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| Munich - Germany |
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Society - Extraordinary
January - 2008 |
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6
Stars & 5 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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In the midst of the Schuhbeck Empire that includes a
wine bistro, a party service, a cookery school, a
spice
shop and an ice cream parlor lays the venerable Schuhbecks Restaurant in
den Südtiroler Stuben. The Michelin star rated establishment at number 8
Platzl, the very epicenter of life in Munich, is a favorite haunt of the
prosperous citizens of both, Munich and the nearby city of Saltzburg, Austria.
You couldn't ask for a more central location as it rubs elbows with the
colossal city hall and probably the most famous beer pub in all of Germany, the
Hofbräuhaus.
After running the gauntlet of wandering tourists with eyes
pointed in every direction except ahead, it was a quiet relief to have fallen
into the safe attractive environment of Schuhbecks. With a king-sized persona,
Alfons
Schuhbeck is literally a household word in Germany as he appears in cooking
shows frequently on national Television and has written over 20 books. It was
under Alfons's tutelage that Executive Chef Patrick Raass came into his own to
take over the reigns in the kitchen, working hard to emulate his mentor, all
the while keeping his own creative streak intact. Stepping into the restaurant
off the busy Platzl is like entering an entertainment zone. Crafty photos of
Alfons are shown in every conceivable situation working his magic, even in the
restrooms. Restaurant manager Wolfgang Hirn welcomed us with true southern
hospitality and guided us to our reserved table for the evening. |
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| Fresh flowers and rustic
worm-wood panels accentuate the elegance of the dining room and noticing
Spieglau stemware and jazzy WMF flatware set the mood for an exceptional
cuisine experience to come. Alfons is known for his deep knowledge of the
nuances of traditional Bavarian cookery, which helps to catapult his incredible
imagination to come up with an entirely new spin on the tried and true. That
coupled with his ongoing fascination with herbs and spices can be part of the
reason for his numerous accolades, confirming many years of being the driving
force behind his take on haute cuisine. |
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| I was smitten by his amuse bouche of Duck
Consume, a simply delightful essence of game coupled with a sinfully rich
dollop of foie gras that slowly coated my palate while melting in my mouth. Let
me immediately mention a few of my personal favorites following the 'greetings
from the kitchen'. First, the masterful Crustacean Salad with Herb Stuffed
Pumpkin looked to me like a 3-dimentional painting on a plate, just
bursting with succulent colors. The pleasure to these eyes was further enhanced
by the effect on my palate; pure bliss! A supple glass of Robert Weil 2006
Kiedrich Riesling offered balanced taste and round light fruit in support.
Also worth its weight in creativity and depth of flavor was my partner
Rolf
Staehler's favorite, Truffled Linguini with Parmesan Foam and Italian
Vegetables. Earthy essence of wafer thin slices of white truffle set the
stage for intense pungency balanced by little bits of zucchini and tomatoes
that seemed to bob up and down under a blanket of crafty foam. We noted that
the accompanying wine paring of Fan D'Oro 2005 Chardonnay, Spain,
presented light vanilla buttery notes with a long finish for an excellent
match. |
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| There was room for a main course of Saddle and
Shank of Bavarian Venison with Nut-Filled Yeasted Dumpling, which came as a
surprise suggesting, that Alfons Schuhbeck was reaching back to his roots. All
the right traditional ingredients were there pointing to dishes that Bavarian
hunters would bring to the table, but in terms of arrangement the selection was
skillful art. An excellent bottle of Cantina La Fiorita Brunello di
Montalcino 2002 made for an interesting match as it offered a bright ruby
color with violet highlights and an intense, persistent bouquet of berries and
aromatic herbs. The menu was easy to follow and well laid out, with wines
paired to ultimacy. Sommelier Patrick Eglauer, well-versed and passionate, was
outstanding in his role. We finished the evening with a Frozen Cappuccino
with Exotic Arabian Spices, a remarkably icy thick rendition of cappuccino
foam reminiscent of ice cream, topped with a sprinkle of cardamom, cinnamon,
paprika, carnation, nutmeg and vanilla. |
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| 2008 -
Alfons Schuhbeck - Seven Stars and Stripes - Award-Hand-Out |
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| Don't ask me how, but somehow it worked. I almost
forgot that Schuhbeck was a master spice trader as well and we were immediately
invited to take a
tour
of the neighboring spice store! With two levels filled to the brim with
spices, Schubeck's spice business is not only unique but also successful. Who
would have thought that the aromatics of the Old World could be discovered once
again by the emerging awareness of the New World. We left Schuhbeck's
Restaurant in den Südtiroler Stuben with the feeling that we had just
experienced the mastery of an 'old soul', still on the cutting edge of culinary
greatness. Alfons has what it takes to constantly re-invent himself as needed
in the most creative ways. “Guten Appetit!” |
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| “...we had just experienced the mastery of an
'old soul', still on the cutting edge of culinary greatness.” ~
TB |
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by Thorsten Buehrmann & Rolf Staehler
Editor: John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2008 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes,
Inc. |
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