Rothschild’s Champagne Bar
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Cuisine Style: Dutch, Chocolate
Average Price: €
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined in: October 2017
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Opened in the spring of 2016, Café Cocó is a Champagne and chocolate bar at the number two lounge at Schiphol Airport and is owned by the Rothschild family. Baron Philippe Sereys de Rothschild champagnes are staged next to a very beautiful restaurant menu dedicated to the Cuvées. The Caterer Group HMS, which manages almost all the restaurants of the airport of Schiphol knew how to put forward the specificities of the house Rothschild.
Cafe Bar |
The lounge area has three seating areas, the first being the bar, next to some nice leather chairs with small circle tables where I sat, and the third area with normal dining tables and chairs. One thing I did notice is that unless you sat at the bar, your level of service was not always the best, and you had to flag down a server for the littlest of things from refills, food orders, and getting your check. I began with a glass of Domaine Laroche Sauvignon Blanc which the winemaker describes as a fruity, tropical, grapefruit filled wine with a smooth finish.
Menu:
- Starters
- Soups
- Salads
- Finger Sandwiches
- Main Courses
- The Complet
- Sweets
As I had little time before my next flight I had the seafood platter of smoked salmon, trout, Dutch shrimps, and mackerel rillettes with yuzu drizzle as my main entree. Some items had good flavor but the Dutch shrimps were very bland, so I was thankful they added the yuzu to enhance the flavor. I had passed by this restaurant a few times during previous travels and made a note to stop in and try it out. I only wish that customer service met the expectations of the ambiance and the quality of the menu.
The Seafood Platter |
Dessert:
For dessert, I had some coffee and the white chocolate mousse with mango and passion fruit. A very refreshing finish to the meal after the not as pleasing entree that I had hoped for. From the display near the champagnes, they also have a montage de Babylon, quenelles aux chocolate, pecan pie, chocolate and caramel lingot, a longue Passion, and a seasonal special to choose from.
White chocolate mousse |
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Other Noteworthy Dutch, Wine Bar, or café Articles and Restaurants:
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Al Fanar Restaurant and Café Authentic Emirati Cuisine, Festival City, Dubai, UAE
Café Arabesque Contemporary Middle Eastern and Levant buffet in the Hyatt Park, Dubai, UAE
Café du Monde Iconic café & coffeehouse serving beignets since 1862 in New Orleans, Louisiana
Cave Dubai A French Style Wine Bar at the Conrad Hotel, Downtown Dubai, UAE
First Watch Café chain for health-minded breakfast, brunch, & lunch; reviewed in Tampa, Florida
Harvest Moon Café Farm-to-Fork Daily changing New American fare menu in Sonoma, California
Ripponlea Food and Wine Rustic café for Modern Australian food in Ripponlea, Australia
The Dutch Kitchen Buffet of Dutch and French cuisine at the Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Café Cocó a 4 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, but they surpassed outstanding and were extraordinary.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
|
Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
|
Ambiance
|
10
|
9
|
1
|
Food quality
|
11
|
10
|
1
|
Plate presentation
|
11
|
11
|
0
|
Customer service
|
8
|
5
|
3
|
Alcohol and other beverages
|
9
|
7
|
2
|
Total regular points awarded
|
49
|
42
|
7
|
Total percentage — less the Bonus
|
0.857142857142857
|
||
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
Total bonus percentage
|
0.0204081632653061
|
||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
|
0.877551020408163
|
||
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
|
0 - 5
|
4
|
**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
|
4 of 5 Stars:
88% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
|
Wine rating:
|
4 of 10
Old World selections:
France, Germany, Italy, Spain
New World selections:
None
|
Restaurant style:
|
Conservative dining
|
Cuisine style:
|
Dutch, French
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten Free, Local, Low Carb, Organic, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian Options
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required
|
Dress code:
|
Smart casual attire
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
|
Experiences:
|
Place for foodies, Modern, Trendy, Lounge, Great bar, Upscale, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
|
Payments:
|
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
|
Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
|
Noise level:
|
Low to Medium
|
Smoking:
|
Nonsmoking restaurant
|
Patio or terrace:
|
No
|
Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
|
Price
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$$
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥¥
|
Alcohol prices:
€7.00 Euros
Café Cocó:
At Schiphol Airport
Lounge # 2
Vertrekpassage 140
1118 AS
Schiphol, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
|
|
Maître d or host:
|
+31 20 794 0800
|
Website Contact:
|
|
Serving hours:
Netherlands Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC Offset + 1:00)
|
Mon-Sun
05:00 am - 10:00 pm
|
Social Media
&
Accolades:
|
|
****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
Rodízio buffet and churrascaria
Niagara, Canada
|
Dessert shop with Southern treats, and praline
Savannah & Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
German Bites in Bavarian-style Tavern
Ruskin, Florida, USA
|
Other Pictures:
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN