Restaurants
Hugos Berlin’s Star Restaurant in a New Light
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Opening Times
Wednesday to Saturday: 6.30 pm - 00.00
Address
Hugos Restaurant
Budapester Str. 2
InterContinental Berlin, 14. Etage
10787 Berlin-Tiergarten
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Tonight we are going up high, both locally and culinary: the Hugos restaurant is located on the 14th floor of the InterContinental Berlin hotel and is thus the highest star restaurant in the city.
Accordingly, the unbeatable view we can enjoy from our corner seat on the continuous window front is already inspiring. From the Victory Column to the Sony Center, evening Berlin shines up, worthy of the fine 6-course menu (185 euros) that awaits us. Chef Eberhard Lange, who has been in charge of the kitchen at Hugos since 1998, is responsible for the menu, which he has been preparing since 2015.
Since 1999, the restaurant in the sky above Berlin has been consistently awarded a Michelin star (the longest continuous star in the city) and 17 Gault Millau points, making it one of the top culinary addresses in the city for 24 years.
This is due in no small part to the excellent service and team spirit that has always been a priority here. In addition, the colour scheme of the interior complements the nocturnal city beyond the windows wonderfully.
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Grey-brown walls and dark Scandinavian designer furniture complement subtle, rose-coloured details and cleverly placed paintings and flowers as splashes of colour. An elegantly modern and, at the same time, homely ambience.
When Eberhard Lange took over the kitchen in 2015, he was not only able to defend the Michelin star - a remarkable achievement, as he only had two months to do so after taking over - but he also decided to offer the menu completely vegetarian. An important step here was to move away from simply "substituting" the meat or fish dish and find a more creative approach.
Meanwhile, the beverage accompaniment comes from sommelier Andrew Connor. The New Zealander's expertise offers, in addition to an impressive 500 positions on the wine list of Hugos Restaurant and Wine Bar, a sophisticated non-alcoholic accompaniment. The engaging host has a charming and approachable way of explaining the intricacies of his selection that stays with us for a long time.
Before the actual first course comes the, fortunately for us, obligatory greeting from the kitchen. A trio of delicate finger foods of lettuce hearts with porcini mayo, a cheese ball filled with cheese cream and apple-scallion chutney, and a beef tartare tartelette with confit courgette and anchovy mayo. A successful start, accompanied by a glass of rosé sparkling wine from Dr Wehrheim for my companion, while I enjoy a Jacquesson Extra Brut Cuvée 745.
The bread selection includes a variety of jars of butter as well as a piece of turbot with parsley root sauce and char caviar, skilfully underlined by a light, mineral Radici Fiano from Mastroberadino.
For the following first course, we stick to the theme of the sea: a kind of praline of yellowtail mackerel, tartare on the inside and sashimi on the outside, with buttermilk, jalapeno oil, jalapeno mayonnaise and baked nori seaweed, whose crunchiness contrasts wonderfully with the tender fish flesh.
The next course is almost reminiscent of Easter. A composition of pickled Faroese salmon with imperial caviar, spinach, baked potato and an egg yolk praline, drizzled with a hay sauce, is enthroned on a nest of hay.
In the following, our plates differ, but they have in common a tomato vinaigrette with paprika. While buffalo mozzarella with dill ice cream plays the leading role on the plate, I am presented with a Breton langostino with flamed tartare. The star chef garnishes this with a delicate arrangement of tiny tomatoes and flowers - a real feast for the eyes.
It continues deliciously with ricotta-filled agnolotti with celery cream and roasted leeks, over which Eberhard Lange generously grates white Alba truffle. Less complex but extraordinarily satisfying and setting the mood for the menu's centrepiece: incomparably tender Brandenburg saddle of venison with buckwheat crepes, mushrooms and quince, a little Romanesco creates a colourful splash of colour.
The delicate cuisine is well mastered by Hugos Restaurant, as the dessert proves to us once again. Creams of espresso and pecan with abate pear, tonka bean ice cream, and miso caramel create an eye-pleasing composition of delicate cream and brown tones. These are framed on both sides by small edible pebbles of dehydrated chocolate, garnished with a thin chocolate leaf, which we crack with relish with a spoon.
After a successful journey through many flavours, we must say goodbye to the Hugos with heavy hearts. But not without taking one last languorous look at the breathtaking scenery before we leave.
By the way: For all those who want to experience an extraordinary evening on the coming day of lovers, Hugos offers an extensive Valentine's Day menu.
