Finally earning a third Michelin Star in 2007, some fifteen years after Chef Claus-Peter Lumpp took…read moreover the kitchen following years at Louis XV, Bareiss Restaurant resides inside the hotel founded by Hermine Bareiss in 1951 and lives up to its accolades in terms of Food as well as service.
Located in the Black Forest town of Baiersbronn-Mitteltal, less than ten minutes drive from legendary Schwarzwaldstube im Hotel Traube Tonbach, guests approaching Hotel Bareiss will immediately notice a landscape flooded with flowers, the theme continuing inside where several other Restaurants including Dorfstuben serve delicious rustic fare at relative-bargain prices.
A small and exclusive dining room, no more than thirty chairs available during lunch and dinner service daily, it was after seating by Maître Thomas Brandt that three menus were presented, dinner and lunch both offering distinct tastings with more substantial individual plates sold a la carte.
Making decisions easier by allowing reasonable substitutions, though eventually the lunch menu with a la carte additions was selected, it was while listening to light music and gazing out windows that Canapes were presented, the spiraling vertical array highlighted by umami-rich Mushrooms and Sesame Seeds as well as Chicken Tartare brightened by Curry.
Unhurried but consistently paced, Wheat Rolls with two types of Butter the only table Bread despite several varieties offered on the outdoor patio, it was while perusing the Wine tome that the first of two Amuses was presented, a duo of plates each featuring Woodruff, Kohlrabi and Cheese with the larger room temperature and the bowl centered on creamy Sheep's Milk Sorbet.
Transitioning quickly from fresh to rich, a "Risotto" of Oats embodying the idea of Poulet au Vin Jaune, it was with all tables now accounted for that the menu officially started, locally fished Trout described as Char first gently poached and served alongside Herb Emulsion and Radishes, then as finely cut Tartare resting in fragrant Chive Cream with subtle hints of Tarragon.
Offering Goose Liver as a Starter, the 98€ price-tag more than half the cost of Restaurant Bareiss' entire lunch tasting, it was after twenty minutes that the table was flooded with decadence, the centerpiece a thick Terrine upright next to a Macaron and various dollops though a seared Steak in Rhubarb Jus with a creamy Praline and the elegant caramelized Cake with subtle nuttiness were no less impressive.
Not technically a 'palate cleanser,' but using sweetened Foie Gras Ice Cream on buttery Brioche as such, it was with serviceware re-set that an entrée arrived in two vessels, the Veal cooked rare truly magnificent in its subtlety and texture while a bowl of slowly braised Cheek afloat in earthy Foam threatened to steal the spotlight.
Exchanging the lunch napkin for a dainty Dessert version, though sweets from Pâtissier Stefan Leitner came in no shortage, Rhubarb predictably made an appearance in several forms alongside whole Fruits and textures while more classic shapes comprised Friandises, Confiserie and Pralines particularly memorable for three items focused on Sour Cherries as well as a dense and nutty Apricot Cake.
Settling a bill that was pricey but justified, customized menu in hand, it was after lunch that hotel staff offered a brief tour of the grounds, and passing by Bareiss' "Cake Room" twice the only rational way to finish seemed to be a half-hour on the patio with Espresso and two slices, the eponymous Torte like Sacher replacing Apricots with Cherries and Chef Leitner's Black Forest not only the best tasted to date in terms of density of Sponge and lightness of Cream, but a true bargain at just 4€.
