|
 |
|
 |
|
Society - World Level of Perfection |
|
| November - 2004 |
|
6
Stars and 7 Stripes
Overall - 'Hotel & Service' |
|
 |
|
The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
|
|
|
We arrived at the buzzing, historic train station 'hall' in Hamburg,
Germany on a grey, rather lazy evening in November. At first glance the city
was sprouting like many others, especially when we remember the ordeal of
catching a taxi in Germany's second largest city. From the moment we drove
through the infamous neon-lit Reeperbahn, our attentions were set on
adrenaline. We both were trying hard to be flexible about what we had heard of
Hamburg as the 'sin' city.
After a relatively short ride, we arrived in
the heart of the city; located on the prime real estate of Inner Alster Lake,
the Raffles Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten is welcoming guests from all over the world
for over a century. It is a flagship for 'hanseatic' (northern Hamburg maritime
style) tradition.
The warm welcoming light at the grand entrance of this
palatial building signaled 'welcome home' and the polished brass shined; so did
the reflection of the full moon on the duck-pond like, calm Alster Lake. By
tradition no neon lights are allowed at this outmost, 'inner circle' very first
address. |
|
Hamburg, by any means,
had to be very flexible during its ca.1200 year history. The northern seaport
was almost completely destroyed during World War II. But it's said, Hamburgers
rebuilt a stronger, larger and maybe even more beautiful city, with more
precious parks, more impressive buildings, and more important cultural &
art institutions. Hamburg supposedly is Europe's greenest city today with
nearly half of it acreage zoned to fields, farms & parks and the city's
official color is righteously 'green'.
Hamburg, lies on the Elbe river, 68
miles from the North Sea and the RVJ hotel is located within walking distance
to all that matters. Not far is the congress center, fish market, the
Reeperbahn, zoo, harbor, the arts, museums, theaters and the famous State Opera
of Hamburg.
With world renowned shopping avenues like the Gaensemarkt ( the
goose market) and the Jungfernstieg (the virgin walk) just around the block,
this should become a difficult choice for Simone. |
|
Thorsten Piosczyk & Gernot
Freyler |
|
|
| We arrived at the classical antique front desk twenty
minutes before 8 pm (we had dinner reservations at eight). Gernot Freyler,
Guest Relation Manager welcomed us with an award-winning smile and a warm,
solid handshake, 'to die' for. Check-in was quick, professional and courteous
with just the right hint of a Hamburg accent that one should expect when one
visits Germany's foremost maritime city. The authentically restored hotel lobby
featured irreplaceable precious tapestries, fresh flowers bouquets in huge
floor-vases and collector's oil paintings; Simone and I were excited.
Vier
Jahreszeiten VIP-Tour |
|
|
|
|
Due to our time
restraints, we rushed through the impressive, stately, elegant wood paneled
grand lobby. A lovely valet-lady stood besides the scent of freshly-cut flowers
and accompanied us all the way through the stylish marble corridor, reaching
our presidential accommodations within minutes. Later on we should find the
time to gaze at some of the valuable masterpieces on canvas. Our accommodations
were divine, classy, traditional 'hanseatic' style at its best. Our 'heavenly'
four-poster bed inspired Simone so much that she remembered to order one for
herself when she returned home. She was also raving about the marble flooring
in the bath room… 'Good luck with that Simone, I thought'. |
|
|
| We quickly grabbed our evening attire from our sturdy
and fashionable Rimowa suitcases and got dressed. Still, it was hard to leave
our wonderful suite so quickly, but we had dinner reservations for 2 at 8pm at
Dog
Cheng’s, at one of the most promising restaurants on site. |
|
| Doc Cheng's |
|
|
Hamburg, Germany |
|
Extraordinary - Society |
|
| November - 2004 |
|
5
Stars & 6 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
|
|
|
The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
|
|
 |
|
|
From the moment we entered the dining room all our
tiredness was gone. Doc Cheng's beauty is timeless, yet modern. The marble
tables were flanked by upholstered corners; the profile follows the
"understated elegance" theme that Ingo C. Peters seems to cherish.
