This is a restaurant located, strangely, in the premises of the Berlin-Grunewald Tennis Club, and is basically not too easy to get to with public transport. But it is really worth the effort as the food is quite amazing and really good value for money. The cook has had a Michelin star before, gave it up, and is now back with a vengeance to attain back that star. So this restaurant goes that extra little inch to make their clients happy, and it shows.
The restaurant itself is located towards the rear of a rather imposing villa, which serves as the clubhouse and administrative centre. It is not the most elegantly fitted out restaurant and the few brass items of fishy items look a little kitsch. The clientele is rather staid and upper middle-class but everyone seemed appreciative of their dinner, and for a good reason, as the food here is really very fine indeed.
Dinner started with 2 kinds of amuse bouche, both elegant and interesting and delicious. The goose liver mousse was a little too light for me but the scallops and lobster were wonderful, and so is the monkfish (seeteufel). However, the absolute highlight was the pigeon breast, which was superbly cooked with the tastiness of rare meat but without the chewiness. Hr Fruehsammer came out himself to explain that this is a special breed of pigeon, imported from France and his is the only place that serves it in Berlin.
The wines were a trifle limited in choice, but was still a good selection. I can heartily recommend the Chilean Anakena 2003 Carmenere, which was a steal. Overall, this is one restaurant that makes it into my favourites list on the first go, and that does not happen often. read more