Die Niederlande: etwas für Kenner

Is it fair to judge a nation or its cuisine by its fried snacks alone? Probably not, particularly given that I am not such a fan of fried things (oysters being my one serious exception), which is almost exclusively what you can get at De Molen. De Molen is a typical Dutch snack bar, run by a German who grew up in Holland. I went to De Molen with a Dutch friend, who verified its authenticity and was plenty excited about the range of fried treats on offer. I deferred to the native and let her do the ordering. She selected a Kaaassouffle and a Fleischkroket on a roll with mustard. The Kaassouffle wasn't bad, basically a crispy-melty cheesey thing. The cheese is supposedly Gouda and actually had some bite. The Fleischkroket on the other hand ... highly suspect. It was fried something. I understand there was supposed to be some kind of meat ragout in the middle, but it was mostly just smooshy and tasted oddly of curry. The cotton-textured hotdog bun and French's-style mustard did not help matters. That said, my Dutch friend was a happy camper and the US certainly has its share of fried nonsense, so while I would probably have been happier with a bit of herring or a bowl of pea soup (adorably called Snert in Dutch),I will try not to judge. De Molen Neue Bahnhofstr. 26a