Affordable Europe: Amsterdam - by Gisela Williams
Affordable accommodation within Amsterdam's tiny and coveted historic center is almost impossible to come by, and even the shortest of taxi rides seems to cost at least 10 euros ($12.40, at $1.24 to the euro). But if you take your cues from the locals who get around on bikes and make do with living on the outskirts, this city can be done on a tight budget.You get what you pay for when it comes to food in the Netherlands, where most ingredients are imported or grown at fairly high cost in greenhouses. So unless you have a strong affinity for bitterballs — fried meatballs that are the buffalo wings of the Netherlands — you can't avoid spending a fairly substantial amount for decent meals. Fortunately, the intimate and cozy Balthazar's Keuken (Elandsgracht 108; 31-20-420-2114), while considered one of Amsterdam's top restaurants, is also one of the most affordable, serving up a three-course prix-fixe meal at 24.50 euros. A typical menu might start with an assortment of five hot and cold appetizers like wild spinach croquettes or cinnamon crostini with spicy beet root, followed with a choice of a meat or a fish main dish like a bouillabaisse with saffron, fennel and red onions and end with a dessert of espresso mascarpone with prunes poached in sherry. A bottle of house wine is 15 euros.
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