The Updated Update:
All is well once again. Casse Croute is back on form, as far as I'm concerned.
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The Update:
Bloody Nora, what was that? Well, for the first time someone seems to have thrown a spanner in Casse Croute's usually well-oiled works.
For once service took ages, lacked organisation and attentiveness. Having had to wait a long time for the Wiener Schnitzels means the disappointment was even greater when they arrived accompanied by extremely crisp (not to say burnt) fried potatoes.
The attempt to order dessert was in vain, for the ladies were too busy to recognise the hungry guest's plight (and raised hand).
Hopefully this will turn out to be a one-off due to an understandable reason such as unexpected staff shortage - but this recent visit makes a downgrade inevitable for the time being.
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The Old Review:
If familiarity doesn't breed contempt, it at least goes some way of diminishing the sense of occasion. Which is why, as I'm writing this, I have to remind myself of Casse Croute's qualities. The problem is that I visit this particular restaurant on a regular basis. Therefore, knowing what to expect, I'm hardly surprised when Casse Croute delivers once again - I just take it for granted.
Yet the reasons for my loyalty are obvious: the food is always of the same good standard, with some classics being unpretentious highlights, such as the Wiener Schnitzel, which ranks among the very best available in Hamburg. It's obvious as well that the service knows how to go about their business, for they combine competence and friendliness in a very professional manner (as evidenced when I was in a rush to get the check due to being late for the opera, which was done at lightning speed and with a smile).
So far you are right in smelling the whiff of a four star review, therefore you might ask why I award Casse Croute the cherished fifth celestial body. The reason is simple: I applaud any restaurant that delivers without any kind of false pretence. Some dishes are actually better than what one might find at certain acclaimed addresses, yet nobody would claim this was an "almost Michelin star" restaurant. I also have yet to find a poncey, extravagant wannabe-haute cuisine dish on the menu, which is a temptation chefs with just the slightest of ambitions seem to be unable to withstand these days. I have yet to experience Casse Croute out of its depth.
Sometimes sheer competence and reliability aren't valued as highly as they should be. Take Mercedes-Benz: when they used to build bullet-proof, straightforward cars, people were moaning that they were too square, sober and boring. Then, in the 90s, they tried to become fancy and their cars started to rust, at which point many people started appreciating the neglected values of yore.
I hope to have thus made my appreciation of Casse Croute's strengths public before anything starts to rust. So to speak. read more