The restaurant Das Palais in the Kempinski Taschenbergpalais is a sophisticated place. Perfect service is part of this, even if it sometimes seems a little old-fashioned and stiff: the waitress could simply address you as "Sie" and look at you, or even (as in the Adlon, also a Kempinski) address you by name - everyone has a reservation, so it wouldn't be rocket science. But instead you prefer "The gentleman! The lady!" and ask, no longer quite so aloof and already a bit of a takeover: "Shall we try the wine now?" For heaven's sake, no, not us! I want to taste it alone! I didn't mean it like that with the "we" - but who knows, maybe next time I'll just reply: "I'd love to, why don't you join me?"
The culinary start to the evening begins with a playful gimmick. A green shot stands on a square, solid-looking wooden box, next to it is a stylish bowl with a little something on top as a kitchen greeting - a hint of early spring, because with crayfish and kohlrabi, a Leipziger Allerlei is already quoted, for which we still have to wait two or three months (if everything is to be fresh). But then! The waiter pushes the lid aside, pulls out a drawer at the bottom and there's a secret compartment hidden in the open lid - et voilá: Spread, bread and salt are available. Very nice and a great idea, even if the one salt has obviously not been moved for a long time: it was stuffed in the tube. Pro tip: poke it with a needle from time to time and loosen it up! The bread and spread were of the "unfortunately sooo good" variety that there was nothing left over. The service offered to add more - but common sense kicked in and whispered: "Look, there's more to come. Does it have to be?"
