christopher terry
Google
Zucker's a smart kind of place. Its setting in anonymous former sugar factory premises on Braunschweig's inner ring road, almost adds to its smartness, in a paradoxical sort of way. Not picturesque? We don't need frills and fripperies, it seems to be saying.
If the setting lacks a little charm, however, the very friendly and helpful staff more than make up for that.
So does the cooking, by and large: expensive and contemporary but not so modern as to frighten the horses.
On our first visit, the fried foie gras first course was a highlight. I'd come back just for that. Ditto my partner's Ikarimi salmon tartare. Really well executed.
On a later visit my starter of roasted quail's breast in a heavily truffled reduction with pearl barley risotto was spectacularly good.
On the first visit I took the Côte de Boeuf all to myself (the table next to us were going halves on it), because it was my birthday and indulgence was the name of the game. Carved from the bone at the table, it's a spectacular chunk of gorgeous beef. And thank you for leaving the bone with me. You know what they say. The closer to the bone, the sweeter is the meat.
On our more recent visit, we both had the fillet of beef, which came with a thin salty parmesan crust in an intense port wine jus, with bacon croquettes, crisp, sweet, slender green asparagus and chanterelles. Delicious!
Puddings were also excellent.
One observation. When we came in and were shown to our table, there wasn't really an opportunity to look at the chalkboard special. Nor could we see it from where we were sitting. The wait staff ought to have ensured we knew about it.
However, we had a great night out. No complaints.
