Prinz Myshkin
Hackenstrasse 2, Munich
In a city dominated by pork, veal, and various incarnations
of wurst, a vegetarian restaurant would appear to be something of a
culinary oxymoron. Be that as it may, Prinz Myshkin has not only
survived but prospered during the past two decades; and it continues to lure
Bavarians and international visitors alike with its macrobiotic specialties,
soups, casseroles, pizzas, and Indian & Thai vegetarian selections.
The restaurant itself is bright and cheery... in a constant whirlpool of motion. And,
right from the start, the experience can be rather off-putting. At lunch, for
example, there is no host/hostess to greet and seat you. The unsuspecting
patron is left to his/her own devices to snare a table... and sometimes that
isn't an easy task, especially when the joint is jumping -- which is most of the
time. Couple this with the fact that diners here are a peripatetic lot -- table
hopping at will to venues they consider more desirable, those near the large
windows at the front of the restaurant, for instance -- and you have a recipe
for culinary confusion.
But on to the food... It is good; however, on no account would
I consider it exceptional. And, during the height of the lunch and dinner
rush, the kitchen has been known to move along like a herd of turtles.
During a luncheon sojourn, most diners appeared to be
chowing down the daily special, a ½ stuffed pepper (5,50€). My wife ordered the
potato gnocchi topped with a light tomato sauce (7,90€). The portion size was
quite ample, as were most. Taste-wise it was merely OK... and not terribly
attractive to the eye. My samosas (11,20€) were huge and slightly on the bland
and dry side. A spicy julienne of carrots and cooling raita sauce were
nice counterpoising touches. Once again, not bad but hardly outstanding.
Your best bet for a casual meal here appears to be the pizza
-- fried oysters and blue cheese (10,20€); arugula, mozzarella, and Parmesan
(10,40€); tomatoes, spinach, and feta cheese (9,50€) -- and soups; perhaps
tomato-lentil (5,10€) or carrot-curry (5,10€).
The restaurant also serves wine and beer -- a decent glass of
the house Riesling goes for 3,60€ -- and you would do well to finish things off
with a potent jolt of espresso (2,20€).
Several concluding notes to bear in mind:
1) I am of German
descent and have visited the country more times than I can count; and I can
tell you firsthand that this is not a typical Bavarian restaurant by any
stretch of the imagination. Without being derogatory in any way, let me simply
say the clientele here reminds me of the gang I run into shopping at Whole
Foods. I'll leave the rest to your imagination.
2) Also, unlike most German restaurants, this is not the
type of establishment that is conducive to a quiet romantic dinner or long lingering
conversations over lunchtime wine and/or espresso. I don't mean that the restaurant
is unfriendly; it's just that it strikes me as the type of place where people drop
in on the way from here to there. A dining destination it is not.
3) Finally, if you want to avoid the crowds, your best bet
is to come for a late lunch or early dinner. The food isn't exactly thrilling,
but it is well-prepared and certainly reasonably priced. And, when you consider
the beating your hard-earned dollar is taking at the hands of the euro, this is
not a minor consideration
The Artful Diner
November 2007