A
wonderfully interesting exotic aroma assaulted our senses as we passed by the
open kitchen leading to Doc Cheng's dining area of the Raffles Hotel Vier
Jahreszeiten. At work at their stations were Chef de Cuisine Niels Mester and
his international crew, surrounded by heavy iron sauce pans, rice steamers, a
wok station and a hand built Tandoori clay oven. You could see that the kitchen
team was moving rapidly in sync, hydra-like, going about their tasks deftly in
unison while grilling, stir-frying and moving things on long skewers in and out
of the large Tandoori oven. "This must be a dream job" I thought as I breathed
in the light, fresh, healthy and exciting new aromas emanating from this
original Asian show kitchen and I watched as Chef Niels Mester carefully
prepared dishes according to ancient recipes. A reassuring wink of the eye from
the Master Chef himself left us with a feeling of total confidence as we were
led to our table by Restaurant Manager Marcus Scharon. The spirit of Penang
1882 where Doc Cheng was born…………lives on!
Yes,
Marcus told us, Doc Cheng was in fact a real character and not someone created
on a Disney drawing table although his life couldn't have been scripted better
by an all-star screenwriter's committee from the best production companies in
Hollywood. The fact that Doc Cheng wound up in Hamburg is a story in itself
that winds through the spicy worlds of Singapore, Bangkok, London and finally
this city, ultimately through the world renowned hospitality of a certain
'Fräulein Nane' and her appreciation of Cheng's aphrodisiacal teas.
We are led past magnificent Oriental woodcarvings and far-east furnishings
of rare hardwoods accentuated with table settings by Thomas Goode of London
'Eclipse Series', hand blown stemware from Singapore and flatware from
Solingen, Germany. As Marcus neatly deposited us at our very private table we
felt secure, comfortable and warm and my mind drifted as I began to speculate
if I would be able to appreciate some of Doc Cheng's special teas anytime soon.
Our menus were being distributed as the naan bread arrived light,
crisp and hot, fresh out of the Tandoori oven. Naan is formed from a yeasted
dough made with yoghurt, delivering a slight smoky flavor derived from being
slapped directly to the sides of the oven. The delightfully crispy naan almost
drowned out our conversation as we happily munched and crunched with gusto. Our
waiter appeared silently and announced that Chef Mester had prepared a sampling
menu for us of some of his favorite menu items along with the accompanying wine
selections and asked if that would meet with our approval. "I love not having
to make decisions!" Simone whispered to me as a bottle of San Pellegrino
sparkling water was being poured into the elegant stemware. |
|
We were pleased to see
that the importance of "understated elegance" was perpetuated with the choice
of a favorite champagne of Restaurant Manager Scharon, the classical "R" de
Ruinart Brut. The gracious offer of a refreshing pause for a couple of glasses
of champagne before dining was eagerly accepted.
Our first impression
of this powerfully refined wine was that of its ability to electrify the palate
with its awesome presence. |
|
 |
|
Its remarkable intensity
delivers a fruity nose brilliantly mimicking the subtleties of its chardonnay
and pinot noir origins. We observed the brilliance of its goldenrod yellow
color before savoring the excellent mousse and fine bubbles showing notes of
pear and white peach.
We lingered a while to appreciate the lengthy
but harmonious finish before we noticed our waiter returning to the table to
retrieve our menus. |
|
|
As soon as we handed back the menus, another waiter
brought us some Lavosh bread, a thinly sliced whole grain variety accompanied
by an appropriately cool cucumber yoghurt spread. Our senses were hard at work
identifying all the obscure and subtle flavors that seemed to spring to life
with every bite forcing us to daydream constantly of a far away place and time.
We kicked back a bit to relish the impressive Euro-Asian ambience
that works well to envelope you in a sort of secrete fantasy of a
'gemütliches Bali Hai'! All this originality is backed up by the
impeccable attention to detail by Chef Mester, which earned him a respectable
15 Gault Millau points for creativity. The staff was extremely attentive, well
trained and organized while setting the mood with traditional Chinese outfits
that would make even Chairman Mao proud. The only thing missing was Mao’s
‘Little Red Book’ and a long ‘coolie’ hair braid of long
ago for authenticity. |
|
 |
Our inscrutable server
team moved silently to swiftly produce our next course: The Asian Sampler
- Tempura of Black
Tiger Prawns and Tuna
- Thai Summer Roll of
Prawns
- California
Roll
- Maki of Tuna and
Prawn
- Nisha Prawn
|
|
|
We tried hard not to seem over eager to dive-in as each of these
divinely presented items held us to appreciate them as works of art first.
