites ...ne pas s'attendre à un service de standing.bref, nous aurons essayé, mais pas 2 fois !

We were expecting something really special but we got an expensive average/cold meal. I had the vegan and my boyfriend the jamaican plate. Both were the same dishes. If there would be more vegan places in A'dam this place wouldn't get so many good reviews, we think. Well, we tried it now caus we were intrigued.

I really enjoyed the food here tonight.

The staff were very friendly, speak great English
We had the Gyoza plate and the Jamaican plate

My partner & I always eat here when we’re in Amsterdam. The food is absolutely delicious – we had burgers one night, and ‘chicken’ & chips/gyoza plate/vegan cheesecake another night. I know other people have complaints about speed of service or opening times, but to be honest, we’ve never had any problems. Perhaps it depends on the time you go? It is certainly not the biggest or nicest looking restaurant you’re likely to find, but the food is immense and the owners are just so lovely - I highly recommend

Been there a few times for lunch and the jamaican flavours are just right and the atmosphere is small but cozy. My non vegan friends truly believed they were eating chicken until I told them it was vegan. Recommended

We first visited Terra Zen in January of this year and absolutely loved it! Lovely atmosphere, amazing food! Be sure to interact with others from all over the world around the table and don't forget to sign the guest book.

I paid a second visit to Amsterdam in July and made a bee-line for Terra Zen once again.

Try the "chicken" roti wrap. It's incredible.

Recommended to us by our Delta Flight Attendant and it was well worth it. Had the Vegan Plate and Wrap with Chicken and finished off with the Hot Apple Pie with Ice Cream .

Plate sizes are large, everything was well worth the price

This family restaurant (Japanese wife and Caribbean husband + four children) is in an area full of tourist traps. Judged by its decor, repetitive reggae playlist and informality (a very courteous child took my order the first time) I was skeptical of this place the first time I tried it. I usually don't trust places where menus have pictures of the food they sell. But that particular night I was extremely hungry so I didn't mind the pictures and I decided to order a tofu dish.

I was so glad I gave this place a chance. The food was outstanding, and by far the best vegan food I had in Amsterdam. I had four meals in total (two dinners and two lunches) and all of them were superb.

The food options are an eclectic mix of Japanese, Asian and Caribbean dishes (inspired by the owners' respective origins) + fake meat options, perhaps to cater the tourists. I tried those recommended by the owner and all were delicious. I loved the curry, the lentil soup, the crispy tempeh sushi, the fermented soybean bowl, the gyoza with rice and the tofu dishes with vegetables and rice. The green smoothy, and the coconut and survival cakes for dessert were delicious as well. I usually dislike fake meats, but the bite I tried of the fake chicken was perhaps the best I've ever had.

The bottom line of this place is that the food is very simple, however, it is so perfectly cooked and fresh that it simply tastes amazing. Just a couple of warnings, you will likely wait a long time to be served, especially if it is packed (usually over the weekends), since each dish is prepared from scratch. Food will not be cheap in spite of the rustic silverware and decor of the place. However, when you try it you will appreciate its freshness and seasoning that you won't mind the prices.

As the owner told me, "Amsterdam is an experimental city", and I agree. I'm sure that you will enhance your experimental experience in this city with the superb food that is served here.

Lovely food, the owner is really nice, and you seat in a large table, where you can interact with the other dinners. Unfortunately the second time I tried to go there it was close, although it was supposed to be open.

The food was amazing and tasty and so many options. The restaurant itself was really comsy and chill. The only minus is that it's opening times vary. We have been trying to get there two nights after we were there (because it was so good) and they have not been open.

me and my familly really liked this reasaurant with its friendly owners and delicious, beautifully prepared food. it's a really cute little place, and the prices are good too. hope to come back when I'm in Amsterdam the next time gagain :)

I see there are some bad reviews of this place but I cannot fault it. The reason there is one big table is he government insisting on this for some strange bureaucratic reason. However the food is excellent and the owners friendly. It is laid back like any Dutch cafe but do not that let you be put off as the food is excellent and the hosts lovely.

It is the only all vegan restaurant this central and deserves support. And the restaurant cat is lovely too.

The vegan plate is my favourite and I am totally stuffed now with a lovely meal

The cakes are overpriced. Small pieces, you still expect at least a good taste but unfortunately it was not. It seems thatthey do not taste the pieces before They sell it. Pity about those calories.

We had a delicious lunch, ordered the vegan plate, crispy chicken roti and edamame. For dessert was chocolate cake and coconut ice cream. Yummy! Can't wait to come to Holland again

Incredibly creative food and a real unique vegan experience. Sad we only got to go there once. The vegan and Jamaican plates are amazing and fill you up.

Great spot hidden in a very touristic area. Good vibe, yummy, colorful, unique, homey and fulfilling food.
Messy service but the tastiness of the meals makes up for it

I absolutely loved the food, it's mostly vegan junk food with some fantastic japanese fusion. The cook is a lovely bloke and we had a brilliant meal. I had the japanese bowl with wonderful homemade natto. God I love that stuff.

There is just one big table to share and the decor is shabby and that didn't bother me at all. And yes there is soil on the floor in a little garden at the entrance and that is a japanese thing (as far as I know from my limited experience of visiting Japan only once) and is completely cool. To all the people freaking about it in previous reviews: soil can't come and jump up onto your plate, chill out please!

Except for the waitress, everybody was nice, smiling and welcoming. The food is great. Care, it's often spicy. The plates are a lil expensive IMHO. Do not expect a regular restaurant as it is not. There is a cat, you might end eating on a couch, there is some and dirt at the entry. Either you love it or not, I did. Now, you're warned.

