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| Restaurant Atlantic |
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| Hamburg -
Germany |
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Extraordinary - Society
July - 2007 |
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5 Stars
& 6 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| The views from Restaurant Atlantic of Alster Lake were
a bit overwhelming I thought, as I fought with the urge to watch where I was
going while at the same time soak up the exciting panorama. I needn't have
worried as I quickly realized that I was entering a special place, one that
prides itself on the complete satisfaction of their guests. It called to mind a
quote by Warner LeRoy, the great American restauranteur, which said: "A
restaurant is a kind of living fantasy in which diners are the most important
members of the cast." This is exactly how the staff at Atlantic made me feel
throughout my entire two-day experience here. The team is lead by Executive
Chef Sven Büttner who is responsible for his 'young, wild kitchen' of
culinary artists and creative thinkers all the while inspiring them to take
calculated chances, thereby hoping to stay ahead of the curve. From what I have
seen, I think they have accomplished those goals! |
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| My reference to the 'young,
wild kitchen' of Chef Sven is only half the story. For those purists who favor
the established cuisine style of days gone by, it is possible to request a
sampling of Atlantic's unique classical menu with foods prepared by traditional
methods and presentations. Imagine, contemporary and classical, both under one
roof with the help of two distinct kitchens. According to head waiter Willi
Kopf, one notable patron singer Rod Stewart, returns to the Atlantic from time
to time to order his personal favorite of Lobster Bisque with Half
Lobster off the classical menu. |
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| During our degustación menu tasting we were
impressed with the finesse, classical ambiance and feeling of historical charm
that we derived from the layout and décor of the Atlantic Restaurant.
Our sommelier Lars Hentschel was not only a wine connoisseur but also a water
expert since he had to support an extensive bottled water menu complete with
suggested food and wine parings. With over 40 bottles of water to choose from,
sommelier Hentschel led us to understand the philosophy of water's interaction
with food. Plans were in place now to support each course of the
degustación menu with the appropriate wine and water paring. Chef Sven
started us off with a very manageable Fried Lobster with Mango Avocado
Salad, going head to head with a 2000 Im Sonnenschein Riesling Late
Harvest Ökonomie Rebholz Siebeldingen; a perfect start for a bright
summer evening. Also worth mentioning was the Turbot with Caviar and
Truffled Mashed Potatoes, a delightfully addictive creation featuring the
'king of fish' topped with the 'jewels of the Caspian' and finished with 'black
gold from the earth'. |
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| 2007 -
Award-Hand-Out: Restaurant Atlantic, Hamburg - Germany |
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Our main course consisted of Roasted
Salt-Grass Fed Lamb with Eggplant Puree and Sage Jus, introducing us to a
local specialty of Lamb fed exclusively on salt grass, which grows on top of
the many dykes in the area. The taste of the chops is unique in that it imparts
a somewhat salty, ocean-like flavor that spices up the delicate lamb. We
finished off our plates while savoring each explosive morsel. Our night was
almost complete except for the final touch of Preserve Jar filled with
Lukewarm Chocolate Cake decidedly an 'out of the box' approach to
presenting dessert. |
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“The whole cuisine experience at the Atlantic Restaurant with
Chef Sven Büttner at the
helm left us with a feeling that they are
truly in a 'league of their own'.” ~ TB |
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by
Thorsten Buehrmann
Editor: John Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid
Lemme |
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| © 2007 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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