On the busy Poeleplein in the city of Groningen there is a somewhat strange duck in the bite: Gusto Bar & Kitchen. A wine bar, in the middle of the nightlife. The building where the business is located, the somewhat older among us still know from what used to be the Molly Malones. But that is in a very gray past.
Full dinner
Gusto is basically a wine bar, opened in 2018. And one of the owners is Ard Laning. 'In the beginning there was no kitchen yet and we only had snacks such as bitterballen or a large serving platter. At one point we noticed that we were a bit empty during lunch and dinner, so we decided to convert the small kitchen we had into a kitchen from which we could prepare a full dinner.'
'The High wine is very popular'
Gusto is now a wine bar with mainly shared dining dishes. In addition, three main courses, a daily special and dessert. 'What is especially popular, and for which guests really come to the wine bar, is the high-wine,' says Laning. 'Those are five wines that you can taste, along with five small snacks.'
'The idea behind this is to introduce the guests to the different wines that we have on the menu. In the high-wine you get a glass of cava, two white and two red wines. By serving the snacks on the side, we encourage guests to come and eat here. It is in fact a kind of insight into what our kitchen has to offer.'
Atmospheric ambiance
According to Laning, Gusto distinguishes itself from the rest in particular by its ambiance, which, according to him, stands head and shoulders above it. 'Gusto has a somewhat more luxurious appearance and is much more modern than most other places here on Poeleplein.' The interior is quite dark with brown leather seats. Large colorful drawings on the walls. You immediately get the feeling that you are in a bar and not in a restaurant.
Accessible to everyone
It is Laning's desire to grow even more with the restaurant. 'Our chef, Larissa, made sure that we could make a difference in terms of the food. Furthermore, we do not have the ambition to be a high-end wine bar. We want to be and remain accessible to everyone. Our house wines start at 4 euros per glass, up to a very nice bottle of 75 euros. We will certainly appeal to the general public that comes here on the Poeleplein. We can serve the student who comes to drink a bottle of wine with friends during the week, but we can also provide those who fancy a nice Amarone.'
Cocktails
Lovers of a good cocktail can also go to Gusto. 'Coming winter we will make a big move with cocktails and we will build a special cocktail station in the bar so that we can also show off with this,' says Laning.
Speed matters
What else distinguishes Gusto? According to Laning, that is the complete experience, the use of high-quality products and the good and friendly staff who work there. In addition, the good wines, the food and the speed with which something is served to the guest. “We definitely distinguish ourselves with our service,” emphasizes Laning.
What is Laning's favorite drink? His favorites are a thick, oily, wood-aged Chardonnay from California and as for the red wine, he goes for an Amarone Valpolicella from Italy.
Gusto Bar & Kitchen is open 7 days a week. Weekdays from 14.00 p.m., weekends from 12.00 noon.
https://www.bargusto.nl/