Firstly: this is very much not my type of restaurant. I love fine dining but I like the more creative, playful type rather than traditional white table clothes and stuffy service.
Secondly: the lunch menu is astonishingly good value. Given how expensive even casual dining is the four of us enjoyed a three course lunch, wine and espresso for just shy of 400 euros. Bravo that they offer this.
The food itself was fine. The amuse bouche of ayran foam was probably the most inventive thing. A nod to the Turkish tradition in Berlin, it was a nice salt kick with sumac and pickles.
I took the soup which was light and fresh. I’m not the biggest fan of matjes but it was tender and thoughtfully cooked.
For main, I had lamb which was perfectly cooked and in a demi glace that really shone. Deep, rich, moreish.
I’m not someone who’s super into my desserts and yet that was the standout dish. The “Zen Garden” had playful rocks made of various things: one a sorbet, the other a truffle, and some delightful apricot gels and yuzu powders. It looked beautiful and was a lovely end to the meal.
The setting is beautiful as one might expense, and the service was German friendly. That is welcome without ever being warm.
For a business lunch it was perfect, but as someone who’s lived in this a while I wouldn’t place it in my top 10 dining experiences here.
by ladafum