Thank you Happy Cow for letting us vegans and veggies of course know that this place exists .
Fully 100% vegan with the Caribbean and Japanese combination making Terrazen have the best vegan food in Amsterdam.
The vegan crispy chicken is so good that you will be back for more and more and more .
I love this place it has really good vegan vibes and every one can meet more vegans on the big communal table
Thank you Terrazen . see you soon :)

Cozy atmosphere with some nice reggae tunes playing. My favorite on the menu is the burger, which is so satisfying. The seasoning is amazing, I haven't been able to even come close in making something similar at home. It is worth visiting Amsterdam just for this restaurant! It is that good.

I really wanted to love this place, but it was awful. My mother and I visited hoping for an amazing vegan meal, but left before we could get any food.

It looked nothing like the pictures on Happy cow. I walked in over a pile of dirt surrounded by logs. There was one dining table in the middle of the room, and a bench to the side. There were three young people sitting waiting on the bench as the table was full. I went to the counter and asked if it was ok to sit and wait for a space at the table to be free, and was told that was fine. We sat down and looking around, the place was filthy, the table and furniture looked very grubby. There was also a cat sitting on a dirty chair by the counter. But the food smelt good so I thought i'd stay. However after about ten mins two diners left. I expected the three people waiting before us to be seated, but two new people came in and sat down on the spare seats at the table. The waiter then took their order and cleared the old plates away, completely ignoring the 5 other people waiting. I decided it wasn't worth waiting to see if we could ever eat, so we left.

The food people were eating looked ok, but nothing special. The menu said it was 16 euros for a Jamaican Plate, or a Vegan Plate. This seemed a lot for a plate of average looking food.

I was disappointed as I had read so many reviews of how amazing it was. But I wouldn't go back.

...als erwartet. Ich hatte dank der vielen positiven Berichte wirklich etwas anderes erwartet. Leider war ich schon beim Betreten des kleinen Bistros enttäuscht. Der erste Eindruck mit selbst bemaltem Schaufenster, Blumen und dem "steinigen" Eingang ließ mich mehr erwarten, doch noch im Eingangsbereich wurde ich enttäuscht. Ich habe nichts gegen kleine, alternative Lokale, aber sauber müssen sie sein und eine gewisse Ordnung wünscht man sich in einem Umfeld in dem mit Lebensmitteln hantiert wird. Der große Tisch war schmutzig - nicht von vorherigen Gästen, denn das Lokal hatte soeben erst geöffnet - die Platzsets ebenfalls und die Theke war auch eher naja. Wir haben uns trotzdem zum Essen niedergelassen und ein gutes Mahl genossen, welches allerdings auch besser hätte sein können. Es war nichts besonderes, nicht schlecht, aber für den Preis kann man schon etwas anderes erwarten. Der junge Mann hinter der Theke war sehr freundlich, das Ambiente an sich war auch sehr nett. Ich würde ins TerraZen nicht noch einmal gehen, es gibt genug andere vegane Alternativen, die einiges mehr zu bieten haben.

Cool dishes well made. definitely worth checking it out!

I really enjoyed my visit there :) The place is very friendly, sells lovely snacks and deserts and also some vegan cheeses, milk, etc... Would definitely go back there when in Amsterdam again :)

Homely and unique flavours. If you like fake meat alternatives and Jamaican good with a twist this is great. had the roti wrap which was really good! I asked for the hot sauce on side which added an additional kick!
Don't go there too hungry though as you might have to wait (they have a really small place with seating for 11-12 ppl).
My wife had the noodles which were really good also.

Best vegan food in town. Benn there 2 nights in a row. The tacos when u I order- ask for it be spicy. Cheese sticks was spot on. The owner is such a cool guy/chef.

The atmosphere is great, the cake was nice, but the burger was not from this world! highly recommend!!

Looks like a living room, which might take some getting used to.
But once you do, you'll see the charm in it and the unique experience of eating at 1 big table with other like-minded people.
Definitely creates a very open and positive environment! And the food is to DIE for, except no creature had to die :) ! The cook really shares love through his food, which in itself is an art and so needed in this day and age!

Well, this restaurant is an experience.
It is like a living room with one table and the cook is like the sweetest person ever.
What I like in a restaurant besides good food, is hygiene and good service. The food is perfect, but the hygiene is far from good. Your mindset has to be free to dine at this place. Not my kind of thing, but I can understand that some people like it.

This place was so cute and nothing like anywhere I had been before. The food was delicious and we will definitely be back!

This is the best place to have a vegan dinner in Amsterdam.

I see a lot of different reviews for this place on Happy Cow. That's no surprise because you'll probably hate it or love it. For me I must say that I loved it.

The food is mostly fried, so yes, it is greasy. But nobody ever said that vegan food is always healthy. And maybe the place looks a bit cheap. Old chairs, an old counter, an old speaker and some old reggae music. But that's the vibe you need to feel.

On the 9th of February I visited TerraZen Centre for a quick meal. I started with the spring rolls. They did taste good but they were not very crispy. The outside of the rolls were not what I was expecting. The sauce and taste were both good though, so no big deal. After that my noodles as my main dish. Great spicy noodles with lots of veggies. A good plate, a little too spicy for me, but I'm so white. I can't handle a lot of spices!

After my spiced noodles I had a chocolate cake. A little dry, but the taste was good. I also bought myself a vegan white chocolate bar. Great, never knew there would be a vegan white choco.

The guy who runs the restaurant is a good man. Very friendly attitude. Would definitely go back. And yes, you also eat with strangers at one table, but hey, we are all grown ups, right?

*VEGANISM IS THE FUTURE*

I had the same experience as many people here. The people working at the restaurant seemed completely disorganized. I waited about 30 minutes before I could order, I waited a long time before my meal arrived. I ordered a smoothie, a salad, then a dish, it came in the reverse order. The place looks messy (just take a look at the front desk) and the kitchen, for what I have seen from a limited angle, seems quite dirty.I didn't like the food very much: too thick, too fat. But this just says about my personal taste.

I had lunch here yesterday and ate a delicious Natto (Japanese meal with fermented soybeans and rice). Very informal and very friendly atmosphere.

