When you are always busy, running and trying to cope with the speed of life of these days (while fooling yourself that what you are doing is so important), you’re equally on the lookout for a peaceful place to stop for lunch and refuel in every way. And guess what, sometimes you find such a place by coincidence. The Quan was in Utrecht lately and found a great place to have lunch right in the heart of this underestimated Dutch city.

As part of the luxurious five star Grand Hotel Karel V, brasserie Goeie Louisa serves delicious dishes in a great atmosphere, which makes you believe that you are somewhere in the middle of France. (Okay, with bad weather of course, but you can’t blame anyone but yourself for living in Holland for this). The castle and monastery-like environment of the hotel provides an instant feeling of peace, the moment you walk in. Weather permitted, they open the garden gate and you can eat under big parasols in a beautiful garden. Okay, admitted, the atmosphere is a bit posh. But as long as you can have a good laugh about some cocky boardroom men trying to impress often a little bit too fat younger business girls, who think that they still have a great future ahead of them, (we witnessed this show at the table next to us, when we were there), it is a really nice experience. The food is delicious and the service is friendly and accurate. Try it out and you seriously forget that you were rushing before. After Goeie Louisa you can start the afternoon fresh and with the same speed as you did in the morning. So nothing ever changes.

Brasserie Goeie Louisa
Address: Geertebolwerk 1
3511 XA Utrecht