Visually, each of Chef Mester's creations took on a life of their own as if
they had been fashioned by hand in an artisan's workshop. We could now
understand why it had been written in some of Europe's top publications that
"Doc's cuisine makes everyone happy!"
All this was thoughtfully paired
with Chardonnay Novalis Central Valley, 2002 Chile - a concentrated wine
reminiscent of the great Burgundian wines such as Puligny Montrachet.
|
|
 |
|
Next came Chef Mester's flawless rendition of Chicken
Sate with Coriander and Chili. The chicken breasts remained tender and juicy
while being basted with just the right amount of peanut sate coating dusted
with chili for a genuine eye-opener.
For Simone it was Tandoori Fillet
of Beef with Marinated King Prawn in Thai Basil Crustacean Foam with glazed
green asparagus and melted Tomato and Lemongrass Risotto. Anything prepared in
a Tandoori oven has the distinct characteristic of being gently cooked at a
high temperature thereby allowing the aromas to unfold while at the same time
preserving the natural juices. Biting into this filet of beef produced the
sensation of concentrated flavor bursting onto the palate as if it were being
applied with a spray gun. Our basic senses were at this time receiving an
international education in culinary appreciation.
Our wine paring was
Cabernet Sauvignon Alles Verloren, 2001 South Africa Wine Estate, Riebeeck
West, Wine of Origin Swartland. This wine is produced in the only wine estate
of the region 100 mi NE of Capetown, a traditionally dry area. It is a full
bodied, wooded wine with dominant herb and pepper tones. It appears garnet red
and is intensely luxurious with plenty of tannins making this a perfect paring
for beef. |
|
 |
|
At last we were presented with our dessert selections of Composition
of "five-spices" for me. This consisted of:
- Clove-port
parfait
- Crème of black
pepper and pineapple
- Cinnamon crème
brulée and figs
- Fennel ice cream with
kumquats
- Coriander cake with
pomegranate and raisins
And for Simone: The
Three Lives of Mango which was a trio of sorbets and mousse with wan tan
cookie. |
|
The dessert wine of
Grgich Hills Violetta, Napa Valley 1994 Late Harvest presented itself with a
deep golden hue and a powerful aroma of sweet ripe fruit in a full bodied
composition.
Restaurant Manager Scharon returned to the table to see
how we were doing and brought with him two lovely little glasses filled with
Bamboo Liqueur Chu Yeh Ching Chien, China for us to sip on as a digestive aid.
We found the delicate clear liquid to be tantalizingly similar to a very good
'grappa' although it was hard for us to imagine what process it would take to
harvest and distill stalks of green bamboo in the midst of a Panda reserve.
"All good things must come to an end, but all great things linger on
in one's conscience for years to come" I remember thinking as we strolled out
of Doc Cheng's. We will be talking about this exotic dalliance to anyone who
will listen for Doc Cheng's is an experience not to be missed. |
|
 |
|
|
| On the way back to our suite we passed the ‘Wohnhalle’
which correctly translated means ‘living hall’. Well this one was
indeed a gracious and grand hall, anything would be appropriate here: tea for
two, a date or a couple of pages from the New York Times. How could we
‘pass’ this most elegant, warm hall overlooking the moonlit lake
(boats dangling on the water, ready for the night) with a cozy fire burning in
the man-seized fireplace? The ‘Living Hall’ was decorated with
turn-of-the-century fine furniture, superbly upholstered, and again a load of
beautiful fresh flower arrangements and plants. |
|
|
|
|
Sandor Albert, a most
attentive waiter, served me an 'Underberg', that herbal stomach soother, served
in a thin, tall shot glass. This cough medicine-like 'elixir' was created by
the Underberg family and has been a family owned company for five generations.
The first world exhibition that unveiled Underberg on the international stage
was held in London in 1862. This makes Underberg one of the oldest German
brands ever to be presented at a world exhibition. Simone had Bailey's Irish
cream, not on the rocks, she was tired. |
|
|
| A good angel had unpacked the Rimowas for us. Simone
filled the sumptuous bathtub with warm water and added a splash of her 'Kneipp'
bath oil; the water turned blue and so did I, looking at my bride. We slept
like innocent children in the imposing, blissful four-poster bed, which should
change the look of 'my' bedroom set at home, forever. These linens were
unmistakably ironed and the silky smoothness of cool Egyptian cotton against
our naked skin (600 thread count, Simone was not too tired to notice) made us
fell like royalty. |
|
We slept in; due to the
fact there was not a sound either from the hotel our outside. I picked up the
phone and ordered a tray of coffee while Simone slipped into the Italian frotte
bathrobe with matching slippers, her blond hair falling down her back. She
opened the drapes and the view of the glistening Alster lake caught now all of
my attention. "A busy lake this is…" I thought; little sail boats with
colorful numbers to identify each one were already doing their thing.
