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| Wilhelmshaven, Germany |
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Extraordinary - Merit
May - 2010 |
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5 Stars
& 4 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
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The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
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| The ‘onion dome’, sitting atop the
formidable tower of the Burgschenke Kniphausen is visible for quite a distance
over the low-lying farmlands and polders of Northern Germany. It is preserved
as the remarkable focal point of a center of power and prestige beginning
sometime in the 16th century; a time of Renaissance and Reformation in Germany.
Elegant gardens, pastoral landscapes and a hiker and biker’s paradise of
winding roads over gentle flat land surround the clusters of buildings that
make up Kniphausen.
(PHOTO
TOUR - CLICK HERE) |
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| It is a romantic setting, fit for a King or at least a
Prince, since the restaurant has established quite a reputation for culinary
excellence and creativity and has attracted the likes of Prince Andrew
(accompanied by the British Embassy), Federal President Christian Wulff
accompanied by the Chinese Ambassador, Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder
as well as many top theatre and screen personalities. The power behind this
bastion of culinary consistency and dependability is Chef de Cuisine and owner
Edgar Lübben and his wife Sabine who together provide the expertise
necessary for assuring continuity in even the most minor minutiae. |
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| Burgschenke - Burg Kniphausen |
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| It is often said that ‘to create something
exceptional, your mindset must be relentlessly focused on the smallest
detail’ and this seems to be the mantra at Burgschenke Kniphausen. The
restaurant is located amidst regal landscapes and a collection of period
buildings that have been extensively restored over the years of inhabitance.
Walking through the lavish grounds today is effectively like being thrown back
into a distant place and time and entering the restaurant is a continuation of
the same dream-like sensation with authentic Renaissance furniture accents.
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| To further enhance that
‘Lord of the Manor’ sensation, one of the first things you notice
once inside is a very large communal or banquet table, oval shaped and
surrounded by plush-leather high backed chairs framed by various curios and
object d’art along the adjacent walls. An intricate golden chandelier
hangs over the table while off to the left is a picturesque but fully
functional fireplace framed in decorative blue porcelains depicting scenes of
the local area. All this adds up to a great start with the right ambience, but
what about the food? |
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| Burgschenke - Burg Kniphausen - Table |
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| Chef de Cuisine Edgar Lübben has established
himself in a quiet way, working hard and creating recipes using readily
available seasonal vegetables and fruits, meats all sourced locally, thereby
transforming this idyllic location into a culinary bonanza. Our tasting menu
started out with Liver of Kniphausen Goose, Corn Salad, Forest Berries Dressing
and Apple Confetti presented as tender juicy and melt-in-your-mouth
house-prepared goose liver with sweet-tart forest berry dressing. The wine for
this appetizer turned out to be a Riesling Kabinett from the Rheingau with the
Baron Knyphausen Charta 2007, Erbach im Rheingau lable. |
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| Burgschenke -
Cuisine |
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| Since it was labled Charta, this signifies that the
production adheres to the highest standards set by the regional association.
Next came Hooksieler Crab Soup, a local variety from a town near Wilhelmshaven,
with a distinct taste of 'Crangon
crangon'. Here is where we enjoyed a taste of Herrlichkeit Knyphausen
Riesling Brut Sekt, 2002 a delightful dry sparkling wine made with Riesling
grapes. Our entrée followed as Turbot Fillet, Stewed on Vegetable Straw
with Herbal Sauce. Once again Chef Edgar has taken the ‘king of all
fish’ and turned it into a masterpiece of textures and subtle flavors.
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| Burgschenke - Cuisine |
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A bottle of 2007 Erbacher
Michelmark Charta Riesling Kabinett brought us to thinking that we might be
overdoing it with the same grape varietal until we tasted the incredible
difference in the style of the Erbacher. This wine is fantastic with seafood
and has an aromatic nose followed by a well-balanced structure and hints of
peach and candied fruit. |
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| An intermezzo of Apricot Ice Cream filled with
Champagne offered a small pause to cleanse the palate and savor some more wine.
As the late afternoon light made its way through the windows we began our main
course of Wild Boar Braised with Savoy Cabbage and Porcini Mushroom wrapped in
Bacon. It was surprisingly tasty and not overly gamey in flavor with the right
accent on tenderness, accompanied by a hearty demi-glace alongside the earthy
essence of porcini infused with the smoked bacon. |
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| A bottle of El Huique
Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Vally, Chile 2003 Riserva, held up nicely with
the hearty boar after 12 months in French Oak and 12 months in the bottle. Its
color was dark ruby red, and while swirling in the glass I noticed herbal notes
and felt blueberry and blackberry on the palate with a typical dry finish. No
meal is complete without a little something sweet to finish off the night. In
this case a brightly colored Red Currents in the Nest followed featuring
locally found berries with fresh whipped cream and cinnamon drizzled with red
current syrup. |
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| Burgschenke - Kniphausen - Award |
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| Soon after an incredible selection of Cognacs,
Armagnacs, Grappas, Schnapps and dessert wines was presented along with Mocca
and Frisian Krull Cakes, a local traditional cake made from an iron mold. We
take off our hats to Chef Edgar Lübben and his wife Sabine for the fine
cuisine and awesome hospitality and would like to thank Ms. Meike Schuster for
her impeccable service and attention to detail. |
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| The award presentation was celebrated with a special
appearance of a group of gorgeously costumed and masqueraded people.
(PHOTO
TOUR - CLICK HERE) - Whether you are celebrating a birthday or a
wedding or a special event, a masquerade dinner or ball is unique, but
must be booked in advance. |
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| Reservations are highly recommended:
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by
Edmund & Thorsten Buehrmann
Editor: John
Lomitola
Editor-in-Chief: Ingrid Lemme |
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| © 2010 ~ Seven Stars and Stripes, Inc. |
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