I went here with my boyfriend on his recommendation - he had been here multiple times in the past when visiting Amsterdam and said it was wonderful. Unfortunately, in the last year or so since his last visit, something appears to have gone terribly wrong.
We arrived to find that all the tables had been removed, and had been replaced with one large community table. I didn't love the idea but I thought I could suck it up, however, five people had managed to spread themselves around the entire table, made for about ten, leaving my boyfriend and I crammed in between them and their loud conversations. The next problem we faced was trying to order. The staff member working here seemed like she couldn't be bothered with us, and didn't have much of an interest in being there at all. From reading other reviews, it sounds like we weren't the only ones to cop her bad attitude. We ordered the chicken wrap and the burger to share between us. Now, the food itself was actually quite delicious. However, when our burger was brought out to us, they also brought out the burger for a lady sitting opposite us, and the difference between them made me want to weep. Our burger consisted of four little chicken balls and some veg. Her burger looked like the chef had tried to recreate Everest on her plate out of seitan. It appeared to be three times the size of our meal. I know at this point I should have spoken up and said something to the staff, but I honestly felt too uncomfortable to complain in front of a group of strangers to a lady who wouldn't care about what I had to say anyway. This overall experience was such a disappointment, especially after my boyfriend had raved about it and told me we had to visit. It's such a shame that this place appears to have gone downhill, as it is one of the only fully vegan places in Amsterdam. Really hope these guys get it together because the food that we did have was really nice.

Although the place is small it was a good find as vegan options seem to be limited unless you want to eat lots of falafel. We found the food to be very tasty and the portions were a good size. Maybe a bit expensive but I don't know for the centre of a tourist city. Having to share table might not be for everyone but was not a problem for us and we got chatting with the people next to us. If I am in Amsterdam again I would come back.

We went there tempted by HC reviews, very hungry after all day in museum. First lets talk about the food. We ordered Jamaican Plate, burger, miso soup and two teas. The asian girl at the counter told us its a chicken Jamaican jerk style, rice and salad. When the food came I tried to stay positive but it failed with each bite. The food was not tasty, not spicy, bland, overcooked and canteen-like. The "chicken" was rubbery (if one don't know how to use seitan ends up like this). The "salad" it was literally t w o lettuce leaves and two halfslices of tomatoes. With each bite I got more angry. My partner burger was also a disaster. The bun wasn't a burger bun but what's more important it was simply not fresh, flat, rubbery and soggy! He didn't like the taste either. They forgot about the miso soup (thanks god). I got the tea with broken leaking cup. All this was pricy and far from its real value! We paid 30€ - Jamaican plate was 15€ so much expensive than I paid day before in a quite fancy restaurant. Im really pissed. And lets be clear - I don't mind spending on good food but im so angry being made fool and paying so much for no quality at all. Now - the place. Im really and honestly sympathizing with vegan-anarchy-squat spaces. And eat there. But this one has really decaying vibe and is simply dirty. Lots of random things, furnitures and objects piled up same randomly without putting any care how it look like. Real soil on the entrance inside (wtf?!), dying pot plants just near with fallen dry leaves around. Dirty surfaces. Terrible, heavy food smell inside - now our clothes and hair smell like canteen! All customers must seat in one table. If it would be in a squat in Berlin and food would be maximum 5€ - it could be funny. But not for Amsterdam city center and with normal restaurant prices! We are so pissed. I regret that we were to tired and didn't think to leave immediately when this so called "food" appeared. I don't know how this place gets good reviews.

Beware when you enter the restaurant - the floor at the entrance is a rocky surface, don't trip! Small and cosy with communal tables. The menu is limited. No tap water available, bottles only (a practice I hope they'll do away with). I had the Jamaican plate, spicy and yummy, 15 EUR, pricey in my opinion but standard for Amsterdam vegan restos. Friendly and patient staff.

I give it four stars because it's vegan, but it's a bit on the high side. Like the other references also state: this cafeteria could be much better. The food in this small place was interesting and quite tasty, most of it was deep fried though. I know that not all vegans eat a planted-based diet because of health reasons, but this was too much. Moreover, the music was loud, the phone of the waitress was ringing all the time and her kid was running around; nothing zen about that. Finally, I guess they want to avoid taxes, because we didn't get a receipt, the waitress just used a calculator to tell us what we had to pay.

Not a very good memory of this place. We will never go here again.
We ordered two different dishes from the menu - the meal looked the same.
The meals didn't have a lot of taste.
If you like shabby living room informal, with a touch of spirituality (wellness etc), this might be something for you. Had to sit eating on a bench, without place to put our plates. Later we had to share a table. Again, if you like that sort of thing, go ahead. No privacy. I think we even made a reservation...!
The man seemed nice though, and I hope the restaurant will improve.

best vegan restauarant in amsterdam! I dont care what the stupid reviews below say, I think alot of the vegans commenting are very judgemental and quite hypocritcal in their standpoint on things! This restauarant is humble, honest and real. Its run by an amazing rastafarian jamaican chef who lived over 20 years in japan, so he makes an amazingly unique combination of rasta and japanese vegan food that tastes like nothing else! amazing food cooked by an amazing soul! This is one of my top 5 vegan places in the world! best food and best energy! JAH!

When working here in Amsterdam I try to eat here every day. Great family atmosphere - a home from home. Simply the best vegan food I have ever eaten.

The food is tasty, but you have to like that place and the prices to enjoy it.
It is dirty, crammed and highly priced for the tiny little portions (with a lot of rice, which is actually a very cheap ingredient).
There is only one small table (for couples) and one large table for about 8-10 people, if you sit close. There were nice people, you have to like that a few single guys - as nice as they are - are hanging out there and try chewing of your ear or getting you into a conversation (if you like it or not). If you like the other parties at the table is another big influence on how good of time you have in there.
So think about it.
But you'll see what I mean, when you go there.

