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Felsenbirne (Pirna): The happy goose and the brave rosé

Lamb in the main course
From: Ulrich van Stipriaan
Kochsternstunden at the Felsenbirne restaurant in Pirna: a carefully composed menu with happy foie gras, sweetbreads, monkfish and two kinds of lamb; convincing craftsmanship, rather restrained wine accompaniment.

Before going to the restaurant, I read the menu - not because I have any intolerances (I'm not allergic to anything except bad taste), but to get a taste of what's to come. A menu with happy goose liver, followed by veal sweetbreads and monkfish, lamb in two different ways and a dessert that we didn't like years ago: that sounds uffregending! So off we went to Pirna to try out the Kochsternstunden menu!

The exciting-sounding menu comes at a price: just under a hundred euros, and the wines from the accompanying drinks, which are not at all above average, are also very bravely sold at eight euros per glass. This could be one reason why the rather large restaurant was not too full that evening. On the other hand, it could be that chef and host Felix Mikulla has bigger plans, so let's give it a try.

The first course is quite a linguistic jumble of English, French and German terms. The happy foie gras (happy because the animals weren't stuffed) was also presented on the plate with its partners brioche and chutney in a rather disorderly arrangement that didn't want to form a picture for me. But: morsel after morsel tasted good and everything came together in the mouth to form a fitting whole.

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Calf sweetbreads are one of those offal dishes that don't come around that often - partly because they don't come around that often (the gland serves the animal's immune defense and growth and regresses), and partly because the preparation is not without effort (watering, pressing, cleaning). However, if everything is done correctly, sweetbreads are a fine ingredient - whether in complicated dishes such as the famous sweetbread rum ear or simply roasted with one or two accompaniments. Whereby simply roasted doesn't mean that the chef doesn't have to be careful: as always, it's all about the right timing. Felix Miulla had hit it perfectly, and with finely seasoned pointed cabbage, potato fritters and a jus, it was wintery and cozy.

Two main courses followed - one with fish, one with meat. The monkfish was accompanied by pumpkin: pickled on the one hand and in a pumpkin seed risotto on the other, with complementary flavors. The sauce was made from crustaceans - which added a little extra flavor to the whole affair. The meat course took up the two-tier idea, translated to lamb: this was served as a tender pink sous vide cooked and briefly seared lamb rump on the one hand and as a ragout with a matching sauce on the other. It was served with Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes. It sounds like home cooking, but the way it was done made it stand out from the crowd. I also think it's good when pointed cabbage, pumpkin or Brussels sprouts are removed from the image of canteen food (or school meals) and simply prepared in a tasty way.

For dessert, a little pomelo brought back memories of our first cooking lessons at the Felsenbirne, this time in a combination with a brownie, a chocolate parfait and a sorbet. A symphony in apricot...

One more sentence to accompany the drinks. This came almost exclusively from Weinhandwerk Meißen (the Chardonnay from Studier on the list was out) - which you can do. But even in the more valuable Gründerzeit line, these are of course not great wines, but at best very pleasant everyday wines - and if you are aiming for a clientele that appreciates high-priced culinary delights, then they usually know and love more sophisticated wines. Especially with the main course, a rosé (as pleasing as the Meissen team make it for their clientele) is quickly ruled out.

Menu

  • Happy foie gras terrine (without stopper) caramelized
    Homemade brioche | cranberry-pear chutney | lamb's lettuce
  • Fried sweetbreads
    Spiced cabbage | potato fritters | sherry jus
  • Fried monkfish
    Pumpkin seed Risotto | Pickled pumpkin | Crustacean sauce
  • Lamb ragout and lamb rump sous vide
    Rosy cabbage roasted | Potato and sesame puree
  • Pecan brownie
    Cranberry sorbet | Curd | Chocolate parfait | Pomelo

Complementary drinks

  • 2022 LORIINI Blanc, semi-dry | Weingut Schott | Nahe
  • 2024 Chardonnay dry, Weingut Studier | Pfalz
  • 2023 Cuvée Grau-Weissburgunder, dry, Weinhandwerk Meißen | Sachsen
  • 2022 Pinot Noir Rosé, DQW, dry, Weinhandwerk Meißen | Saxony
  • 2023 Riesling Kabinett Gründerzeit, Weinhandwerk Meißen | Saxony

Info

  • 3-course € 66 | incl. wine accompaniment € 90
  • . wine accompaniment 90 €
  • 4-course 89 € | incl. wine accompaniment 121 €
  • 5-course 98 € | incl. wine accompaniment 138 €

Restaurant Felsenbirne
Lange Straße 34
01796 Pirna

Tel. +49 3501 / 7599791
felsenbirne-restaurant.de

[Visited on March 10, 2026]

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Ulrich van Stipriaan
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