The ambience of the suite was truly addictive; the decorator seemed to have
deliberately avoided boring uniformity (each suite is unique) and the
'hanseatic' northern style is just plain charming. Simone couldn't get over
these 'adorable night stands' while I lit the log in the fire place. A warm
'welcome home to the old world' sentiment filled my heart. |
|
|
|
|
Raffles Vier Jahreszeiten Hotel was the first hotel on
the Inner Alster Lake about a century ago; it still is.
While Simone got
ready for breakfast in 'her' bathroom, I checked my e-mails on my Acer; my New
York office time is six hours behind us and they had been obviously pretty
busy. |
|
|
|
|
But we both 'had' to
grab a quick half-hour cardio workout on the roof top spa 'Raffles Amrita'
(after Simone had forced me to check my weight on the bathroom scale. Get what
I'm talking about, don't you?). This German 'hanseatic' breakfast buffet was a
favorite of mine, since I am a sucker for freshly peeled Granat shrimp (these
are the small succulent, delicious & nutritious small North Sea shrimp).
Only a few but carefully chosen freshly, crisp baked breads and rolls (
…and Simone reminding me of the scale…) made my choice of the house
bakery's selection easy; crisp, healthy whole wheat rolls! This was an
excellent German breakfast with mouthwatering cold cuts and the most attentive,
well trained personnel. I did miss the home fries and Canadian bacon though.
The coffee was hot, fresh and flowing. |
|
|
| We met with Judith Fuchs-Eckhoff, Director of Sales
and Marketing at her suite decorated with huge fresh flower bouquet (the flower
designs were most creative and Macy style) and a petite-four laden
étagère'; "I wouldn't be able to concentrate with the constant
temptation"; Simone mumbled. That is where we meet the German dream man, GM
Ingo C. Peters, in his early 40's and handsome. He manages this winner hotel
since '97. |
|
Ingo C. Peters has been
voted Hotelier of the Year by "The Big Restaurant and Hotel Guide 2004". Peters
believes that the key to his success are his 250 employees. "The hardware of a
hotel", he meant all the facilities "are important. You have to have the latest
state-of-the-art technology, the character and design have to harmonize and
everything has to be tip-top. The hardware, nevertheless, is interchangeable
and replaceable. It is ultimately the employees, the so-called "software", who
inspires the life and soul of a hotel." That's Peters' formula to success.
"Gosh, hope you never get the idea to replace the charming antique
hard-wood mail-case wall at the front desk" Simone mumbles in English; Peters
chuckled, probably herd her comments. Peters is fluent in English. Although a
native of Braunschweig, he grew up in Hamburg. Upon completing his final
examinations at the University of Heegen, he later studied at Cornell
University in New York. |
|
 |
|
| Ingo Peters & Thorsten Piosczyk - Suite 209 |
|
|
|
| The philosophy of Peters is clear; his employees are
highly trained and exceptional, like himself. His hotel career started in '82,
with an apprenticeship at Four Seasons, learning the trade from the peak. In
'93 he worked for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group as GM of the Mandarin Oriental
Phuket Yacht Club in Thailand and was later promoted to GM of the Mandarin
Oriental Jakarta in Indonesia. He later gained more experience at the Westin
Hotel in Boston and at the Berkley Hotel in London. After that he was employed
by the Ritz Carlton in Philadelphia, than Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel,
CA. |
|
|
|
|
Many of the public
areas of the Raffles Hotel Four Seasons are furnished with collections from the
16th and 17th century, plenty enough to fill a museum. Flemish gobelin
tapestries, Renaissance dressers and Baroque closets and antique area rugs,
just to mention some of the most exquisite pieces. The luxury and elegance was
always present, perfectly understated, and definitely never overwhelming.