Its nice to eat in a real vegan restaurant. one can enjoy the nice food without worries. our whole family enjoyed our meal. nice peiple nice vibes. very laid back atmosphere.

at terra zen there are not so many places to sit but is easy to share a table with other person. the kitchen and the dining room are not separeted so its easy to smell like a fried potato. despite that, noodles are delicious and the rest is nothing special. we took sushi, crispy chicken and spring rolls but their taste was covered by a creamy souce that hidden their natural flavour. the cheese cake was good but it leaves a bubbly feeling in your mouth.

Probably the best noodles and spring rolls I've ever had in my life. The berry cheesecake was pretty insane too.

This is not a typical restaurant.
I was very surprised when I saw the space and made me think twice about eating there... but the food is amazing. Their burger is awsome, really, you have to try it really.
The crew is very nice and helpful also :)

i honestly do not know how this restaurant got so many positive feedbacks...it is dirty everywhere, the food is too expensive for what it is and there is only one small table and a big one to be shared with the other customers. i am sorry to say this but this place should be closed for not meeting the hygienic standards...

Good 100% vegan food.

Small restaurant where you will have to share table with other people. There was just one person to attend the tables and cook so we had to wait a bit but it worth it. We ordered the vegan plate and the vegan chicken wrap and they were delicious!

Amazing food, relaxing athmosphere and friendly people. Definitely will visit again!

We made our decision to go to this restaurant because the reviews seemed generally decent on most sites (HappyCow, TripAdvisor). The location is easily accessible. The inside of the restaurant is very casual and not very inviting. There are two tables, one larger table for communal seating and another with four seats.

We sat down as no one acknowledged us when we were waiting to be seated. There were two unfriendly teenage girls working. I went up to the cash to ask about the menu on the blackboard. One of the main menu items was the vegan special (15 euro) and the other was a Jamaican plate. I couldn't really get a sense of what the difference was from the server except that one was crispier. We also ordered a side order of spring rolls. During this time, no water was brought to the table nor any cutlery. When the food was brought to the table, the plates were literally flung at us. We already felt unwelcome. I had to ask for some cutlery. One napkin for two people with wet cutlery inside was brought over.

I can't express how awful the food was. Overly salty and greasy. It's really difficult to make spring rolls taste bad, but this restaurant succeeded. The spring rolls lacked many veggies inside. They were more like a dough.

If you read through the reviews on many sites, you'll find many are full of praise for this spot, but then many other reviews that reflect our experience with nasty staff (I don't how or why the owner allows these teenagers to work there). They obviously don't want to be there. They were far more interested in being on their mobile and hanging outside the restaurant than making people feel welcome and actually offering a smile).

I've been vegan for over 10 years. I've been to great restaurants, bad restaurants, and most that are in between. This is truly one of the worst. The restaurant was also quite expensive. It was 40 euro for the two "vegan specials", two bottles of water, and one order of spring rolls. This restaurant doesn't even deserve one happy cow, but two is the lowest that the system will allow me to award. Perhaps if the food was good it could make up for the terrible service. In this case both were horrible.

I love this cute little oasis in the middle of the city, on a very small street. It was super eclectic and had a nice hippy vibe, very relaxing, very causal. I had a big plate of food for 15EURO which wasn't so bad in my opinion! My friend had an onion soup for 3EURO! All in all, tasty food, fairly quick service, almost all the food is organic - I would def go back! Could be spicier, though ;) but thats just me

The food was really really good!! And we didn't pay much at all.

I would not go there with a big group or when going for something ''chic''.

We were attented by a young boy and girl. The boy was cute, but not so social and the girl didn't seem the care at all. We got the feeling they were the kids of the owner ''forced'' to help with the family business.

Either way, I would definitely return.

Owh, and they didn't have sugar for in the coffee... don't know if that's something standard or they just ran out of sugar XD

A lovely small cafe tucked down an alley way.
Friendly staff and a great list of Japanese and Caribbean dishes to choose from.

The chef is outstanding, he's so down to earth and friendly and cooks amazing food.

tried their burger and curry- both very delicious, cooked so well!, very unique flavours, not mild and not strong- just perfect.

only wish the staff who were serving would be friendlier, the looked sad (esp the girl)

don't be fooled by the look of the place, the food is amazing and unique. Choice is wide enough but I always go for the vegan plate: it is always different and delicious. Highly recommended.

food was great, but waiting time and service were a bit off, especially considering the upper average prices.

The food taste very nice and the staff is very nice as well! I would definitely recommend you visit this place if you're in Amsterdam!

Ambiente
Das TerraZen befindet sich sehr zentral in Amsterdam und ist sehr gut zu erreichen und leicht zu finden in einer charmanten Seitengasse. Der Eingang in das Etablissement ist äußerst ungewöhnlich — lose, in Erde eingelassene Steinplatten zieren das Entree. Ansonsten ist das Interieur bunt gemischt. Die Ausstattung beinhaltet in die Jahre gekommenes retro-modisches Mobiliar, das nicht jedermanns Fall sein dürfte. Auch die Gerüche erinnern nicht unbedingt an ein Restaurant, sondern an die eines Headshops. Pflanzen runden das Arrangement ab.

Bedienung
Hinter der Theke begrüßte uns sehr freundlich und herzlich der Chef. Nach kurzem Smalltalk erläuterte er uns die heutige Menükarte und sprach Empfehlungen aus, welche nicht einleuchtend verständlich waren.

