Yee Gan O.
Yelp
I am dedicating my 1800th review to one of the best evenings of my life, dining at the fabulous Lorenz Adlon Eszimmer in Berlin
The Adlon Kempinski hotel is a grand old hotel with a prime location next to the Brandenberg Gate. Over the fireplace in the restaurant, there's a bust of the emperor dating from 1907 when the dining room opened
In a hotel with a bewildering number of restaurants, the Eszimmer is their 2 Michelin starred flagship where Chef Hendrik Otto creates dishes to live up to his motto of 'exciting, expressive, European-inspired cuisine'
It's the sort of place I knew would be great from the moment I arrived. As I headed towards the restaurant for my 7pm booking, greeter Dagmar and maitre d' Boris Häbel waved me in, addressing me by name before I even had a chance to identify myself. I continued to be addressed by name by different members of staff throughout the evening and it's touches like these that make guests feel special and unique
I think I was given the best table in the magnificent dining room, affording me a direct view of Brandenberg Gate throughout my meal
The staff gave good guidance on the menu and drinks. On learning that I was teetotal, they concocted a lovely personalised non alcoholic cocktail based on what flavours I enjoy. Boris even substituted a dish on the tasting menu I had selected with one of his personal favourites - they then reprinted a personalised menu for me with this substitution on it so I could follow the meal as it unfolded!
Marc, the head waiter was phenomenal, making sure every guest felt they were the number 1 priority. We had numerous chats about food. He made sure the pacing of my meal was ok, casuing me to have a wise little break in the middle. As I was dining alone, I was even offered reading material, which caused a little pile of German food industry magazines to collect on my table. I was pleased to see that the atmosphere wasn't stuffy despite the ornate surroundings
My 8 course tasting menu was augmented with multiple amuse bouches, pre-desserts and post-desserts. For some reason, they spoilt me with extra courses that I noticed other tables not receiving. Thanks, guys!
These extra dishes were plated with the same attention to detail and intricacy that graced the main dishes. In fact, some of the my favourite things were in these extra dishes - an unctuous goose liver lollipop wrapped in chocolate dipped in nuts with popping candy, a truffle dipping sauce for the bread and the lightest cheesesticks
1. Amuse plate
5 elements including the aforementioned goose liver lollipop, crayfish parcel & tasting of cucumber
2. Amuse 2
Marinated halibut, carrot and exotic cream
3. Goose liver, brioche cream, parfait, orange, coffee & polenta
The goose liver came in different guises but my favourite was in a sphere with truffle - an explosion of flavour as you burst it
4. Freshwater crayfish, warm cocktail sauce, apricot gel, spinach, coconut
In the style of 2012 fine dining, a lot of dishes were finished at the table with Marc carefully pouring sauces in a lovely patterns. Nice re-interpretaion of prawn cocktail with little accents of hidden melon
5. Mild smoked silver salmon, white bean fumé, jellied salt water, mango
What a wonderful umami hit from caviar and sea urchin sauce
6. Scallop, pork belly, curry emulsion, banana, fennel, artichoke, passion fruit
Reads like the creation of a madman, eats like the creation of a genius. A lot of dishes came with a bonus side dish - fennel salad in this case
7. Pigeon, olive sauce, onion rings, pistou, garlic
Perfectly cooked pigeon breast with cute mini rings
8. Nebraska beef, goulash sauce shallots, beetroot, almond
A bonus of crispy cake on the side
9. Twitched goat cheese, jellied gazpacho
These came with a tomato basil and sponge cake, crispy sweet onion slivers & powerful mint leaves to bring it together
10. Pre-dessert
Excellent palate cleanser of lemon sorbet, carrot sponge, orange foam, blackberries
11. Chocolate, buttermilk pumpkin ice cream
Chocolate came as ganache and bubbled cake. There were fennel stones, sea buckthorn, milk mousse & rosehip in another successful mixing of unlikely partners
12. Petit fours
Candy floss. Apple ring beignet, 'Coffee to eat' (deconstructed tiramisu), buttermilk ice cream, homemade Snickers, raspberry macaroon
Finally, Alexander offered me a choice of pralines from a giant box - the flashing full sign on my stomach & decorum allowed me to choose only spiced pear & passion fruit
Marc talks about delivering the package to guests and it really was the complete package tonight. If you're in Berlin and you have the means to pay for it, do come and spend an evening here. You won't be disappointed