La Cage Amsterdam

So, I know normally this is a restaurant (where I had been looking forward to trying out for about a month or two now), however, I had a very unnerving encounter here yesterday, that I had to share up here. So I had decided at the last minute to go check out Gay Pride in Amsterdam, as I had a short to do list in the city on Saturday afternoon. After 6 years of GP San Francisco, it was something that had always taken the back burner through the months of July/​August for many years now. Seeing as I was moving back, I said I’ll check it out. I watched the boat parade, had a glass of wine with dinner (elsewhere, at about 18u), then was planning to leave, however I had a group of about 5 girls who I met up with who had been in town all day, so I said we can go check it out together, After two gin and tonics at another bar, mind you it is now about midnight, and I hadn’t really decided to make a night of it… that was the plan, I and the group (now 3 — one Spanish and one Botswanan, both girls), decided to check what was happening in Reguliers since the music had stopped, we decided to head into La Cage.
Now I understand that it is a busy and trying night for everybody, but as soon as we got to the door (try 1), The bouncer looked me up and down, and looked into my eyes, I know he was trying to judge if I was beyond impaired, he then turned away, and mumbled something into the air, and shook his head… then after asking him 4 times, I asked why I wasn’t getting in, he said I had to much… even though I had no more than 3 over the last 6 hours at that point, I turn and walk back to the girls. We all decide to try again as a group, No sooner do we get to the door, the bouncer looks at the spanish girl, and motions her to come in, then when he begins to realize the botswanen (black) and I are with her, he denies all of us…
Slowly I begin to see that the people getting admitted are either light skinned, or very «campy» (to use a very distinctive term in the gay community), and I came to the realization that for the first time I was being discriminated against, as well as the girl I was with based on our skin color… ON PRIDE!
What of the community and it’s serving businesses have we become that this happens on a day that is all about inclusion? Had I been stumbling and swerving and slurring and not speaking in dutch I could understand, but I WAS NOT IN ANY MANNER WHATSOEVER. There were persons completely wasted getting in, and I had been planning to make a night of it in there… This is unacceptable, and this business further reinforced the negative side of the community on a night that celebrates everything good… I will not be coming back in any fashion at any time.

Gotta love a French food restaurant with ketchup bottles on all the tables. I had the foils gras and the surf and turf. Both were excellent. Reasonable prices, great food and good service. Waiter didn’t have an English menu but explained the choices to me in detail. Good value for the money and I would recommend it highly.

Half a year after a fire destroyed Dvars the same owners have re-​opened the place with the new name La Cage. And what can I say? Same same but different? The décor is again cool and fancy and of course there’s the big bar to the right when you enter. In sync with the name you’ll find a french-​inspired menu including a decent selection of cocktails. The service is still friendly and attentive so it was a pleasant experience to come back. And I take the name as a promise for epic parties to be announced.