Essen
Wir entschieden uns für Spring Rolls, Sushi mit Avokado und die Vegan Plate. Auf Nachfrage des Chefs, ob die Speisen "spicy" gewünscht seien, drückten wir unmissverständlich aus, dass es auf keinen Fall ("not spicy, please!") erwünscht ist.
Nach kurzer Zeit (ca. 10 Minuten) wurden die Spring Rolls serviert. Die Rolls waren paniert, interessant gefüllt und schmeckten bis auf die Tatsache, dass die dazugehörige Sauce spicy war, sehr empfehlenswert. Wenige Minuten später wurden Sushi und die Plate serviert. Bei den sieben Sushis wurde zwar der Wunsch nach Avokadofüllung missachtet, jedoch schmeckten auch diese anders-interessant. Man sollte allerdings beachten, dass sie mit herkömmlichen Sushi nichts gemein haben (allein die Tatsache, dass sie nicht mit normalem Reis, sondern mit braunem Reis hergestellt wurden). Auch hier wurde an Schärfe nicht gespart. Die Vegan Plate sollte aber noch einmal in Sachen Schärfe einen drauf setzen... die auf der Platte befindlichen Sachen waren ausnahmslos frittiert und aufgrund der Schärfe beinahe ungenießbar.

Preis
Die drei Speisen kosteten insgesamt 36 Euro (ohne Getränke) und waren in unseren Augen nicht gerechtfertigt.

Fazit
- für hygienisch-penible Leute nicht zu empfehlen
- Portionen zu klein
- Essen entweder zu fettig oder zu scharf

Indeed, you easily walk past the TerraZen Centre, but once you stepped into this tiny restaurant through a tiny garden (!), you will find some delicious food! Everything looks a bit crappy, but it's very cozy. The chef is nearly always singing to reggae music, and everybody is very friendly. The first day I had the "Vegan Plate" with lots of fake meat (usually not my cup of tea), but it was tasty and crispy. The bread that comes with it was far beyond anything I've ever tasted--so yummy! The next day I was not that hungry, and took the Samosas, very delicious, too, but nothing else comes with it, it's a side dish. My wife ate the TZ Burger, which was not a burger in the commom sense, but very good! The TZ Jamaican Plate was an explosion of taste.
To make it short, visit this place, even if the looks may deter you.

TerraZen was so nondescript we completely walked past while we were trying to find it! When we walked in we were second guessing we were at the right place as it looked completely different to what we saw on social media but once the food came out we knew we were in vegan heaven! The food was so good and quite a good price for the size and quality. There was very limited seating and the staff didn't really explain well what the dishes included but is definitely worth going to as it is located in the city centre close to Dam Square which many other vegan friendly cafes aren't.

We had to go there twice to try the rest of the menu. First day vegan plate, spring rolls, sushi and chocolate cake. Second day, Jamaican plate, noodles, spring rolls(again), chicken rott wrap. We wanted to try samosa and burger but was so full.

Very nice relaxing atmosphere, cosy small place. A little hard to find the first time. But the next day, easy. Nice couple running the place. Good service and no stress.

You HAVE to go there!!!

Our group of 4 arrived at TerraZen, hoping for good food as reported on Happy Cow. However, we could not bear to stay to order after the service (or lack thereof) at this restaurant. We sat down at a table, and two young ladies came up to our table and asked us what we wanted to order. The menu was written on the blackboard in front of the cashier. We started off by asking them what was in the 'Vegan Plate', as it was not indicated on the blackboard. One of the young ladies explained it in a tone like talking to my teenage spoilt cousin. My friend then asked about the 'Jamaican Plate', and it was like talking to a spoilt teenage princess and repeated the contents of the 'Vegan Plate'. I explained that we wanted to know the contents of the 'JAMAICAN PLATE', and the two waitresses giggled along with the man behind the counter. There was no language barriers, as we all spoke English. The food may be good, but we didn't think the attitude would come with it.

So wish we had found this place last year and earlier this year.The most amazing tasty food do not be put off by it's warm and friendly shabby chic look,it's moor like a friendly beach shack in the centre of town,the whole atmostphere is so restful,great music,have a game of dominoes while you wait,enjoy fantastic shakes,everything prepared fresh, I had the Roti 2 days in a row and my husband the Jerk Chicken...place totally vegan,so obviously not the real chicken.Service on day 1 by a beautiful kind Japanese lady,the next day different waitress, quite impatient,not tolerant of people who can only speak English, was more like a surly teenager who did not really want to be there so it did change the vibe a tad but food was still great and the other lady was around so a lot was forgiven as we all have bad days.

Everything here was completely delicious!!!

Really friendly and chatty couple (if you want to have a natter). EXCELLENT food, sugar free desserts. Very unassuming little place that was a gem to find! Can't recommend enough.

Seriously the food is incredible!!! And the staff is super kind and friendly. BEST restaurant ever!!!!
We had the spring rolls, the sushi rolls, the curry and the ginger tea. And all the people reading this you have to try the food there. It is simply AMAZING...

I had a bowl of something called "natto", which is a Japanese dish of fermented soybeans. Something I'd never heard of but loved a lot!

It's a bit pricey though (~€12-15 per dish) so wouldn't eat there every day.

Also, they can sometimes be closed when it's supposed to be opening hours, so you might want to ring in advance.

Great atmosphere with wall paintings, reggae music and vegan "propaganda" :)

I ate here the last two nights. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is great. The owners are a man from the Caribbean and a women from Japan. We had two combination plates, which were great. We also had spring rolls which were breaded and with a very good sauce. It is a bit expensive, but I think it is worth it. After dinner, the chef even gave us a free drink to enjoy for our walk home. Overall this is a great find, it is a little tricky to find as it is tucked away in an alley but it is worth the extra trouble of finding it.

The food at TerraZen was nice, but probably not worth the struggle it takes to get it. There are no prices anywhere, so the bill was a bit of a surprise - as other reviewers have noted, the setting is neither big nor particularly attractive, so I'd expected the prices to reflect that. We had the combination plate, which had some really well-prepared vegetables, rice and deep fried mock chicken. Everything tasted good. We were told there was only one dessert option (others were given two options), and were served the scrawniest piece of cheesecake imaginable. The centre was nice, but the outer part had no base and was almost frozen. The main problem was the surly attitude of the waitress. We arrived at 7:15 and it was full, so we asked to reserve a table for 8, which she cheerfully agreed to. When we returned at 7:55 and it was full, all she said was "It's not 8 yet", so we hung around for 20 minutes, despite the fact that only 2 people there were actually still eating, everyone else had finished. She made no effort to offer anyone the bill, or offer us a drink while we waited. When we finally placed our order, she told us that we could have ordered while we were waiting. She could have told us that! It seemed like everyone had to make an effort to be served - she wasn't asking if people wanted another drink/dessert/the bill. It was very peculiar service.

