"The baroque castle of Bensberg rises above the village. Built around 1711, one of the best hotels in Germany is the Grandhotel Schloss Bensberg. The hotel has 3 restaurants. The Vendome , one of the highest excellent restaurants in Germany, with 19.5 out of 20 possible Gault Millau points. The Trattoria Enoteca with only 15 out of 20 possible Gault Millau points and the Hotel Restaurant Jan Wellem that is reserved for the breakfast of the hotel guests. We chose the Trattoria, on the eve of the warming up of the Oldtimer Classics 2013 at the Schlosshotel. It was already September, but the 05.09.2013 is hardly to be overlooked in terms of weather. Fully 35 degrees a day and even in the evening at 8:00 p.m. still 25 degrees world-class weather! We entered the Trattoria and were initially disappointed, shining emptiness. The misunderstanding quickly clarified. At these temperatures, about 40 guests had already taken a seat on the terrace without exception. There was a pleasant atmosphere. Large sand-colored sunshades all light damped without advertising. Ordinary terrace furniture with a good red upholstery, surrounded by the rupture stone facade of the castle. Tuscany ambience, 15 kilometres from the gates of the holy city of Cologne. The very friendly service led us to the reserved table, the cards were handed shortly after. Just sit back and throw a stressful day off. Enjoy a cool aperitivo and study the map. The choice was hard, but suddenly everything was simple. We chose the GIRO D ' ITALIA , a 5 course menue with matching wines. I didn't have to worry about wine selection. To one of these wine-consulting talks I had no desire and if my lady did not taste the wine, touche, I am not the guilty. Sometimes life is so easy. So please, 2 x the Menue Casalinga. Shortly after the order, the greeting was served from the kitchen. Very fresh bread from the in-house bakery, with pesto and a tuna cream. Light, delicious, refreshing. This rather modest Amuse Bouche until then for such a house was then elaborately supplemented after a short time. Wonderful ham from Modena and Salame Felino. My dear, that was already a pleasant start and awakened expectations on the menue. The wine to the first appetizer was presented. The appetizer is served: Piemontaiser Kalbstatar The Tatar had an excellent consistency, but was not equipped with many flavors at the first bite. But enjoyment in the palate immediately occurred when one combined the Peperonata salad with the pesto and the Tatar. Have fun in your mouth. The wine gifted for it, relatively mild, suitable. Good! Until the next gear was served, about 15 minutes passed, for us wonderfully fitting. We looked around. The audience was very mixed. A little business people (Hurra again a new Spesentag , some Classics 2013 Oldtimer steers and people from next door. But there was still cautiously formulated some optimization requirement. The really good illumination of the terrace was mostly covered by the very large parasols. In case, only with effort and 2.5 dipotrien was recognizable, which was served on the chic design plates, although the service always told exactly what was served. A little later, a slight improvement occurred. 10 or more large torches were lit on the terrace. Nevertheless, one should think about the illumination of the terrace, at least when the umbrellas are open and it is already dark. The next wine (a South Tyrolean was served, right on the 2nd course: Pfifferlingrisotto To take it right away, this course also a culinary masterpiece of the kitchen. The seedlings of selected quality, enriched with lynx and also sautified grapes. Actually, for me a risotto is rather a boring gastric filler. But what was prepared here in the kitchen by Marcus Graun was hat off ! The South Tyrolean served with it fits without if and but. The time until the next gear is completely balanced again. New wine has been served, now a much stronger growth. Fish soup with fillets of Mediterranean fish and crustaceans What was now served was strictly considered no soup. The liquid part of the 3rd appetizer was manageable, a rather aromatic brew. However, in this soup broth (sorry about the kitchen for this laity formulation there were several very interesting fillets of different mariners. So fish plus Gambas, just a wonderful fish dish. The name of soup was simply a (intended? abortion. What else you can find in a fish soup often hardly exceeds 10 grams and has a comfortable place on a (tee spoon). That was clearly different here. The 2009 Chardonnay from Sicily fits exactly. We enjoyed the wine, which was still 25 degrees at 21:30, the torches and a service that appeared almost silent. Not Grandhotel stiff as you could expect here, but light, easy and charming. Just pleasant. Now to the main dish, accompanied by a 2007er from Tuscany who had a neat severity. The main dish: Sixty hours gently cooked beef shovelbug What was now served was really beyond any classic Italian cuisine of La Mamma, but rather the appeal of a new modern kitchen based on Italian products. If one would use the word tenderly for this meat creation, that would not be fair. This meat dish put every beef fillet in the shadows. Joachim Wissler could profile himself in the Vendome. The meat was accompanied by hazelnut balls and spicy cabbage. Another compliment to the kitchen. So these were 4 courses, still missing the dessert: cream brulee This gang had also experienced the hand of a boiling foodstuff list. The cream brulee was served in a deep plate, with white nougat and some milk ice cream. Beautiful, creative, created for gourmets. The wine to it, Moscato d Asti sweet. Well, that's it. Criticism? No, actually, only great praise. However, two suggestions. The first was already mentioned in the evening in the dark on the terrace a little more light. The second suggestion refers to the served Aqua Pellegrino. At 25 degrees still in the evening, the water cries after a cooler. Otherwise, an almost perfect performance of kitchen and service. The menu was calculated with 99 euros each, and the wines served were included. The wines were very good if I can judge this with my modest knowledge of grape drinks. To call this Trattoria an Italian is not quite apt. Most products from Italy are used here, but the kitchen rather combines a modern creative cuisine, with Italian basic elements. We took the digestif at the hotel bar. Strietzel Stuck was already there. Also some more or less prominent oldtimer steers. To the stars: The kitchen convinced completely and therefore without if and but 5 stars for this kitchen performance. Just like the service, even 5 stars. No, for the uncooled pellegrino, no deduction, because the nap was otherwise acting without any weaknesses, he was fully convinced. For the ambience 4 stars and the PLV full 5 stars. It should be noted that the included 5 different wines were very generously presented. Wine consumption has been expanded in the hotel bar. The next morning the hunger for a good breakfast was somewhat restricted. ps The menu was offered as Menue Casalinga. Casalinga means translated housewife. If in Italy all housewives so cook I wish an Italian housewife, but only to cook!"
Bergisch Gladbach
