Venue provided complimentary food and drinks during Sherika’s visit for this feature. The Hague Online retained editorial control, and the views expressed are the writer’s own
De Oude Tol has been successful since the doors opened 2.5 years ago nearby one of the city’s most iconic buildings, the Peace Palace.
Owners Michelle and Roland van Breemen who originate from Durban, South Africa, were looking for a new adventure and decided to move to The Hague, following their son and daughter. With over 28 years of experience in the food industry, Roland spotted that the space was for sale while on holiday visiting his kids, it felt only natural to bring the delicious taste of sunny South Africa to The Netherlands.
Many restaurants around in the city frequently suffer from long waits and poor service, which can detract from the overall dining experience, however that is not the case here. You’re welcomed with a smile and can expect service that feels like you’re truly looked after – Roland wants to ensure he brings that same friendly, personal service of his home town to De Oude Tol.
What can you expect on the menu? Iconic South African favourites such as chicken mayo toasties (as a South African myself, it tastes like the real deal), boerewors rolls, biltong sandwiches and homemade milk tarts will soon be available. Almost everything on the menu is freshly made, including the mixing of coffee beans and biltong by Roland himself and all can be enjoyed with some delicious wine, also from SA of course. And if you’re a rugby fan, the restaurant has viewings available during the big games. You may also run into some of the judges from the International Court too who frequently dine here.
What is Roland most proud of since opening? That he and his wife already feel settled and the business is doing well. While the restaurant industry can be challenging, Roland has found his feet and continues to grow and adapt.
De Oude Tol is located on Scheveningseweg 23, Wednesdays to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. The space can also be rented out for private functions.
Images: Sherika Rooplal-Clappers and De Oude Tol
Do you have a story about your own café, restaurant or bar in the city? Reach out to sherika@thehagueonline.com to possibly be featured.
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.
What makes The Bull so special is the fact that Potter painted something as ordinary as a bull on such a grand scale – which had never been done before. And despite this large size, he paid great attention to the smallest details, such as the lark in the sky, the sunshine on the meadow, the flies on the bull’s back and the cow’s whiskers. This made the piece the epitome of Dutch naturalistic painting.
After a year and a half of restoration, the largest painting in the Mauritshuis collection, Paulus Potter’s The Bull (1647), was ready for its unveiling. Since March 2024, conservators Abbie Vandivere and Jolijn Schilder have been intensively engaged in scientific research and treatment, from varnish removal to retouching damage. This led to exciting discoveries, but also interesting questions and challenging dilemmas. The goal of the restoration was to return as closely as possible to Potter’s original intention. This proved to be a true journey through time, from alterations made by Potter himself to centuries-old overpainting, damage, and historical additions made by conservators. For the first time in centuries, Potter’s original sky is visible again.
When asked about the greatest challenges, restorers Abbie and Jolijn, cited the following: technically removing later overpainting, as some of this overpainting was already two centuries old and difficult to separate from Potter’s paint. This required extreme care. Ethical dilemmas frequently arose: how far could retouching (restoring or retouching damaged or lost areas of the painting) be carried out without affecting Potter’s work? Furthermore, Potter used pigments in the paint that have faded after 380 years, gradually revealing the underlying layers. During the restoration, each area was assessed to determine whether this “disrupted” the overall image. In the former case, (reversible) “toning” (lightly repainting) was the solution, while in the latter case, the image was left as it is.
Every Friday afternoon at 14:00, the restorers will meet at the Golden Room in the museum for an exclusive Q&A session. Feel free to ask them anything about the art restoration process: Are they ever nervous? What is the most fun thing to do during restoration? And how does it actually work? For more information:
Potter’s bull will remain on display in the publicly accessible restoration studio for another month, and will be back on display in its usual spot in the “Potter Hall” starting at the end of February 2026.
Last year marked the 400th anniversary of Paulus Potter’s birth. January 17, 2026, marks the 372nd anniversary of his death.
Images: Sherika Rooplal-Clappers and Kunstmuseum
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.
If you’re new to the city (or not!) and are searching for a Christmas market, then you’re in luck. The Royal Christmas Fair, located in the historic heart of The Hague, along Lange Voorhout, is not to be missed. Being in its 10th year, it’s grown bigger and better each year and can easily rank as one of the best in the country.
If you can’t get away to visit the larger German markets, you can still find the lovely wooden stalls here with plenty of food and drinks on offer such as hot chocolate with whipped cream and rum, mulled wine, oliebollen, poffertjes and more. Not only Dutch eats can be enjoyed – foods such as pretzels, scones, bratwurst and savoury pies can be found too. And if you’re still in need of present shopping, you have lots of offer including décor, clothing and other unique pieces.
Santa Claus himself will be making daily appearances for the young and old and best of all, your furry companions are welcomed too!
The market is open daily until 23rd December from 12:00 until 21:00
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.Connect with Sherika here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherika-rooplal/ https://www.instagram.com/sherikarooplal/
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.Reach out to Sherika: sherika@thehagueonline.com or connect below:
With autumn officially on our doorsteps, the Kunstmuseum’s latest exhibition provides a lovely activity for fashion and history lovers.
The exhibition is more than a glimpse into older styles in fashion. It’s a link between past and present, weaving together authentic garments from the 1910s, original costumes from James Cameron’s 1997 film Titanic, and contemporary fashion that revisits those same flowing silhouettes, laces, and romantic hues. Curator Madelief Hohé calls it a story of “transitions” — from corseted elegance to freer forms, from optimism to uncertainty — themes that feel surprisingly familiar today.
Our very own city, has a unique link to the grand ship. Local firm H.P. Mutters & Son of The Hague, crafted interiors for some of Titanic’s most luxurious cabins while in collaboration with the Hengelosche Trijpweverij, which supplied refined printed velvet for wall coverings. Dutch craftmanship was onboard too.
Some stand out pieces you can lookout for include the black lace and velvet Edwardian dress Kate Winslet’s character, Rose, wore in the staircase scene and the royal blue velvet gown from the famous ‘’I’m flying!’’ scene with Leonardo DiCaprio’s, Jack. Combined with work by contemporary designers like Iris van Herpen, John Galliano for Margiela, Craig Green, and Tess van Zalinge, this exhibition is a must-see.
Text and images below: Sherika Rooplal-Clappers, who attended the press preview on behalf of The Hague Online
Sherika Rooplal-Clappers is a contributing writer for The Hague Online, covering culture, lifestyle, and local events. With a passion for storytelling and international perspectives, she highlights the people, places, and experiences that make The Hague a dynamic city.Connect with Sherika here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherika-rooplal/ https://www.instagram.com/sherikarooplal/
