We've already learned what a pop-up restaurant is. But as long as it pops up in some event location or restaurant, it's not really that cool. Verena Leister, who has been popping up here and there since 2017, has now taken the plunge: she invited (and invites, as part of the Cooking Star Hours) guests to a 12-course meal in her living room. The motto (as last year): Flavor Blast - taste explosions.
You have to dare to do that and want to do it, to invite mostly strangers into your home twice a week! Well, she has a large, very tidy living room and a well-equipped and pleasantly large kitchen. But twelve people? That had to be managed first. "Welcome, feel at home!" was the greeting in the friendly plural Du. The entire brigade stood in front of the guests: Verena and Philipp, nothing more. "We haven't changed anything here, everything is the same as usual!" came the subtle hint from Philipp, who said he felt mainly responsible for service and washing up. And for the rest? Verena, the always smiling, lively chef without airs and graces.
She could have had them, because so many of them didn't do so well on the TV show The Taste (even if it wasn't enough to win). But she has kept her feet on the ground and has a lot of fun working on the things that benefit the guests. This time, by the way, there was no music ("that's not so appropriate in an apartment after all!"), but instead remarkable creations on spoons and plates.
Spoons are an essential part of the evening. Since The Taste, she has become accustomed to accommodating the different flavors of a course in the smallest of spaces, i.e. on the tasting spoons. They are practically small, so two courses can come together. But under no circumstances should they be eaten together, not even in the wrong order: first salmon tartare (with a wonderful cucumber sauce and parsley sour cream in tramezzino), then the goat's cheese praline (on a fruity, spicy mango and pepper gel).
Not everything fits on spoons. Pulpo like this must be allowed to spread out, and people need something to fill them up as well as satisfy their sweet tooth. It doesn't have to be the infamous filling side dish - perfectly cooked, tender pulpo resting in two different sauces (of which the smoked paprika sauce was actually crying out for more, but we're sensible...)
The plate of pulpo was just the valley between the spoons. As a prelude to the intermediate course on plates, two intermediate course spoons were placed on the intermediate course plate. This immediately made it onto the list of courses not to be forgotten because so much came together here and was perfect: a large ravioli was wrapped in a Parmesan foam - umami to die for! - wrapped a large raviolo around the Dürrrröhrsdorf Friday sausage. The "r" clusters together and the taste buds enjoy this fresh, spicy sausage, which is actually only available on Fridays, even on a Saturday. Except sometimes, like at Verena's, on Saturdays. The spinach was the kind that would turn even children into lovers of this all too often watery, overcooked vegetable...
We'll skip a bit now and just mention the dry aged fillet of beef in the main course, because it turned out so perfectly in the red wine jus (art comes from skill!) and move straight on to the desserts. The cherry on the plate made it clear that the nose to tail principle can also be applied to fruit and vegetables, in this case fruit to pip... The cherry stones became cherry stone ice cream, the sour cherry lay innocently naked in its own sauce - but we had to praise the uncherry nut butter in particular. We would have liked to have had it again, but as consolation for not having this wish fulfilled, two farewell dessert spoons (white wine mousse the one, blue crème brûlée the other) were not to be scoffed at either...
There were seven wines to accompany the meal - more than enough. But compared to the quality of the food, they were very, very simple. Verena should seek advice from the wine experts whose venues she sometimes works at as a chef...
The menu
- Spoon:
Salmon tartare I Tramezzini I Parsley sour cream I Pickled lettuce I Cucumber broth - Spoon:
Goat cheese praline I arugula sauce I candied walnut I mango pepper gel - Appetizer:
Pulpo I red bean cream I smoked paprika broth I corn - Spoon:
Pickled apple I Two kinds of celery I Onion crunch - Spoon:
Smoked trout I Open strudel I Pickled cucumber mango salsa I Horseradish mousse - Intermediate course:
Raviolo I Dürrrröhrsdorfer Friday sausage stuffing I Herb cream I Spinach bed I Parmesan foam - Intermediate course:
BBQ veal cheeks I braised savoy cabbage terrine I sweet potato I veal jus - Spoon:
Risotto balls `La Vera` I pea cream I smoked almond I blood orange - Main course:
Dry aged fillet of beef - Dürrröhrsdorfer "First Class" I potato roll I hazelnut I two kinds of cauliflower I red wine jus I currant - Dessert:
Cherry stone ice cream I vanilla I almond I sour cherry I nut butter - Spoon:
Blue mold crème brûlée I Nashi pear I macadamia I black bread earth - Spoon:
White wine mousse I mandarin panna cotta I lime decoction I meringue biscuit
The wines
- 2017 Riesling, Weingut Günther Steinmetz
- 2017 Pinot Blanc, Weingut Walter
- 2017 Blanc de Noir, Weingut Seckinger
- 2016 Pinot Noir, Weingut Walter
- 2016 Bernabeleva Camino de Navaherreros
- Sherry East India Solera Cream, Emilio Lustau
- Winzersekt Walter Royal Riesling brut, bottle-fermented, Weingut Walter
Info
- 12-course menu incl. wine accompaniment and water Wine pairing and water €119.00
Flavour Blast by Verena Leister
Pop-Up Fine Dining
in the chef's living room
Phone +49 151 41639966
verenaleister.de
[Visited on February 23, 2019]
