I am excited. Or should I say, I was excited. A new concept has arrived in Amsterdam in the Park Hotel, which is situated on the border of Oud Zuid and Centrum. Now the mention of a 'new concept' would usually be met with sniggers from Blondie and the Buik. The only 'new concept' I've seen in the 7 years of living here, is the no smoking ban (which is laughably failing) and some fancy new bike racks installed down the road from us.
The Park Hotel has been a long standing fixture in the lives of Blondie and the Buik. Many a Sunday afternoon has been spent drinking the bar out of their bloody good mojitos and eating the kitchen out of fried objects. I was sad when I saw it being knocked down but looked forward to frequenting whatever would take its place.
Me and a girlfriend wandered over there at 10.30pm. The place was heaving. We managed to get the only spare table and ordered a mojito (for me) and a 'Virgin Angel' (for her). We cast a critical glance over the place. The serving staff were running around like headless chickens. Tables had dirty plates that looked like they were not going to be cleared this side of midnight - and some of the clientele were starting to get agitated. Our cocktails arrived and were 'so so' (and at 17 Euros for 2, I am thinking they should have been better). The place looks great. Very modern and clean and something that would not look out of place in London. This is definately not like any other place I've been to in Amsterdam. The menu, which we did not try on this visit, is Asian influenced and a few dishes have been nicked from Nobu in London. Blackened cod, for starters.
The clientele were depressingly familiar and predictable. Any new trendy hotspot brings out the P.C Hooftstraat wife attempts in their droves. In fact one just pranced past in hotpants, brand new breast implants and a top that said 'Fuck Me'. Just in case you weren't already aware that she was up for some fun after her champagne ran out. The guys had the P.C Hooftstraat uniform down to a tee. Long, unkempt hair, jeans, stripey shirts, with the standard issue white t-shirt underneath and loafers. Table fulls of guys, drunkenly clutching glasses of rosé whilst bellowing 'Gezellig hoor', leering at the girls that were desperate to shack up with one for the night. Me and P took one look at each other and got the cheque.
In short, Momo is a lovely looking place. Perfect, I think for a midweek dinner. But the service was really chaotic, which I will overlook seeing as they are on their 'soft launch phase'. But with the official launch of Momo this week, the service will have to improve.

Keep your eyes peeled for the food review that will follow, just as soon as I've persuaded The Buik to leave his Oud Zuid haven of tranquility :)

Edited to add, we went to Momo for drinks a couple of weeks ago - and am afraid to report that the place stank of a combination of industrial strengthed cleaning fluids and fried food.  Which is never that good a combination.  I ordered a mojito and it was - worse than average.  I gave it to The Buik to finish it was that bad :(