Zwolle

Zwolle is a town of slightly over 100,000 people situated about 100 km east of Amsterdam.  It is about a 2 hour drive from our home.  There are two primary reasons to visit Zwolle.  The first is visit Willem Uiterlinden who is an oboe repairman.  Grant's oboe was having some issues adjusting to the cold weather.  His teacher located Willem, an appointment was made and off we went.  Willem's shop is located in the basement of his home.  As you can imagine, there are oboes and oboe parts everywhere.  He is an exceptionally nice person who repaired the oboe on the spot.   Then he proceeded to give Grant a short lesson to make sure the oboe was put to good use.  The bill for this one hour visit came to a grand total of 30 euro -- the bargain of the century. 

The second reason to visit Zwolle is to eat at De Librije (The Library), one of only two Michlelin 3 star restaurants in Holland.  (There are only 80-90 in the world).   If you're wondering why a town like Zwolle would have a 3 star restaurant, it's because Jonnie and Therese' Boer grew up in the area and like living there.   They are famous for using food from the region. 

I'm not sure how Michelin awards their stars, but it could be related to time spent eating.  We were seated at 12:15 and selected the four-course lunch.  We walked out of the restaurant at 4:30 after enjoying all four courses plus many, many amuse-bouche's.   On a per hour basis, the meal was priced quite reasonably.  Seriously, the food was delicious and we had a great experience.  The owners personally presented the menu and wine list.  They were also very active in the dining room, so they certainly aren't resting on the laurels.  Next time you're in Zwolle, I highly recommend a visit. 

Here's an additional piece of Zwolle trivia for our Canadian reader(s).  The town was liberated by a single Canadian soldier, Private Leo Major from Montreal.  Well done, Leo. 



After the big (and long) meal