Dresden: lunch on the ElbeBy Eric BoucherPreconceived ideas are hard to get rid of and we are apt to imagine German cuisine exuding heavy medieval aromas of pork, sausages and sauerkraut... Didn't the enormous Helmut Kohl (whose surname, incidentally, means "cabbage" in German), speak of Saumagen - stuffed pig's belly - as the height of culinary art? Dresden, on the eastern borders of the country, certainly doesn't look like the place to change this opinion. Well, open your eyes! Typical Saxon restaurants, trendy places and top-notch gastronomy - things have changed in the east!  Dirk Schröer © Bülow Residenz The CarousselHonour where honour is due, we must begin our gastronomic journey on the banks of the Elbe, with Dresden's only star-rated restaurant to date: the Caroussel. For this, we have to leave the touristy and somewhat theatrical historic centre (Altstadt) and take the Augustusbrücke bridge across the river to the new town (Neustadt), which is in fact the real hub of Dresden [see our article]. A few strides from the Augustusbrücke, in a block of baroque buildings that survived the blitz and have recently been restored, stands the yellow stuccoed façade of the Caroussel, the restaurant of the Bülow Residenz hotel. When we visited in June, the handover of power between young chef Dirk Schröer and the talented Stefan Hermann, who was leaving to set up on his own, had just taken place. A succession which is a challenge because with Stefan Hermann as chef, the Caroussel had obtained its first star. For all his 30 years, Dirk Schröer can nevertheless pride himself on the best references in Germany: four years under the rule of Hans Haas at the legendary Tantris restaurant in Munich (2 stars), before perfecting his art at the Vendôme (3 stars) in Cologne with Joachim Wissler, who was voted chef of the year 2005. Although the Bülow Residenz resembles a rococo sweet box, Dirk Schröer's cuisine sets out to be resolutely modern, expressing without razzmatazz the best of Saxon products. It should be in keeping with what has made the name of the establishment, with priority given to "fresh produce and seasonal cuisine, as in the past" - this, at any rate, is the new chef's profession of faith! He makes it a point of honour to obtain his supplies from local markets and thus support, in his way, the hardly flourishing economy of this Land of the former GDR.  Garfish with marinaded asparagus and cherry tomatoes in vinaigrette © E. Boucher / ViaMichelin The dishes we sampled were inspired by this philosophy, such as the "Garfish with marinaded asparagus and cherry tomatoes in vinaigrette"*. A starter characterised by the contrast of the soft flesh of this fish from the Baltic and the al dente asparagus. It is cooked in this way to retain all the flavours of the asparagus produced in the region of Meissen. To those who might doubt the local colour of this dish, let us remind you that the Germans do not live on Kartoffeln and cabbage alone - they are among the greatest consumers of asparagus. Although Lower Saxony is this vegetable's region of predilection, to the extent that there is an "asparagus route", you are sure to find asparagus on the menu of all the restaurants in Saxony itself, and more particularly in Dresden, in springtime. To go with it, the young sommelier suggested an excellent 2004 dry white wine from the Klaus Zimmerling estate, which she described as follows: "A Weissburgunder expressing a subtle acidity and a powerful minerality, with delicate aromas of apricot and citrus fruit that go wonderfully well with asparagus." Next, the "Warm char in elderberry stock with celery salad"** constituted the most amazing taste experience of this meal, since the pre-eminence of French cuisine where the sweet-sour contrast is very marked, contrary to German culinary tradition, means that we are not accustomed to eating fish with a slightly sweet accompaniment. The char, caught in the Ertz mountains, required a particular wine, a 2005 dry Scheurebe from Schoss Proschwitz: "The Scheurebe is a grape variety that resembles Sauvignon Blanc, with fresh aromas of redcurrant and white currant that go very well with elderberry." The "Roast saddle of venison from Moritzburg in herbs served with cabbage and chanterelle mushrooms"*** proved of more classic style. Those who know the extraordinary Moritzburg hunting lodge (built by Augustus the Strong) and the surrounding forests, will hardly be surprised by the remarkable quality of the product: the princes of Europe were educated in all the best things. This meat is extremely tender, with a very pleasant aroma; definitely the occasion to try venison if you are among those who are wary of its strong taste. On the advice of our sommelier, we again opted for a local wine in perfect harmony with the game: a Dornfelder Barrique 2003 from Schloss Proschwitz that was a "lovely deep red, almost purple, with aromas of blackberry, dried plum, blackcurrant and cherry." As for the dessert, here again the German touch is subtle but very real: "Strawberry sorbet with Waldmeister jelly and a lemon-filled crêpe"****. Waldmeister (master of the forests) - sweet woodruff in English - is a plant from the undergrowth of northern Europe. It can be found in herbalist's shops in England, where it is used as a medicinal herb. In Germany, it is more of an aromatic plant used in culinary preparations: syrups, ice creams, but also sausages... Wines of SaxonyThe Saxon vineyards are located along the Elbe between Meissen and Dresden, i.e. almost at the same latitude as London, which should theoretically make viticulture impossible here, were it not for the extremely hot continental summers. The main grape varieties are Müller-Thurgau, Weissburgunder, Grauburgunder, Riesling and Traminer.  