The food was absolutely amazing, it was honestly the tastiest food I have ever eaten, we ate there everyday for the 3 days we were in Amsterdam. I had the combination plate, the crispy chicken roti wrap and the crispy chicken burger with roti. I can't recommend this place enough. Fantastic Caribbean/ Japanese food in a friendly chilled out atmosphere, what more could you want?

Very central but still a bit hard to find. I was there a few days ago. Yes, it is small and sticky and seemed not very hygienic either. For my mixed plate, which was a rather basic, not exiting dish I payed 15 Euro. Even for Amsterdam is was insanely expensive. Besides, there are no prices declared anywhere, regarding both food and beverages, so this came as a surprise to me. I don't want to impute they are ripping off unaware costumers, yet it's tinged with lack of understanding. Apart from that TerraZen have by no means 'moderate' prices. I have to admit though that there was nothing wrong with the taste or quality of the food, that was untainted. Since I had to wait for quite a while (few other guests had to wait even (much) longer although they had ordered earlier than me), back in the hotel my cloths had a penetrating oil smell. The staff seemed a bit overchallenged, some small child scrambled about in the food counter aso. But there were good things too: Reggae music, nice other guests and after all everything is vegan. Still, there is quite some room for improvement.

When you step in it's dirt everywhere cause of the plants inside. The place looks nothing like the pictures. No prices anywhere to be seen and the staff is mostly 10 yo kids that speak bad english. They sell the most expensive brands of water in smallest bottles. Foods for two people cost us almost 45€. The waiters drops forks and knives on the dirty table and the chef handles cash and coins the same time as he's cooking.

So, after reading a bunch of reviews and visiting the place myself just this weekend, let me tell you how to enjoy TerraZen.

First, make sure you are not too hungry, prepare for it by making sure you are going there for the hunger to come. If it is closed and you give them a call, just hang out in the neighborhood until the time they tell you to. Should be about right. Plenty of things to see in the area, so no reason to stay.

Second, the menu is more like a guideline. Don't busy yourself too much with it, just go with the flow. The chef will take custom orders if you want to (just be a bit specific). Also, this chef just says what he thinks. I like that in people.

Third, ignore the surroundings, the "shabby"-ness of the place. It resembles a squatted place, loosely, both in interior decoration (lol) and mannerisms.

Fourth, it is not called terraZEN for nothing. Don't rush, take your time, talk to people. YOU create the atmosphere you want at this place. Going here and expecting to be served like in a normal restaurant will yield you little results and lots of irritation. Just have an open mind!

Fifth, enjoy the food! It might be pricey, but it is well worth it in my book. Just remember that you are in the center of Amsterdam, and that this might be one of the cheapest places to get some decent food in the evening. Don't know where you are from, but most capitols I've visited are always overpriced. - insert memory of 5€ stale beer at a random pub -

So, if you have the right mindset for this place, go for it! You will not be disappointed!
Updated from previous review on Sunday January 04, 2015

When you enter this place, you wouldn't say the food is going to be as good as it is. The place is small and very simple, but the food has a very high quality. The vegan chicken is is excellent!

My sister and husband were with me when we finally found this hole in the wall. And yes, this is what it was, a hole in the wall, and not in a good way. Very bad vibes when we looked in. The owner looked and acted high, the one table had an oil cloth on it, which probably started out as a regular cotton cloth, but over the years, it had probably never been washed, the "oiled" look, probably from the oil in the air. We walked by here two times, one time being brave enough to just go inside. We should have trusted our instincts. The stench was enough to make us make a beeline out of there. There is nothing quaint, or "chill" about the place. It's a dump. If it looks dirty and the smell is bad, that is your indication that it's time to find another restaurant. If it's dirty IN the restaurant, what do you think the kitchen looks like??? No, not cool. If this were in the US, the Dept of Health would shut the place down, period. Not worth it.

The food was really good. The interior is kinda shabby looking, so if you're the kind of person that is bothered by that or by a little mess, don't go here.
It's a nice place, not my favourite, but I would totally go back!

First of all: The food is good but the place is not very inviting. We were three people and we asked for a large plate to share. The plate we got was small so I asked for another one and earned a strange look and "I saw u coming in and knew u were sceptical..." That brought a very strange vibe to the whole thing. We payed 39€ for two plate (each 15€ which was basically enough for one person) + 3 drink á 3€. I would like to recommend the place but my overall impression was more negative (what I have being told about my second order + the overpriced plates).

This owner run establishment is a breath of fresh air in the City Center. The menu has something for everyone.

The owner is very accommodating and takes special requests with an open heart and a big smile.

We felt like we were having dinner at a close friend's house.

We were there for 4 days and ate their for dinner every single night.

Five Stars!!

I enjoyed my meal at this place. The owner is a friendly man who recommended us the combo plate with rice, veggies, tofu, tempeh, chicken flavoured something... Really tasty and enough amount for a meal. A bit overprized though. Prizes are not written anywhere and i felt a bit surprized when he told me the combo + a drink were 17,5€. Anyway, i'd recommend to give it a try at least once.

To start, the place looks like anything and certainly not a place to eat. The atmosphere is really bad, there is two poor tables. All is dirty, tables, floor, fridges, cutleries ... There is also a showcase with questionable food, tabacco, cigarrets papers, filters ... We didn’t understand. There is no prices, bad explications. And that’s why we paid 35 euros for two mixed plates. It was fried fake chicken, barbecue sauce ... It was late, we were starving, and the reviews were good. That’s absolutely not what we expected.

