Dining in Deutschland

Seeing Stars

Michelin One-Star Eateries, presented in order of preference.

HESSLER, Am Bootshafen 4, Maintal - June 2004 - It is with deep sadness that we report the death of Doris-Katharina Hessler. The restaurant closed for a brief time and has reopened with Sybille Milde as chef. Die 27-jährige Sybille Milde ist Nachfolgerin von Doris Katharina Hessler / Schlichte, aber keine einfache Küche mit feinen Aromen und purem Geschmack
She bears an uncanny resemblance to actress Jacqueline Bisset. . . and her photographs are everywhere - lining an entire wall of the casual bistro adjoining her one-star restaurant, on each and every table in the more formal dining room, gracing the desks in the six stylish guestrooms above her eatery - and her name is on every piece of china and napery in sight.

But lest you think this is just another sensual/slightly sexual excursion into the dubious world of culinary narcissism, when you finally meet Doris-Katharina Hessler, she is actually quite shy and self-effacing. . . but her food speaks for itself.

You enter a very modern dining room adorned with light wood but significantly softened by colorful paintings, brightly patterned cushioned chairs and table skirts, and accented by tastefully subdued lighting and romantic candlelight. The ambiance is completely first class but not at all intimidating. From the moment you cross the threshold, you sense that this is a warm, welcoming space.

You begin with an amuse-bouche, a paté of wild boar with a touch of cassis sauce dotted with morsels of pistachio. This is a most unusual presentation, but one that succeeds in tantalizing the taste buds for the exciting offerings yet to come. There are several different gastronomic routes one may elect to travel here, but the Menu De Degustation is surely the most rewarding.

Your journey commences with a charlotte of heavenly foie gras crowned with a gelée of diced duck breast. The charlotte is lovingly embraced by vertical strips of carrot and Jerusalem artichoke and surrounded by three diminutive islands of red leaf lettuce gently tossed with a sunflower dressing and sprinkled with pine nuts. A superbly artistic presentation that arrives on a triangular plate embellished with a smattering of sautéed shiitake mushrooms.

Two perfectly seared scallops are escorted to table on an island of puréed Jerusalem artichoke enveloped in a sensuous sea of foamed cream with white truffles. This is culinary subtlety at its finest. Heavy cream - which when utilized indiscriminately can deliver the coup de grâce to both the palate and peristalsis - is here (and on several other occasions) administered with the utmost discretion.

There follows a lovely filet of perch-pike adorned with an ethereal dusting of breadcrumbs. The filet is circumscribed by delicious dollops of potatoes puréed with white fish and a tender armada of asparagus spears. The consummating touch is a pungent parsley vinaigrette.

The pièce de résistance, however, is surely the extraordinary filet of venison served in a walnut crust. The filet itself is unbelievably tender and is accompanied by a potato spiral, dollops of red and green cabbage, and a tiny morsel of heavenly chestnut purée. This is a dish that will forever haunt my dreams.

The dessert "surprise" yielded a silky nougat and chocolate mousse interspersed with wafers of white chocolate crowned with a tiara of mango slices in a rose pattern and a slice of fresh pineapple topped with an inverted chocolate cone filled with a delicious coconut ice milk.

This was our final stop in Germany but certainly the high point gastronomically. We spent our final two nights in one of the tastefully-appointed guestrooms, availing ourselves of Ms. Hessler's gracious hospitality. Located just a few short miles from the bustling city of Frankfurt, this is the perfect spot to commence or conclude your journey to Deutschland. I recommend it highly.

ENDTENFANG, Hotel Fürstenhof, Hannoversche Strasse 55, Celle
The word "Endtenfang" literally means "duck trap," and not only do the likenesses of these charming creatures grace the décor in one guise or another, but several beautifully prepared and presented specimens find a prominent place on the menu as well.

Ensconced in a 17th-century manor house that has been converted into a luxurious hotel, the dining space is decidedly elegant without being at all intimidating. Tapestries adorn burnt orange walls, and comfortable chairs and large tables are extremely well-situated, leaving a spacious aisle at the center of the room.

The amuse-bouche is a lovely mousse of sturgeon presented in a miniature martini glass and topped with parsley crème fraîche. Exquisite. . . but then Chef Hans Sobotka presents a second gift, a demitasse of cream of curry soup awash with morsels of shrimp. This is also quite excellent. . . but, after the mousse, a bit of gastronomic overkill.

There are several set menus from which to choose, but you may also mix and match should you wish to order à la carte, which was precisely our strategy on this particular evening.

When ever scallops are in the offing, my wife finds them simply impossible to resist. . . and this occasion was certainly no exception. Three moist and meaty bivalves are poached in lemon olive oil and set around an epicenter of puréed arugula and garnished with cepes. Superb!

My appetizer, on the other hand, was a good deal more decadent: terrine of foie gras. A delicate segment is presented on a large white plate and artistically embellished with four dots of aged balsamic vinegar, a diminutive dollop of fig chutney, and a strip of mixed salt and pepper. A scrumptious brioche popover adds immensely to the enjoyment.

