Mariani D.
Yelp
What a treat to be able to come here! My husband and I were on a holiday here, and we thought why not? Life is too short and tomorrow we might get hit by a ten ton truck, as Morrissey sang in his "There is a light that never goes out". So on this holiday we decided to live it up and pretended we were the top one percenter.
From the moment we stepped out of the elevator to the moment we bidded farewell to the hosts, service was unmatchable to anything we've ever encountered. The host asked if we wanted to start our evening in their beautiful lounge, or go directly to their elegant dining room. We opted for the lounge and took in the amazing view of Amsterdam. Once we were settled, we then were given the option of wine, champagne, or beer for our introductory beverages. Both my husband and I chose champagne. Then came the "Bites". An array of interesting looking appetizers, 4 or 5 of them in timely intervals. They were indeed a prelude to a memorable evening.
A couple of reviewers mentioned a 5 hour service, and so we were expecting to spend the entire night at Ciel Bleu. We did not. However, we were there for a little over 3 hours, which was comparable to 2 other Michelin restaurants we've gone to in the past. We did the tasting menu along with wine pairing. If you are a light weight, be warned. Once you get into the entree part of this tasting menu, each dish will be paired with wine. I believe there were 8 (perhaps 9) after the bites in the lounge. It was one exquisite dish after another. The artistic talent of the chefs here are commendable. I upgraded mine to Japanese Wagyu Kagoshima for the signature dish while my husband stayed with the lamb. I've never had it before, but I do remember seeing why this particular beef is so coveted. Apparently these certain cows get special treatments such as daily massages while the rest of the cows look on with envy. Well I can tell you that those massages really made the most tender steak I've ever eaten in my life. It was as tender as moisted butter. Was it worth the upgrade for such a tiny portion? Honestly no, but what a delicious experience it was.
Been there, done that. No regrets. A hefty transaction on our credit card statement, but no regrets. I was tempted to take some pictures, but they have a little plaque on every table in the dining room with no cell phone please. So I took a picture of that instead and enjoyed the Ciel Bleu experience to the fullest without having to snap photos when a new entree arrived.