OK, this place has totally changed over the past years and I'm not sure why. I was there with my partner in December. There were only two tables in there (1 oval and 1 small square). The whole interior is very weird and looks like they combined any furniture they could find randomly. It is a very trippy sort of cafe (exactly the kind of psychedelic joint your usual meat eater/omnivore has in mind when you tell them about a vegan place). To be fair, the food was very good. I had a Tempeh burger and it was delicious and very satisfying, the portion was big. Also the staff was very nice as well. We found the prices also OK. But...this place could be so much nicer and the small space could be used a lot more efficiently - What happened here over the past years?! Seems like there is absolutely no business model or concept behind this. Last but not least...ATTENTION: For some reason they sell "Rivella" drinks (saw them in the fridge) and they are NOT VEGAN. Rivella contains Milk Serum and it even says so on the label...do not drink that if you are vegan. This lead me to rate this cafe with 2 points instead of maybe 3.

I was very happy with the service me and my boyfriend got when we visited the place on our latest trip to Amsterdam. We were the only customers during our stay, and the food came very quickly. After reading the reviews I was expecting to wait forever for the food to be ready, so it was a pleasant surprise. We both ordered the vegan plate, which was huge. Neither of us very able to finish the this enormous portion that consisted of rice, some kind of cabbage, tempeh, tofu and vegan chicken. I've never eaten tempeh so great, and the chicken was mouth-watering. The whole price for two portions and one drink was around 30 euros, which I find reasonable since it was probably one of the best meals ever. We will definitely return here.

I took the mixed plate with 1 drink. The dish was home-made tasty food but overall it was a bit expensive for just a normal-size plate & a drink (€17)

The eatery is located in the center, in a small streey secluded from the main busy streets. There were only 2 tables, each occupies up to 4-5 pp. We shared one table with 4 other guests. There was no menu card, only a black chalkboard with handwritten 4-5 dishes. They refer the "vegan plate" right away, which my partner took, along with a Bionadr. I took a pumpkin soup, along with a green smoothie. My soup came first, smoothie came last. In total, it cost 28 Euro, without a bill!! There were no prices so we didn't expect it to be this much! They had a drink automat selling Bionade and water. There was a glas vitrine separating guests from the bar, selling vegan milk and chips, but it was rather empty. On the wall, there was another glas shelf which sells greeting cards and picture frames... During our stay, a group of people walked in, greeted the cook and walked out. Needless to say that we just felt strange...
All in all, food was good, nothing impressive though and really expensive. Everything does not seem in place and little space was not used efficiently. There's a lot of room for improvement.

The food here was amazingly good! I was in Amsterdam on business and ate here two of my six nights in town.

The owner makes a daily vegan plate that is customized by adding tofu, tempeh, or vegan chicken and rice, roti, or noodles. Both of the daily plates were great, the vegan chicken and noodles were particularly tasty.

The family who owns the restaurant is very nice. The owner / chef even came out and joked that he was "putting extra love in the food".

The wall has a fantastic mural painted on it, but the restaurant only has two tables so takeout could be a good option.

Platos del día, todo riquisimo, barato, muy buena experiencia.

If you are looking for a restaurant, and you want to be served...and I mean this in all aspects of the word....then DO NOT GO HERE!

If you are looking for great food, fabulous conversation, and a little education and enlightenment. Step right up, pull up a chair.
This is like coming back home to mom's house and she's cooking in the kitchen. Except here it's dad working his magic. I come here to be nourished. I don't ask for anything specifically, I just tell him to make me whatever he wants. Whatever moves him, cook it up, and AMAZINGLY it has always been fabulous. I have read a few of the reviews here about the cost of things at his place, but seriously, good vegan food is hard to find, and maintaining any establishment in Amsterdam ain't cheap!

This place isn't about sitting apart, it's about communal eating. It may throw many people off because we have been fed a stereotype of what a restaurant is suppose to look like. Well, what if you took your mom's kitchen table, you know the old oval one with the leaf insert and put that in as your main eating area. This encourages people to sit and talk to one another, strangers with the same eating habits actually sitting around and talking! Mix in some great island home cooking with a little asian flair and next thing you know you're all talking and eating and SHARING!

I've met people from around the world here from Isreal to Alabama, Texas to Taipei and back again, and it's amazing what seating can encourage people to do. I too was a bit thrown by the atmosphere at first, but some great things come weirdly wrapped. I spend a lot of time in Amsterdam and this is the only place that I eat. Find me sitting at the square table, pull up a chair and lets talk and eat together.

I have been eating here at least twice a week for about a month and the conversations with people are so great and the food is so good I didn't even know until a few days ago that he also has WIFI. It helped out when someone tried to explain ackee and jackfruit to me. Oh yeah, he has that in the kitchen too.

Server yourself your own beverage out of the beverage area, and just wait. you'll be pleasantly surprised. And if you see me, just smile and say hello! :)

So if you're looking for a "you must server me...or a ...have it your way" kind of restaurant... Burger King is around the corner.

Ambiance rasta en dehors du temps et de l'espace un peu space au premier abord ^^, mais une fois l'immersion effectuée et le plat apporté, que du régal, varié et équilibré :)

the owner welcomed my boyfriend and I so well ! He was really funny and cool guy. there were nobody else in the restaurant as it was a bit late for a lunch, and he made 2 big and delicious homemade plates. For me it was Tofu with a sweet sauce, azuki beans, "roti" (like a big pancakes really good), and some vegetables with delicious topping and sauce. My boyfriend had vegan chicken nuggets, brown rice, vegetables. Everything was absolutely delicious and we want to go back the next time we visit Amsterdam.

