Hofzwanzig: Deconstruction of a Sunday evening

18:20 - Intermediate course

Cauliflower in three different ways (as a mousse, fried and pickled) with egg yolk, maple and cress promised (and delivered) variety in textures and flavors. A beautiful vegetarian course. Accompanied by the white wine cuvée from Schwarz, about which JJ Nguyen told us that they were now good friends, but that he didn't know what was in it. However, he came back a little later and told us. Even if it was only 3/4 of the truth, because he only mentioned the four varieties. But: no matter. Nice course, nice (simple) wine.

A thirsty period of over half an hour followed: the wine was finished, the plates were cleared, nothing came.

7.10 pm - main course

That went like clockwork: The red wine arrives and immediately afterwards the food. Perfect timing. However, we had become increasingly full during the almost 40-minute wait. "There's probably nothing more to come!", our stomachs thought to themselves in slight surprise - how could they have guessed that the kitchen had deconstructed the menu into four individual courses?

The Barbarie duck, celeriac puree, chicory and spiced cherry came as advertised on the menu of the month: roasted pink, perhaps even pinkish red. It made a good impression, even if we had the feeling that it was a normal main course dish, as it is served on its own, and not a component of a multi-course menu. When asked, we were told: "We don't want our guests to go home hungry!" (and the ladies at the next table even said that they still felt like a kebab...). The red wine (on request: a southern French wine from the south of France) sipped quite well, just as you would expect from a wine in the €5 class. I drank it slowly and reverently, who knows how long the wait would be this time. I also noticed how the meat at the table was turning gray. It must have been cooked too quickly at too high a temperature, causing it to overcook (when every ambitious chef knows that you have to cook it sous vide or normally at a low temperature and then only brown it briefly to retain its elegant pink color). However: after twelve minutes, this course was also eaten.

Then followed the half-hour thirsty period that is customary in the hotel: the wine was drunk, the plates were cleared, there was: nothing.

20:11 - dessert

There was no wine at all with the dessert, which was promisingly called rice pudding 2.0 - without revealing what the number was all about. Because it was a little crunchy? Because there was no sugar and cinnamon, but raspberries and white chocolate ice cream that was melting away as it was served? No idea.

8.20 p.m. - The bill

We had long since written off the crime scene, but wanted to go quickly. It also appeared surprisingly quickly: no bill to look over, but the chef with the electronic payment device, on which a sum was written (no need to remove the starter because of a bone mishap!) and underneath the three options to tip 10, 15 or 20 percent. Quite apart from the fact that I asked myself: for what? Quite apart from the fact that I usually tip ten percent - without this more than gentle pressure, as the waitress is watching you - and sometimes, if it was particularly good and the service was particularly attentive, even more, quite apart from the usual customs, I gave: nothing. Out of stubbornness, and because the 79 euros for the menu already includes the tip, right?

One look at the menu of the day is enough to make me think that it's never €79. I found the main course (Barbarie duck) on the menu for €32 and the dessert (rice pudding) for €10.90. The starter (smoked trout fillet) is available there as a main course for €21.90, so I reckon it might be €12 as a starter. I couldn't find anything comparable on the menu for the intermediate course, but perhaps it would be a high €18? That plus a generous ten percent tip: just right.

"How nice that you found your way to us!" the chef said to us more than once. Well: some say so, others...

Menu

Starter

Smoked trout fillet | horseradish cream, green apple, dill

Intermediate course

Cauliflower | egg yolk, maple

Main course

Barbarie duck | celeriac puree, chicory, spiced cherry

Dessert

Rice pudding | raspberry, white chocolate

Wine pairing

No fixed standard wine pairing

Info

• 4-course €79

Restaurant & Pension HOFZWANZIG
Fährstraße 20
01279 Dresden

Tel. +49 172 383 52 72
hofzwanzig.de

[Visited on February 22, 2026]