All the way on the most southern and westerly part of the Netherlands lies Pure C. Owned and founded by Dutch top-chef and entrepreneur Sergio Herman, the daily business is run by the very young and talented Syrco Bakker. It is located on the second floor of the Strandhotel (beach hotel) in Cadzand. It has an incredible view over the beach and the sea (where the North Sea and the Westerschelde meet).
Enter the restaurant and you will see a very stylish blend of natural products. Everything is thought through and it will be no coincidence that the color of wood matches the color of the sand just outside the door. This alone gives the feeling you are in a very stylish beach club. The staff is dressed nicely; as you’d expect in an upscale “beach club” there are no suits or ties, but nice pants with shirts (although some of them did probably spill some food just before lunch service started). The restaurant has a very pleasant, relaxed atmosphere, making us feel really comfortable and welcome. Not all the staff speak Dutch, but when service starts, guests are asked if it is ok for non-Dutch speaking staff to serve you. It is a small little thing, but with two-starred restaurants, it is this eye for detail that we particularly like.
Being only in his mid-thirties, Syrco is probably one of the youngest chefs in Europe to hold not one but two Michelin Stars. Because of this achievement, we were expecting him to have a bit of an attitude, but he proved us wrong: There was none of that. He came across as a very passionate, social, and pleasant person, showing genuine interest in the well-being of his guests. Apart from leaving a personal note on our table, welcoming us to the restaurant, he took a lot of time to talk to us and (at the table) finish a dish that he served us while explaining the details of the dish.
For us, the standard for restaurants was set a couple of years ago by Restaurant Spectrum (**) in Amsterdam. All restaurants visited so far were measured against this standard and none could even match this, let alone surpass it. That is, until now. The standard has been raised. Maybe not by miles, but it did go up, which has not happened for quite a while. The dishes at Pure C were refined and well-balanced. Yes, this is to be expected at a two-starred restaurant, but somehow the kitchen crew managed to surpass our expectations. One dish that really keeps coming to mind is the lobster from the Oosterschelde: So juicy and tender, just unbelievable. If ever you get a chance to go to Pure C, take it with both hands and ask for this dish!
This is a restaurant that personally, we would not go to for a business lunch or dinner. It is definitely not because of the food or service, but it is simply a little far from Amsterdam or Utrecht. However, when we will throw a special-occasion dinner or lunch, then this is the restaurant that is definitely top of the list. For lunch, we spent about EUR 250 per person for an 8-course meal, including drinks. After the first amuses you will realize that this is so worth saving up for. Trust us, Pure C is so worth the money and drive!
PS: Don’t be surprised if this restaurant at some time will receive a third star (and yes, we really do think it is that good!).
