Predrag P
Google
Dining at Deessa is less a meal and more a carefully choreographed performance — one where even the smallest gestures are elevated into rituals of refinement.
The service choreography deserves special mention. Black napkins are offered so that guests never feel self-conscious when wiping their lips; each time you step away to the restroom, your napkin is quietly replaced with a fresh one. Even the transition from savory to sweet is executed with precision: water glasses are changed so that no lingering flavor interferes with the final act of the menu. These seemingly subtle details reveal the philosophy of a restaurant where elegance lies in discretion.
The wine pairing begins not with the very first bites but from the caviar course — a detail that would have been good to know from the outset. Yet, this was more than compensated by the sommelier’s presence: he offered precise, insightful explanations of each pairing, carefully tuned to my sensibilities, while maintaining a natural warmth and ease. Alongside him, the entire team radiated attentiveness and genuine smiles, which allowed me to fully enjoy the three-hour gastronomic journey without a single moment of stiffness.
As for the menu itself, it is a masterclass in cultural reinterpretation. The “gilda with cockles”, a playful twist on one of the Basque Country’s most iconic pintxos, preserves the salty-spicy audacity of the original while elevating it with the mineral freshness of cockles. A bite that is bold, elegant, and unmistakably sophisticated.
The savory “crème brûlée with roasted onions, toasted pork, and seasonal mushrooms” is another standout: a french classic reimagined into a silken umami custard, layered with caramelized onion sweetness, earthy mushroom depth, and smoky pork crunch. A familiar form that startles the palate with unexpected strength and refinement.
Equally memorable, the “cold beetroot and dill soup with kefir ice cream and salmon”, transforms rustic Eastern European roots into a luxurious fine-dining prelude — vibrant in color, refreshing in taste, and strikingly elegant. The “Ritz caviar and cured roe selection” pays tribute to the legacy of the Ritz while displaying Quique Dacosta’s devotion to purity of product, while the “coastal oyster and sea cracker” crowned with sea urchin infusion, becomes a true homage to the ocean: briny, creamy, mineral, and profound.
Further along the journey, the “rice with dry octopus” resonates with Mediterranean tradition, its umami intensity layered over perfectly cooked grains, while the “duck from Albufera to Madrid” bridges rustic Valencian heritage with the cosmopolitan grace of the capital — a dish as cultural as it is culinary, and one of the finest duck preparations I have experienced.
Desserts bring poetry rather than indulgence. “The Pine” evokes a forest on the palate, more sensory landscape than sweet, while the “chocolate berliner with iced vanilla powder” plays with memory and contrast — a childhood pastry transformed into a luxurious balance of warmth and coolness, richness and airiness.
Deessa is not about extravagance but about narrative: tradition reframed through luxury, nature distilled into fine dining, and hospitality expressed through detail. With a team that embodies both professionalism and warmth, and a menu that alternates between cultural homage and avant-garde creativity, Deessa offers a gastronomic journey that is elegant, intelligent, and deeply memorable.