Hamburg's business people are meeting the world at the RVJH. Deals are
negotiated and closed; money is made, this is a place to impress. Hamburg's
blue blood and those who dream of a
wedding
of elaborate elegance tie the knot at this one-of-a-kind masterpiece of
hospitality. |
|
|
| The residential hall, in its original beauty from the
Grunderjahre ( the founding years) in the heart of the hotel, is for sure the
focal point, elegant but cozy at the same time. Please make it a habit to
attend an afternoon tea at the wood burning fireplace and listen to live piano
music. The largest and most dramatic Flemish tapestry in the great hall is said
to have survived the bombings of WWII in a barn, hidden in the 'then' near-by
country. |
|
Simone was most highly
impressed with Maria Callas’s suite, named after the world’s leading
late opera voice. Pictures, book, biographies and other memorabilia were
decorating the diva’s suite. ‘Her’ colors were soft and
feminine, but the beiges and browns had also a calming effect on me.
The 50's and 60's represented a golden age for the soprano, Maria Callas. She
had not only a great voice, but was also one of the most dramatic stage
performers of her time. The black and white photos of the Callas were originals
and of great value.
http://www.callas.it If these walls could 'sing' …
|
|
 |
|
|
After the most informative tour trough the RVSH we
were good for a little fresh air and a romantic walk at the inner Alster; with
a sky as blue as Arizona's, this was an easy inspiration to follow. Simone and
I were holding hands as we approached the near-by shopping district, at the
same time I was holding on to my Amex. They say, it always starts with window
shopping …
Near of the board walk we were invited to an Alster
punch boat trip, where we got to discover Hamburg from its nicest side,
right from the water. Simone thought that this reminded her very much of our
boat trip on the canals of Amsterdam, Holland. Discovering these old stately
buildings from another perspective was inspiring and step-by-step we got to
understand why Hamburg is called the 'door to the world'. |
|
 |
|
| Hamburg is second in size and efficiency on the scale
of largest container harbors of Europe and seventh world-wide. Due to its close
proximity to the North Sea and its ability to accommodate the largest container
ships, its ideal inland location as well as the excellent rail, water and
highway connections, Hamburg is one of the most enticing harbors globally. Time
is money. |
|
 |
|
On the Outer Alster,
framed by distinctive Alster-front estates and palaces; water sport is a given.
There are two mayor rowing clubs and if you want to belong, you are a member of
one of them, at least. No customary (gas) engines are allowed in order to
protect the water environment. One rows, sails, paddles or discovers the Alster
on one of the tourist boats, as we did.
And one can only imagine what
an acre of prime Alster water front estate might be worth … They don't
make any more land. |
|
|
| Supposedly fishing on the Alster is a sport, and the
fish not necessarily meant to be consumed, explained our Captains: "Stick with
the punch!" he advised us. His knowledge was eternal and we got to understand,
'punch by punch', why Hamburg is called the " door to the
world"… |
|
The Alster tour on the
water allowed us to discover spots that are hard to see by foot or car. The
villas, palaces, historical storehouse quarter and old merchant houses can best
be viewed from the boat. Captain Norbert Bossel was a never ending source of
information. The Alster boat service is a historic institution equally famous
as the Michel and the Hamburg harbor and a must do, as a German Poet Friedrich
von Hagedorn (1708-1780) already describe in one of his poems.
The
Germans had built for their Kaiser (emperor) Wilhelm II a precious rowing boat
looking like Lohengrin's swan; he took a tour on the Alster October 29th 1888.
|
|
 |
|
|
Talking about 'swans', the Hamburgers (pronounced like
Mc. Donald's most sold) are very fond of their swan families. To avoid that any
of the precious fellows get stuck in the ice, (winter temperatures at the North
Sea can be brutal) they catch the swans as winter temperatures are dropping and
keep them safe in the zoo until spring. That's nice.
After a
wonderful and most entertaining afternoon with our boat captain Norbert on the
Alster we were quite hungry and decided to go for a rather early dinner.
