Balthazar’s Keuken is located in an old smithy. The atmosphere inside is decidely French. The inviting interior is humble and modest, but belies a very good cuisine indeed. Catering for two shifts each evening, the chef decides the menu, leaving the customer to choose between meat or fish for a main course. With the advent of the internet as a public forum, amateur critics were given an arena to vent their often not-too-subtle opinions from the safe, anonymous confines of their own living room. In that regard, it could be considered no small miracle that any negative notes about this place are very, very hard to come by indeed. Then again, it should not be considered a miracle at all if you execute a restaurant concept as well as owners Alain Parry and Karin Gaasterland did here. The success of Balthazar’s Keuken can, and should therefore be considered purely the result of fresh ingredients such as originality, hard work, attention to detail and caring about their customers.  Add to that the consistenly very high standard of food that is produced in this kitchen, and, as many other businesses along the Elandsgracht demonstrate every day: quality always prevails. Opened only on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, reserving your table in time is highly recommended –  more often than not, this place is fully booked.