The Weingut (estate) Klaus Zimmerling is at Pillnitz, on the eastern outskirts of Dresden. Here, organic farming is practised on 4 hectares (10 acres) with small yields: 0.5 litres per vine. The vines are very much a "culture" in every sense of the word, with labels that change with each vintage. They represent works by Malgorzata Chodakowska, wife of Klaus Zimmerling, whose life-sized sculptures fill the family home with enigmatic shadows. Amazing! Schloss (castle) Proschwitz, the estate of the Prince zur Lippe, is in Meissen, about twenty kilometres northwest of Dresden. This 57-hectare (141 acre) estate is one of the largest and oldest in Saxony. It is also a contemporary story, since it was not until after the fall of the Berlin Wall that the prince returned to the land of his ancestors, repurchased the estate from the State and invested in it to elevate Schloss Proschwitz to the ranks of the best Saxon wines. Modern and functional addressesIf you want to escape from the brasserie atmosphere and meats with sauce, we suggest several restaurants with refined decor and light cuisine strongly influenced by the Mediterranean world. The principal advantage of the Alte Meister is that it is located right in the historic centre and paradoxically ignored by tourists. Opposite the opera house, a stone's throw from the Zwinger, it boasts beautiful, bright, high-ceilinged dining rooms in an old building, and a superb terrace. Modern decor and international cuisine.  The Lesage © Volkswagen Further from the centre, the Lesage is the restaurant of the Gläsernen Manufaktur, the Volkswagen factory where the Phaeton is assembled. The decor is on a par with the glass and aluminium architecture of this "plant": exceptional! The Lesage has been awarded a Bib gourmand for its fusion-style international cuisine. A few examples: "Gazpacho with paprika, parmesan and crostini" or "Tuna tartare with coriander potatoes and melon" as starter; "Fillet of halibut with basmati rice, coconut and pine nuts" or "Duck tortellini served with cabbage and mushroom sauce" for the main course. Still in this same district adjacent to the Grosser Garten, the Lingner restaurant awaits you in the incongruous setting of the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum, built in the neo-Classical fascist style of the 1930s. Rather like going to dine at the Tate Modern but in a completely isolated, not to say lonely, environment. Strange! The gentle fizz of the beerAccording to legend, Richard Strauss, whose name is associated with Dresden [see other article], good food and beer - his wife was from a family of Bavarian brewers - maintained that he could set a glass of beer to music in such a way that people could tell whether it was a Kulmbacher or a Pilsner. Speaking of which, the local beer is Radeberger, which is none other than a Pilsner and the oldest one at that, since it was at the origin of the brand. Saxon folkloreImitation weapon collections and fake armour, long tables and maidservants in traditional costume, the Sophienkeller has all the ingredients to attract a massive tourist clientele. and it does just that. Located between the Royal Castle and Taschenberpalais, it is an ideal place to stop between two tours to sample a few Spezialitäten such as Sächsische Kartoffelnsuppe (Saxon potato soup with cumin and thin slices of sausage) and Sächsicher Sauerbraten (Saxon-style veal in a slightly sour sauce, with red cabbage and an enormous knödel). To top it all off, a Sächsische Quarkkeucheln - a potato-based cake - will end your meal with a flourish.  © E. Boucher / ViaMichelin For mingling with the natives there is no better place than the Biergartens, which are always very convivial. There are some very beautiful ones on the banks of the Elbe, in an extremely protected environment. The Fährgarten Johannstadt boasts the advantage of being in Dresden itself, a stone's throw from the landing stage (Terrassenufer) for cruises on the Elbe. Very popular and frequented by the locals, this Biergarten also offers a beautiful view of the city. As its name suggests, the Schillergarten is an historic place: like every self-respecting romantic, Schiller fell in love here with the waitress, Justine Segedin, a German beauty who is to be found under the name of Gustel von Blasewitz in Wallenstein. For the time being, while waiting to be struck by cupid's arrow, you can always enjoy the panorama of the Elbe and Loschwitz Brücke, a 19th century metal bridge that is curiously nicknamed the Blaues Wunder, the "Blue Wonder". *Gebackener Hornhecht auf mariniertem Stangenspargel mit Kaiserschoten-Tomaten-Vinaigrette. **Lauwarmer Wilsaibling im Holuderblütenfond mit Apfel-Sellerie-Salat. ***Moritzburger Rehrücken in Aromaten gebraten mit Spitzkohl und Pfifferlingen. ****Waldmeister-Erdbeer-Bowle mit gefüllten Zitronencrêpe. Practical informationCaroussel - Rähnitzgasse 19 - D - 01097 Dresden Tel: (0351) 8 00 30. Internet: www.buelow-residenz.de Reckon on ¤68 to ¤99. Alte Meister - Theaterplatz 1a - D - 01067 Dresden Tel: (0351) 4 81 04 26. Internet: www.altemeister.net Reckon on ¤23 to ¤31. Lesage - Lennéstr. 1 - D - 01069 Dresden Tel: (0351) 4 20 42 50. Internet: www.glaesernemanufaktur.de Reckon on ¤29 to ¤33. Lingner - Lingnerplatz 1 - 01069 Dresden Tel: (0351) 48 46 600. Internet: www.restaurant-lingner.de Reckon on ¤14.50 to ¤19.50. Sophienkeller im Taschenbergpalais - Taschenberg 3 - D-01067 Dresden Tel: (0351) 497 26 - 0. Internet: www.sophienkeller-dresden.de Fährgarten Johannstadt - Käthe-Kollwitz-Ufer 23b - 01307 Dresden Tel: (0351) 459 62 62. Internet: www.faehrgarten.de Schillergarten - Schillerplatz 9 - 01309 Dresden Tel: (0351) 811 99-0. Internet: www.schillergarten.de |
Tourism and Gastronomy
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