Hamburg's masterpiece, both in restaurant ambiance and cuisine is the Hearlin,
a restaurant that deserves serious attention. |
|
 |
|
| Restaurant Haerlin |
|
| Hamburg, Germany |
|
Society - World Level of Perfection |
|
| November - 2004 |
|
6
Stars & 7 Stripes
Overall - 'Cuisine & Service' |
|
|
|
The
Ultimate Award:
Seven Stars and
Stripes® |
|
|
|
| From its simple beginnings as house number 14 in 1919,
Haerlin Restaurant has established itself as the premier gastronomic
institution in Hamburg. Friedrich Haerlin's vision was unbounded as he
successfully sought to combine artistic design elements of his day with
exceptional personal service and creative, enticing cuisine. This mission
continues to be carried out under the guidance of Director Ingo C. Peters and
through the beguiling, imaginative conceptions of Executive Chef de Cuisine
Christoph Rueffer. |
|
Restaurant Manager
José Santos greeted us warmly and introduced us to Sommelier Hagen
Hoppenstedt. It was a perfect moment to relax for a while before the beginning
of our cuisine review of the Haerlin, the flag ship of all four restaurants in
the Raffles Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.
Sommelier Hopenstedt
effortlessly suggested a glass of 1996 Dom Pérignon, Brut from over
40,000 choice selections in the wine cellar. The preference of this exceptional
wine as a starter reflects the overall quality and exclusivity of the Haerlin
as a world-class player in this most competitive business of gastronomy.
|
|
 |
|
Dom Pérignon is
only produced in exceptional vintages from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties
selected from the best Crus in the region of Champagne.
We watched as the
fine, silky smooth golden yellow liquid was gracefully being poured into the
sensually curved fluted stemware. As soon as I brought the glass up to my nose,
the champagne appeared to offer hints of rich citrus zest woven with tropical
fruits that stretched out to include a nutlike overtone.
As my palate
beckoned, I carefully caressed the delicate crucible so that the rich golden
liquid could reach its goal. The immediate sensation of good firm structure
acquiesces to become creamy and luscious ending with a prolonged aftertaste of
sun-dried fruit. |
|
|
Restaurant Manager José Santos returned to
escort us to our carefully selected table. It occurred to us that the
restaurant was abuzz with the chitter-chatter of contented patrons enjoying the
exceptional ambiance created by the combination of traditional design elements
coordinated with experienced original cuisine. All tables are decorated with
the famous Nymphenburg porcelain displaying the four allegories of the seasonal
changes of the year, which acts as a reassuring protection of sorts since this
style dates back to the restaurant's origins
As soon as we were seated
amid the splendid sounding piano sonata, a selection of house made breads was
placed on our table. These included olive-rosemary, herbed, walnut, sun-dried
tomato and thyme, whole grain rye (our American Dream Favorite) and pumpkin
seed stalks. A very fine, first cold pressed extra-virgin Sicilian olive oil
displaying a hint of citrus was the coordinated accompaniment. I tried to
prepare for the rest of the dinner by resisting the urge to nibble on all the
varieties of earthy breads. |
|
 |
|
Simone alerted me to the approaching server bringing
our Amuse Bouche of Potato Croquets dusted with Lemon Zest and Hand Caught
Beechwood Smoked Irish Salmon presented with Cherry Tomatoes stuffed with Goat
Cheese for me. Simone received Thinly Sliced Leg of Venison in Pumpkin
Veluté along with Duck Liver Praline stuffed with Celery Mousse and
Langostino paired with Pineapple-Paprika Chutney. I tried to think of a more
unusual combination of things that seem to work extremely well together while
providing that necessary curiosity of things to come.
A very nice glass
of 1999 Chateau Saint-Amand Cru Bourgeois Sautern was the very appropriate
selected wine paring that was personally matched by Sommelier Hoppenstedt to
best highlight and accentuate the myriad of flavors forwarded by the Amuse
Bouche. Sauterns are Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes allowed to be affected
by Botrytis cinerea (noble rot) thereby concentrating the wine's sweetness and
alcohol.
|
|
| Our first thoughts were decidedly perplexed as we
tried to figure out what surprise Chef Rüffer had in store for us with
this unusual offering. It seems that the Master Chef had somehow dug up an old
recipie from the days of the Haerlin's origins. While true to tradition,
Rüffer applied his exceptional imagination to temper the velvety smooth
pate with the exotic sharpness of ginger laced stewed apples and the light dry
tannins of walnut flavored brioche. This very imaginative timeless appetizer
made us appreciate the lovely Flemish Tapestries hanging nearby co-existing to
produce a very ancient ambience. |
|
- Assorted Soups in
Mocca cups including: Chervil Cream Soup with Peas and Crayfish, Baked Essence
of Venison in a Pastry Shell with Quail Egg and Rabbit Cappuccino with Cinnamon
and Passionfruit.
