In den Doofpot

Beautiful setting, superbly prepared food, expert service, an incredibly knowledgeable sommelier who is helpful in several languages. As expensive as one would expect. They were understanding and accommodating about my gluten sensitivity. The only negative is the narrowness of the menu. No fowl, no pork, no lamb, mostly beef and nary a vegetable, soup, or salad to be found.

Situated on a picturesque canal bank, 10 minutes away from Leiden’s central train station, this is an extraordinary restaurant well worth the 25 minute train ride from Amsterdam. The service is friendly, with knowledgeable and English speaking staff. In den Doofpot boasts an expansive wine list starting with € 35 bottles and climbing over € 1500 for the finer Petreus.
The menu includes creative dishes and appetizers to order a la carte. On our visit in late June 2011, my wife and I tried the «surprise» menu: a 4 course meal that changes daily to include fresh market items purveyed by the chef.
Our courses included house-​smoked salmon in rice paper, served with champagne foam, and chilled lobster; poached cod with a perfectly grilled prawn, served over beet mousse; seared fillet served over pumpkin chutney and grilled vegetables; and ice cream of forest fruits accompanied by mousse made of the same berries as well. We had a nice, oakey chardonnay from Auxey-​Duresses that was an excellent pairing even for the meat. The total for two people came to about € 150.
Getting to this restaurant from Amsterdam is straight forward. A round trip for two, from Amsterdam’s Central Station to Leiden’s Central Station cost € 18 in second class. There are several trains every hour connecting the two cities; tickets are valid on all trains between the cities. From the train station walk across the plaza, toward the canal, towards the main market square and you’ll find the restaurant right away. Google maps is an accurate source of walking directions as well.