I went on hols from UK to Amsterdam with my friend and we visited TarraZen. It has a really relaxed atmosphere and very friendly staff. There was so much choice, it took my ages to decide but I had the beans/greens and rice and it was AMAZIN, so good that a few days later my hubby joined me in Amsterdam and we went back for lunch. A 'must-eat' if your a vegi/vegan in Amsterdam, would definitely go back. xx

Love the owner and family but things are going downhill for terra Zen. For the second time I arrive and the door is locked. Phone number rings the house, no one knows where the owner is. Strolls over 20 mins later and makes a nice plate of tofu for me. For 17 euros including a drink. Great food, great guy but this business model is not going to fly.

Great slow food! Everything is vegan, super well-cooked, great atmosphere. Don't go there if you're in a rush. The food is kinda Japanese-cuban fusion it will blow your mind. Really loved it!!!

I went to have my meals here many times when I was in Amsterdam, eat-in and also take away. It was like having a meal at a friend's home. Every dish was made fresh & hot from the kitchen with the feeling of home-cooking. Although I ordered some of the same dishes, each time they were not exactly the same, but every time was very good.

The owners are such a lovely couple of husband & wife. I can feel that they cooked from their heart. Someone might feel that their service is 'weird'. But as I mentioned, if you expect a five stars or a proper restaurant service, this place is not for you. But if you like home-cooking and simple-friendly atmosphere, I definitely recommend. For me, if I live in Amsterdam, I would regularly have my meals here.

Anyway, one thing you need to be ready for is waiting, it is not very ideal to have a meal or order a take away here if you are in a rush. Just chill out, good food needs some time and they will serve you the best you can get.

I had good expectations about this restaurant (exotic cuisine and 100% vegan) but when I tried it, I was a bit disappointed. Among the negative points were at first the very poor service. We ordered 3 dishes and 1 was forgot even if we were only four people inside the restaurant! At the end, one of our desserts was also forgot. They seem to be really disorganized. They are very friendly nevertheless. The man is a character and funny.

In terms of food, I was also a little let down. I ordered the TerraZen main dish that consisted of brown rice, some vegetables and vegan chicken nuggets and tempeh. It was not bad, but it was not amazing. I can do the same home. Moreover, there was no sauce for the rice or the vegetables. It was accompanied with a miso soup that was however really good. But 16,5 euros (with night extra charges) was really to much for that. We also ordered the crispy sushis. They were good, but were served without any soya sauce. Our third dish was a bowl of rice, vegetables and vegan chicken nuggets, also accompanied with a miso soup. It was good and correct for the price (less than 13 euros) but finally rather basic. As a dessert, we wanted to try the chocolate ice cream but they didn't have it anymore. We finally chose the banana cake and the chocolate cake. The banana cake was really good (with a fresh cut banana over it and soy cream) but the chocolate one was a bit dry and rather basic. However, their price was fair.

To sum up, I believe that some dishes are really good whereas other are basic and clearly overpriced, considering taste and service. The place is nice and has a good vibe but you have to be patient, tolerant and accept sometimes overpriced food.

This restaurant is well located close to Damrak and the train station, and although it looks very run down, and the furniture can best be called a brave mix, I immediately liked the relaxed atmosphere. The reggae music and the vibe of the place really cheered me up. The owner/chef is quite a character and was very friendly, and I got my meal very quickly. Well, it was the wrong one - I didn't say so, though, because to be honest, I was very hungry, it looked well and I knew it was vegan, so I didn't really care. Of course, this still shouldn't happen and I wonder what the owner would have done if I had told him.
What I got was an avocado and rice dish and it tasted good in a homemade style. Unfortunately, the Matcha Soy Milk I had ordered was really just that - soy milk with Matcha powder, nothing else, not sweetened at all. You can imagine how bitter and disgusting it tasted. The miso soup accompanying the main dish was very good, though. I was also delighted to find chocolate ice-cream on the menu!
Altogether, the meals could be presented in a nicer way and it all could do with a makeover, but on the other hand it might lose its special character then, which would be a pity.
My meal came to more than 16€, which was quite expensive considering what you get.
Because I still somehow liked the place and enjoyed it very much, I am torn between four and three stars, but considering the mere facts, it has to be three.

I was in Amsterdam with my girlfrriend in February. We decided to get somthing to eat and after looking on happy cow we settled on the terrazen centre. We found it and straight away it was very odd. It was empty other than one couple and there was no one working there to be seen. We sat down and after a few minutes a man appeared from outside and asked us what we would like? This was a weird question as we hadn't seen a menu. We asked what they had and I eventually went for a vegan chicken katsu curry whilst my girlfriend went for some noodles. He went off to start cooking it and we felt a bit awkward. There was a couple sitting in the corner eating alone and music playing but some how the atmosphere of the restaurant/ caffe was strange. Eventuly the food arrived and whilst my girlfriend devoured her noodles, my "chicken" katsu curry tasted a little too realistic. I know that might sound stupid but it put me off. We finished our meals and paid (it was quite expencive for what it was) Overall it was ok but I don't reckon id be going back. The service was weird/ non existent and there was a strange atmosphere.

I visited here with my husband approximately 18 months ago, and whilst the food faulted, in my opinion, it was rather expensive, priced as an upmarket restaurant rather than a cosy cafe. The owner was very friendly, and did nothing personally to make us feel unwelcome, but I still got the feel that we were in the way, because the only other occupants were friends or family of the staff, who were slow to break off the personal conversations to serve us. The small size of the place made this more noticeable. It's very conveniently located, and has a unique menu, but is not my favourite restaurant in Amsterdam.

It's a rare opportunity to try Japanese & Caribbean fusion, and the food wasn't bad, just a bit odd and slightly pricey. The service however was terrible. It was very hard to understand how the staff could have mixed up our order with someone else's, since the place, at full capacity, only seated 9 people, a modest amount of customers.
We also got the wrong bill, and the owners attitude towards us afterwards was rather disrespectful. He didn't apologise or anything, but seemed pissed for some reason.