The whole experience
so far is almost beyond comprehension as our palates were being assaulted by an
abundance of new and exciting flavor sensations. We barely had time to compare
notes when the Sommelier arrived with his suggested wine pairing: |
|
 |
|
|
- 1990 Rheingau Charta,
Riesling Spätlese Trocken, Staatsweingut Kloster Eberbach
This inspirational wine
turned to be the best match for this wild assortment of ingenious cuisine
medleys. This special wine is well balanced with enough acidity to keep it
approachable while offering fresh, fruit flavors of pear and Jonagold Apple.
There was a distinct perfume note glittering throughout kissed by smoke and
honey.
Now it was time to pause and really try to enjoy the
stimulating creativeness demonstrated so far by Master Chef Rüffer. This
was a difficult task for Simone and me as we found it tricky to begin recalling
our moments of delightful pleasure. Simone suggested we just sit for a moment
while we savored the ambiance created by the well crafted wine. |
|
 |
- Before long our
server brought us Red Mullet with Skewered Seafood with Whittled Haricort Vert
and Paprika Chorizo Sauce accompanied by a feathery light Potato
Gnocchi.
- The aroma of
rosemary drifted up from the perfectly pan-seared Red Mullet and the seafood
skewer had a fresh ocean smell indicating the possibility that the Haerlin may
in fact do their own fishing daily.
|
|
|
- This time it was
Restaurant Manager José Santos that brought over his own personal
favorite for the wine paring:
2001 Bourgogne Rouge, Pinot Noir La Buxynoise
which was ruby red with nice pink hues, good fruit of cherry and dried berries
in a light bodied structure. A touch of spiciness was detected throughout its
velvety texture which provided the necessary zing to work with the robust main
course.
|
|
 |
Lemon Quark
Soufflé Stewed Citrus with Caramel Ice cream
- In keeping with the
resounding flavor structures that have been demonstrated so far during our
creative adventure in dinning, this sweet specialty presents a whole new
experience in taste. Quark, a delicious German Farmer's Cheese is laced with
tart lemon and served as a light Soufflé with the creamiest house-made
ice cream I have ever experienced.
|
|
|
| A wonderfully appropriate 2003 "Les Folastries"
Gewürztraminer, Josmeyer, Alsace was served to compliment this novelty
dessert. It has accents of sparkling yellow; bring it past the nose to discover
the subtle but defined aromas of rose petals and honey; allow the palate to
appreciate the mild acidity although you may discover the peppery, smoky charm
for a complete seduction of your senses. Winemaker Josmeyer is recognized for
his uncanny ability to pair his wines with just about any type of food. "When
I'm in Japan, I serve Japanese food with my wines. I always have a wine to
pair, no matter what type of food is served," says Meyer. |
|
For Simone and me, we
couldn't be more tempted to linger in this awesome restaurant a bit longer as
it was an evening to remember and we didn't want it to end. Chef Christoph
Rüffer has proven his creative ability time and time again through his
distinctive coordination of his plate presentation, seductive aromas and
distinguished flavors.
He continues to win accolades within the
culinary elite by earning a Michelin star two years in a row and a very
respectable 17 Gault Millau points for creativity. It was with great pleasure
that we toasted this culinary master chef and his capable team for delighting
people from all over the world with his special gifted touch. |
|
|
|
|
| "I am a dreamer of foods, fine foods. I shall not dine
other then divine.” ~ Thorsten Piosczyk |
|
|
|
|
With the perfect sounds
of a live piano concerto lingering in my head I was still in the mood for
celebrating the wonderful evening of exquisite cuisine. We took a right in the
grand lobby following the sound of more easy tunes coming from a cozy bar. This
place was so inviting that we had to at least stick our heads into the door.
Liquors from all over the world were to be found on the oak shelves. Casually
dressed people in a great mood insisted that we should join them for a real
Hamburg beer, freshly drawn, how could I resist? But not even a night cap with
this lively company could inspire Simone to stay away any longer from 'her'
suite; and so we wished everyone a 'Gute Nacht' - a 'good night' that
is… |
|
|
| Back at the suite, our beds had been turned down by
caring hands, we found fine chocolate pralines on the night stands; we both
adored the little gesture of great hospitality. We gazed from our four poster
bed over the lake and cuddled, as only people in love can do. |
|
We had slept-in as if in
heaven; we were in its world, besides reality, touching joy. Achieving great
sleep can make or break a business deal and often a relationship. Great hotels
are managed by great minds and they understand the importance of a good
night’s sleep.
