S

o you have been told that no trip to Amsterdam is complete without biking around the city, or soaking up some culture with a canal cruise, or enjoying many happy hours at their famous coffee shops smoking up the ahem, you-know-what.

The list can go on and on with museums, tulips or the red light district.

But, whatever you want to put at the top of your list, one fun thing not to be missed while in the city is definitely enjoying some Dutch food (aside from that filling stamppot — potatoes mashed with vegetables and served with Dutch smoked sausage).

Sweet or salty, street-side or restaurant-served, below are some delightful bites to savor while you roam the city.

Stroopfwafel

Super thin and crispy, two round waffles pressed into one, filled and glued with warm, thick, gooey caramel-cinnamon syrup. There you have stroopwafel. These treats are easily found in bakeries, shops or minimarkets.

If you want to buy them to give away or as souvenirs, the packed ones in supermarkets are perfect. But, really, the best way to enjoy them is to stroll around one of Amsterdam’s open-air markets (like Albert Cuyp Market for example), find a stall and ask for freshly-baked stroopfwafels that are still warm. Each one is about ¤1.5 (US$2)

Take a bite, and watch as the sugary filling drips out the crack between the two waffles. Sinful enjoyment.

Vlaamse frites (Flemish fries)

Long, large, thick and addictive. Oh yeah. Nothing can describe Amsterdam’s fries better. Especially the chunky, crispy ones from Vleminckx (see if you can pronounce it without twisting the tongue?), a simple, small stand at 33 Voetboogstraat.

Mind you, these golden crunchy-on-the-outside but soft-and-juicy-on-the-inside morsels of fried deliciousness are so good that once you try them, eating other fried things will never be the same.

They are smothered with a fun selection of rich-flavored mayo or sauces you can choose from like satay (peanut), the hot and spicy Hannibal or sambel oelek, or sweet ones like the samurai or hawaii.

Offered in larger or smaller sizes in paper cones, these salty scrumptious fries are lovable on-the-go satisfaction. Right, size does matter.

Apple pie

As a sweet thing to savor at the end of your meal or just a delectable bite among those fun giggly hours as you hang out in one of Amsterdam’s coffee shops, apple pie is a soft spot for the Dutch.

Who can say no anyway to these slices of soft and succulent apples with a rich aroma of cinnamon layered in crispy crust? Served cold or room temperature with whipped cream and ice cream, apple pie is mostly found on any restaurant menus in the city.

So, don’t leave Amsterdam without digging your dessert fork into this swirly dream of delight.

Bitterballen

Another snack that is no longer foreign to Indonesian tongues. Calling all carnivores, these small meatballs are easy to enjoy on a plate or on the go.

Whether you want to have it as a side dish as an appetizer or a snack in between hanging out at cafés, they are popular on Dutch pub menus. Made with minced beef with flour, butter and spices battered in breadcrumbs, bitterballen remind you of sausage-shaped kroket.

Poffertjes

They remind you of pancakes, don’t they? Only smaller and lighter. Like mini puffy pancakes, poffertjes are typical Dutch treats that are already long familiar and available in Indonesia.

They are eaten as a sugary breakfast or simply anytime snacks. They’re so popular you can actually find them frozen in Amsterdam’s supermarkets.

Small and round with no filling, they are spongy and fluffy with a lighter texture than pancakes. Showered with a flurry of powdered sugar with a spoon of butter on the side, they are best eaten when they are just picked up off the stove.

Most restaurants serve them. Sold for ¤2.50 10 pieces at markets, you can also enjoy them with a drizzle of syrup, strawberries or whipped cream. Take your pick.

Herring sandwich

Accompanied by a few slices of pickles or onion and in a hotdog bun, this tender salted fish is a well-known Dutch specialty. It’s cold, fresh and a bit mushy.

It is incredibly soft that you can eat it without teeth. Some Dutch even eat the fish without anything else. Sold mostly in small shops or street-side stands at around ¤3, this most renowned Dutch dish is easily found as you walk the streets of Amsterdam.

Pancakes

What is the word you will keep seeing wherever you walk in Amsterdam? That’s right. Pancakes or “pannekoek” it is. So get the message and try one while you’re there.

The sweet ones are usually accompanied by apples, raisins, syrup, ice cream and whipped cream, or even some liquor, whereas the salty ones have slices of bacon, chicken, cheese, mushrooms or tomatoes.

Not sure if it’s due to their large selection or the place where it is located near the Anne Frank House, but the Pancake Bakery seems to be a city highlight with their frequent seemingly endless multicultural crowd patiently lining up for (and even willing to share) a table.

Despite the slow service and touristy, almost-claustrophobic atmosphere of the place, their pancakes with apple, cinnamon ice cream, and whipped cream are a must-try.