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| My Review |
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In the 2009 guide Heinz Winkler lost his third star, which has surprised many. Heinz was the youngest ever three star chef (in the UK the food press often claims, wrongly, that the youngets 3 star chef ws Marco Pierre Whiite).
A relaxing establishment in a pretty village, with an attractive view of nearby mountains. For a very fair (by UK standards) EUR 250 you can stay in a maisonette apartment on two floors with a secluded garden and sun-loungers set up. The food is perhaps the best in all of Germany, no slight recommendation given just how good the top German restaurants are. The dining room is decorated imaginatively with a series of murals giving the impression of a countryside setting, and tables are generously spaced.
Amuse-bouche on the first of two meals we had here over a weekend set the standard: a stunning yellow pepper mousse, a little marinated salmon laced with ginger and sublime diced vegetables laced with a hint of spice and encased in pastry (a sort of upmarket onion bhajee). A starter of scallops wrapped in lasagne was very fine, as was a whole sea bass cooked in a salt shell. The sea bass had fabulous flavour, served with a fine cream and chive sauce.
A whole duckling was cooked perfectly and filleted at the table, served with a finely judged balsamic dressing. All the dishes tried during the weekend were to a very high standard indeed e.g. a fabulous dish of turbot through to simple pan-fried and slated cep slices. Cheese was in excellent condition, and if one was being picky then the (relative) weakness would be desserts. A Grand Marnier parfait with orange slices was excellent, as were “tears” of chocolate, essentially fried fondant spheres served in a biscuit case with a coconut ice cream, but they did not quite match the standard of the starters and main courses. Petit-fours were excellent, including a fine mini lemon tart, a passion fruit praline and fine usual chocolate and nut concoctions.
The wine list is extensive and while expensive by German standards is a bargain compared to London. A fabulous 1990 J.J. Prum Auslese was just EUR 57, for example. Service is excellent, with the generally OK prices slightly spoilt by excessively expensive mineral water (EUR 7.50 a bottle). Overall a very fine place indeed to eat and stay.
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14/01/2009 - Greg Brozeit (USA)
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| I just reviewed the new ratings and was disappointed to see that Heinz Winkler was demoted to two stars. This is just downright confusing. I've had the luck to have been there twice in the past two years and couldn't disagree more with the new rating. We Americans are obsessed with rating anything--top ten lists, halls of fame, etc--but as I reminded my guests, sometimes you just have to enjoy the quality and creativity of these restaurants and not get too bogged down about rating. Last year I did a tour of four three stars--Winkler, Vendome, Waldhotel Sonnora, and Schloss Berg. Each was completely up to standard and each had a distinctive style and quality. Winkler is definitely an example of the highest standard of the traditonal school--sauces and simple ingredients that bring comfort and pleasure to every part of the palette. In June we dined on a particulary warm evening. The greeting of a cold cucumber and dill soup could not have been more appropriate, soothing, and incredibly flavorful. I can still taste it and feel the coolness it brought throughout my body. After that we were treated to a meal and service that, again, was of the highest standard. I had a main course of breast of squab that literally melted in my mouth and built up a complexity of flavors that emphasized all the freshness of the bird. Both of these dishes are what come to mind when I consider what the unwritten standard of what a three star restaurant should be. I will try to make it back again this year and hope that Michelin realizes what a great blunder they have made. |
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23/11/2007 - J. J. STIVES (USA)
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| I agree totally with your evaluation of Winkler's in 2003 and would add only that things have gotten even better in the years since. I have been a Winkler fan for nearly 30 years, from his early days at Tantris, and have stayed at Residenz many times since its opening.
As you probably know, he regained the 3 Stars quickly after a bit of a dip inherent to the opening of his new property some 14 years ago and has maintained it ever since. The addition of the "laconium" on the lowest floor, complete with steam room, sauna, pool and Infra Red booth, plus a tanning booth, added to my enjoyment while there and I never once have encounterd another soul in the rooms while I was there.
His younger son, Alex, who for many years excelled as a Captain, bringing his superb wine knowledge to my aid many times in the dining room, has recently moved into the kitchen, hopefully to learn at least some of his father's secrets and absorb some of his incredible talent.
With some 40 years of visiting upscale establishments in Germany, I have yet to find anything that compares with what Winkler accomplishes daily.
JJ Stives, November 2007 |
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