Duck may be a specialty here, but Mr. Sobotka is also a master of matters piscatorial. A perfectly cooked filet of turbot arrives on a circular weave of diminutive tubular pasta, is sprinkled with fennel, and finished with a lovely saffron sauce. An ingenious presentation and a superlative combination of colors, tastes, and textures. A special sea bass is beautifully pan roasted and presented, skin side up, on a delicate vegetable terrine, and consummated in a light but extremely flavorful tomato broth.

In lieu of dessert, my wife opted for a beautiful assortment of cheeses, which were served precisely at room temperature and accompanied by brown bread. The sommelier recommended a gewürztraminer spätlese to accompany the cheese course, and it proved to be an extraordinary combo. I elected the sorbet of rosé Champagne with gelée, a potent espresso, and Hennessy VSOP.

As you would expect, Endtenfang sports a first-class wine list. We choose a 1998 Trimbach Riesling "Cuvée Frederic Emile," an exceptional match with seafood.

Dinner here is perfectly paced, neither too slow nor too fast. You never feel rushed. . . on the other hand, you never entertain thoughts that perhaps the chef has done a disappearing act (as was the case in L'Orchidée; see immediately below). A truly wonderful dining experience.

L'ORCHIDÉE, Bremer Ratskeller, Bremen.
Our visit to this highly-touted Bremen eatery got off to a somewhat rocky start. Just a few days prior to our arrival, L'Orchidée moved from its old home on the sixth floor of the Hotel Zur Post to a special surroundings in the Bremer Ratskeller. And, even though we called to reconfirm our reservation the day before, we were never informed of the change of venue. If our German friends, Rolf and Heike Eggers, who accompanied us to the restaurant, hadn't spied an article in the local newspaper, we undoubtedly would have set out on a wild goose chase.

You must enter L'Orchidée through the ratskeller proper, a huge smoky, bustling space teaming with humanity. Once ensconced inside the restaurant, however, it is a completely different world. Subdued lighting and heavy dark, carved wood appropriated from the interior of an old sailing vessel set a most sophisticated tone. This is a diminutive space, slightly more intimate than the restaurant's former digs; and, since there are no windows, those who are prone to suffer bouts of claustrophobia may feel a bit closed in. Just be advised. . . while you recline in luxury, your coats, exiled to a rack in the nether regions of the ratskeller, will reek of cigarette smoke by evening's end.

You begin with an amuse-bouche, an interesting triple play of miniature breast of quail, tiny crescent of vegetable couscous, and miniature beef meatball spruced up with an exotic array of herbs and spices. A most auspicious prelude.

Appetizers include a richly textured terrine of smoked eel and shrimp; a luscious terrine of Arctic char and chopped lentils garnished with marinated cabbage and artichoke hearts; incredibly tender ravioli redolent of truffles, stuffed with spinach, and surrounded by a savory pool of mushroom sauce; and a roasted fish soup, chunks of lobster, sea bass, and shrimp swimming in a heady seafood broth.

Entrée-wise, matters piscatorial are extremely well represented. A moist and tender filet of turbot arrives in a golden brown potato-truffle crust. Meaty monkfish, a special of the evening, is encrusted with pine nuts and adorned with sauces of yellow and red pepper.

Moving from fish to fowl, succulent slices of breast of pheasant are stuffed with fried serrano ham, garnished with Brussels sprouts, and surrounded by a decadent sauce of foie gras. Utterly irresistible.

Entrées are incomparably prepared and presented under gleaming silver domes. Each is garnished with a variety of perfectly cooked vegetables, and portion sizes are just right. A seven-course gourmet dinner is also available at 82.00 euro per person.

Service, provided by spiffily-dressed men and women adorned in long black coats with scarlet ties, is both professional and unobtrusive. The only problem encountered was the pace at which the food emerged from the kitchen. It was, to put the matter charitably, as slow as a herd of physically-challenged turtles.

We were seated promptly at 7:00 p.m. and ordered without any significant delay. However, entrées did not reach our table until 9:15 p.m. Even for an upscale European restaurant, which generally allows you sufficient time to revel in your fine dining experience, the wait between courses was inordinately long. And I have no doubt that the reason for the delay was the result of a number of unforeseen problems rather than any carefully laid plans: namely, that the chef and his minions were having considerable difficulty adjusting to their new domicile. And clearly, the restaurant's patrons were suffering the less than edifying consequences of their miscalculations.

Our German friends, realizing that ordering dessert and coffee would probably add another hour to our visit, tactfully suggested that we adjourn to their home for a suitable denouement to our meal. Interestingly enough, even after asking for the check, we had to wait a significant period of time for it to put in an appearance. . . and even longer for it to be picked up and processed. I certainly enjoy a leisurely, unhurried meal, especially in the company of good friends - but this was a bit too leisurely for comfort.

L'Orchidée has a great deal to recommend it, but, as of this writing, due to its abrupt change of venue, it is still a work in progress.

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