Two Top Notch Restaurants

Saturday, August 24th , 2019

This is my first visit to Waldhotel Sonnora (pictured) since the sad death of its founder and head chef Helmut Thieltges. The kitchen is now run by his long-term sous chef Clemens Rambichler, who based on this meal is emerging as a serious talent in his own right. Sonnora serves quite classical French food with just the odd German touch, such as the sourcing of the local deer. We had a superb meal here that demonstrated top notch cooking technique and top of the range produce, including a huge and beautifully sweet langoustine. Service was lovely and as a bonus the wine is very fairly priced, with the odd genuine bargain lurking in amongst its many pages. This is proper three star Michelin cooking, and every bit as good as it was under its former head chef.

It would be hard to top that meal, but Christian Bau at Schloss Berg managed it. This has long been one of my favourite restaurants in the world, Mr Bau’s cooking is rooted in classical French technique but is heavily influenced by Japan. He sources the absolutely finest produce, whether this be top notch Japanese beef or the highest quality fish available, and the lengthy menu unfolds through a sequence of beautifully presented and exquisitely balanced dishes. Everything on the plate is there for a reason. Service is charming here and the wine list is also very fairly priced indeed by the standards of high-end restaurants. This is without a doubt one of the very best restaurants in the world at present.