I ordered a wonderful breakfast, delicious American
breakfast, ham and bacon that is for me. Again the service was outstanding,
ever advising, ever supporting and mind reading.
On the way to our
'Stadtrundfahrt', a city tour that is, we found another hidden treasure. The
RVJ's own version of Starbucks, the Raffles Deli. Coffee specialties from
around the world were served here for my quick mochaccino fix; with about four
dozen sandwiches New York styles to choose from, strawberry cheese cake
(Hampton's style), Danishes and then some… |
|
|
|
|
| Stadtrundfahrt: Our city tour leader Gabriele
C. Becker Serrano from the Hamburg Tourist Agency, multi-lingual, of great
charm and exceptionally knowledgeable along with an experienced driver (Frank
Schmidt) were already expecting us with a 'one-in-a-kind' extra-large limo van.
The limo van was outfitted with soft, light leather and a huge TV screen. We
were visiting 'sin' city, who had time for TV? We were curious and acquired all
the way. |
|
 |
|
Facts: HH, Hansestadt
Hamburg (maritime city of Hamburg) is about the size of New York City with
about 1.7 million People living in Hamburg today and supposedly half of them
are singles. Kaiser Karl the Great founded the City early in the 9th century.
There are about 2400 bridges in Hamburg. The University of Hamburg teaches
about 55,000 students annually. Same sex marriage is legalized since circa 4
years. Villas owned by Jil Sander, and the Herz family; just to name a couple.
Red Dog Restaurant is a canine eatery where they serve your darling 'shatze' in
a garden like setting. Hamburg is the home to a few of the most influential
people in the financial sector. Davidswache in the Davidstrasse is Germany's
most famous police station Michel, the landmark of Hamburg. You can climb the
tower and inhale a awesome view over the port. At Landungsbrücken
(jetties), visit the sailing vessel 'Rickmer Rickmers', which is a museum
ship. |
|
|
American Dream Hot Tip: Check out the colorful
fish market, Sunday mornings 5am till 9.30am (in the winter 7am) everything is
sold there. Reeperbahn the famous street deserves an entire evening (or night)
of your time. Krameramtswohnungen built in 1676, at the base of Michel, at the
Krayenkamp. St. Pauli, the most well known town district of
Hamburg.
Right at this very corner, located on the infamous Reeperbahn
is a small 'souvenir' adult shop where one finds condoms in the shape of
serving plates, kangaroos, the titanic, bears and many other 'fun' sin-city
memorabilia. The Reeperbahn is one of the most 'straight' lined streets to find
in Germany since Hamburg's early boat builder years. Large ships needed long
ropes and to wind such it took not only several strong man, but also a long,
straight street. |
|
| Hamhurg's Rathaus (city
hall) is one of the most impressive Parliament buildings in Germany. Over a 100
000 people are visiting this historic building annually. Created from sand
stone and supported by 4000 oak posts in 1868 the Renaissance style Rathaus has
647 rooms where Hamburg's senate and city management resides. Twenty large
Kaiser (emperor) statues are surrounding the phenomenal palace. Above the main
entrance is the phrase hewn in stone: 'The freedom our ancestor fought for
shall be protected by those who come after us' … or so. |
|
 |
|
|
We visited the 15 feet high staggering
fountain-of-youth located in the inner court yard, but drank from one of the
historic stone fountains in the building that are feed with 20 century ,
lead-free pipe. The water was exquisite. The historic Ratskeller, the wine
cellar, still stuffed with 17 and 18 century oak wine barrows made my day. I
wanted to stay…
About Hamburg I'd like to quote Benjamin Disraeli
1804-1881 a British Statesman and Prime Minister "Like all great travelers, I
have seen more than I remember and remember more than I have seen." Hamburg is
a city of great history, charm and excitement. One shall not visit the city
less then three nights. |
|
|
|
|
by Simone Buehrmann & Thorsten Piosczyk
Editor-in-Chief:
John Lomitola |
|
