$$$ - European - Kreuzberg
Lausitzer Str. 25, 10999 Berlin, Germany
BEFORE YOU GO
Reservations - Walk-ins possible but reservations recommended.
Menu - one prix fixe menu with changes (a bit) every month
Amendments - a vegetarian menu is possible, make sure to ask for it upon reservation and remind them upon arrival
Price - 75€ (upon writing) + additional costs for cheese, wine pairing, additional seasonal course
THE VISIT
I stepped out of U Kottbusser Tor metro into Kreuzberg, a very different neighborhood from the one I had left. I was staying near Alexanderplatz (downtown in old East Berlin) which is very busy with tall buildings and bustling neighborhoods. This area is decidedly calmer and less touristy; shorter buildings and both a lot of graffiti and children scootering by with their parents running after them. I turn a graffitied corner and down a side street from the Reichenburger Strasse is Lode & Stijn.
A fine-dining establishment (started by two Dutch chefs), I arrive on a Sunday night at 6:30pm a half-hour after opening and there is no-one here yet. The space is very minimalist but very cozy and inviting, a nice touch for a prix fixe establishment.
I sit down with the menu in front of me. There is a possible wine pairing for €48 and an extra dish of seabass for €18 with butter but I eschew both in favor of a glass of wine. Wine by the glass is €8 and the sommelier after hearing I like sauvignon blanc recommended an Anjou chenin blanc (from Loire valley in the Northwest of France) which apparently is very similar. It’s from volcanic soil, it’s very fruity and light, and tasted great.
We start off with the Bread and Amuses which is a lot more expansive than the name suggests, having two of each. Only one line item on the menu, this involves a pea bowl, a fried snack, delicious bread, and a beef tartare. The first is a bowl with wild strawberries + peas + frozen feta + celery + herbs + shell pea vinaigrette. It’s light and flavorful and a great pallet cleanser to start the meal.
As a Dutch person who has never lived there, I’m personally very excited by the second. It’s a bitterbal - a fried ball of veal ragu with mustardseed mayo. This is a very common dutch snack which I love and I had had its longer cousin the kroket in Amsterdam a few days before from a fast food vending wall (see Amsterdam Travel Diary - 25 June).
- Ed. Today (October 9, day of posting) is actually National Kroket day in the Netherlands so this is a very fitting post! -
I have them so infrequently so I was very happy to get another, especially considering how delicious it was. I had never had a gourmet bitterbal before and while I love my fast food ones, this was delicious. It was very light and simultaneously crispy on the outside and soft on the inside that your teeth sink right in.
The third part, and the first of the breads, is a sourdough made in house with a very pretty butter with herbs, chive flowers and spring onions. I didn’t see too much sourdough growing up outside the US and have developed a love for since moving there 4 years ago, especially with its popularity in San Francisco. I get two large pieces of bread which, as a single diner, are all for me. I don’t know if this is usually split between two but if so, I’m happy I’m dining alone because it’s delicious, especially as a huge bread lover (what I miss the most about Europe).
Finally in the "bread and amuses" section, which is definitely a last but not least, is the beef tartare. It's more sourdough with beef tartare + anchovy cream + capers + chives. I'd read some other reviews that said it was too salty for them but I didn't find it too salty. I could see how this might not be everyone's cup of tea but I'm a big fan of tartare and the salty/umami flavor was delicious, especially in the flow of courses.
Then comes the first actual course which the menu considers a starter. After the heavier amuses/bread, they bring out a light summer crudité bowl. There is a salmon crudité + daikon + kohlrabi + radish + 2 salads + beet + sheep yoghurt + white currant + parsley oil.
Next come two lighter seafood/vegetable dishes.
These are: 1) Grilled sturgeon which is cured in salt/sugar for a half hour with cucumber, broad beans, mustard leaves, and fennel and 2) Red mullet with reduced lobster stock, orzo perlato, young carrots and grapefruit (image)
Both are light dishes and taste great, even as someone who's not a huge seafood fan. There's a variety of flavors and good combinations between the fish and the accompaniments.
Next comes the actual main course, which the menu lists as "Weidehühn." As a non-German speaker, I googled this at the table (and informed the couple sitting next to me) and found out that this is chicken. The plate when it came out was very nicely arranged with different portions. It involves both chicken and deboned beef grilled over charcoal that has been marinated with toasted coriander seeds and spices, in addition to a cauliflower puree and candied lemon. Lode & Stijn focuses on locally sourced products and using a wide array of ingredients and this dish continues to exemplify that.
The meal ended on a high with the dessert. Strawberries with strawberry syrup, olive oil, full-fat milk ice cream, and sorrel sorbet. The strawberries sound simple but were the highlight - the combination with the syrup/olive oil made the strawberries deliciously soft and so good, different from anything I'd had before. The sorrel (sour plant) sorbet was a great addition palette-wise and also very different. It tasted like a sweet ginger, cutting the sweetness from the strawberries while still being a sweet dessert. (Image)
WINNERS
The middle courses were pretty good but as I have been finding at a lot of places, the beginning and the end are the winners taste-wise and the middle is a filler, both structurally and for your stomach. While the middle was good, the many appetizers were delicious and the dessert continued this trend.
Bitterbal - being Dutch and having had many krokets/bitterballen, this was a new experience
Sourdough - filling and delicious, very clearly homemade
Strawberries - juicy, sweet and loved that it made strawberries into something I'd never had before and was great
COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
Middle Courses: These weren't spectacular but did hit the mark for me. I liked that there was a range of meats (fish, chicken, beef) and it did fit well in with the whole menu. I also don't know how the vegetarian menu is
Timing/Service: This is probably the main thing that could be improved. It's a upscale restaurant with one menu that you pay quite a bit of money for so you expect a) good food b) good service c) an overarching "experience" for the whole menu that you are trusting the restaurant to craft. Lode & Stijn generally hit all three of these but could be better.
For timing, the meal was very front-loaded at the beginning and drawn out at the end. I appreciated the many appetizers as they were eclectic and delicious but I would have liked more time in between the courses to better appreciate them. Moreover, there was an over 20 minute wait between me finishing my main and the dessert and I eventually had to make an effort to grab a server and ask for dessert. The restaurant was empty when I walked in and busy towards the end so I can see why this happens, I was also pushing to go see the Netherlands - Italy game. However, I did end up leaving 3 hours after I arrived and I think that they should work on timing to ensure they provide the same experience throughout the meal.
For service, I thought it generally was pretty good but could have been better. I thought the sommelier was great and helped me pick out a great wine that I greatly enjoyed. Otherwise, service was satisfactory but I would have liked more "story-telling" around the many courses to elevate the experience.
FINAL VERDICT
Overall, I was happy with my meal. It's a tasting menu that you pay for and portions are relatively small but there's a lot (bread & amuses was 4 things) so you are getting a good bang for your buck. Experience-wise I did also enjoy it but this was where I see potential for improvement. It was a great start to my travel experience and I loved that it very simply expanded my palette by introducing me to new ways to prepare every-day ingredients.
I would recommend it if you are in Berlin and looking to have a food experience that is different from the traditional German food (the founders are Dutch so not completely different but it strikes a good balance of light vs. heavy). You have to be willing to spend some €€€ on a "restrictive" tasting menu but if you enjoy food, this is a great place for you.
Comments