Klaus Kubelka
Google
The restaurant is bright and modern. In contrast, the entire staff is dressed in black. Immediately after entering the restaurant, you pass a window with a small show kitchen where appetizers are served. I chose the ‘Big Tasting Menu’ and will leave the restaurant satisfied and full. After the show kitchen, there is a station at the large kitchen, where more small bites make for a good start.
(This is my subjective opinion about the food served. The rating refers to the expectations one might have (I have) of a restaurant in the one-star category. +/0/– should be self-explanatory)
The amuse-bouches are varied and taste good, but they fail to add particularly creative flavour accents. However, it is fun to be able to be close to the design of the greetings. In detail: Gazpacho water in the style of Bloody Mary, Salmorejo tartlet with honey foam, Big macaroni with bread, Tuna belly with tomato water, Crispy bread and black olives, and Steamed curry bread (0-)
A cool cracker bread is then served at the table (0) before the main dishes begins. And it's not half bad: an oyster trilogy, with great presentation, perfect texture, three complementary flavours – you couldn't ask for a better beginning (+)
The second course is white fish, which doesn't usually trigger moments of great happiness for me. But here it's different: the hake with sweet potato and tiger milk blows me away. This is how a white fish dish should be constructed, with the delicate flavour of the fish and perfect side dishes (+)
The best thing a gourmet restaurant can do for me is to surprise me. That happens several times during the evening. The best surprise comes with the next course, when one of the chefs comes to the table, lifts a wooden box lying on the table and reveals that the main ingredient, a langoustine preserved in salt, has been waiting there since the beginning of the meal. The crustacean is then prepared for me artfully and with detailed explanations – a real event. The bouillabaisse used has also been simmering in front of me for some time. And it tastes as good as it looks. (0)
The zucchini, on the other hand, is a little bland in flavour. I also don't think the ingredients go together very well (-). The following selection of mushrooms is a mixed bag: the cracker explodes in your mouth and the chawanmushi is also delicious, but the mushroom macaron is without much taste and the consommé is a little messy (-)
The last fish dish is steamed hake with beans and cod. There is also an additional small bite on a long bone. Great presentation and tastes good too. (0)
The start of the meat section – goose with garlic emulsion and pumpkin – seems one-dimensional at first bite, but although the flavours all scream ‘hearty’, the course works, probably because it looks outstanding (0+). Unfortunately, the second meat course – quail with corn taco – follows suit. Very heavy and savoury, no contrasts for me despite being cooked to perfection, a kind of repetition. The first course that really doesn't work for me (-)
Now the break is a little longer, after all, 5 greetings, 8 main courses and bread took just 2 hours.
The pre-dessert with cucumber, yoghurt pearls and basil is excellent (0), but the first dessert is not to my taste, not because of the composition, but because I simply don't like the texture of figs. (Not the restaurants fault, so: 0) The mousse course is a good conclusion, even if the trend towards (delicious) one-dimensionality prevails here too.
All in all, I enjoyed my time at Atempo. The service is great with much happening at the table. I love it when there is preparation in front of me that makes sense and is not (just) for show. The first half worked better for me than the second one, though. Recommended.
