In June 2019, towards the end of the asparagues season, I walked along Berlin’s river Spree and saw a restaurant advertising an asparagus dish. Last time I had enjoyed a fabulous dinner in the German capital with that vegetable was at Holger Zurbrüggen‘s restaurant Balthazar at Kurfürstendamm in 2013 (review in German). The chef had opened a second restaurant in Berlin but, to my regret, I had never made it there and had no clue where it was situated. I walked another ten meters and then saw a another restaurant with huge, 12 meter bottles in the window. I recognized the magnum bottles. It was Balthazar 2 at Spreeufer 2! I immediately asked whether the chef was there. He had time to talk to me and, the same evening, I went there for another memorable dinner.
Concept: classic dishes in a new interpretation
Holger Zurbrüggen told me that his concept at Balthazar 2 was to present classic dishes from around the world in new interpretations. He offers many gastronomic delicacies low on carbohydrates.
One classic always available are sashimi with tatar of salmon. For lunch he offers regional Berlin cuisine, for dinner in addition Metropolitan cuisine. In June 2019, one could find Euroasian fusion, e.g. fried Zander (fish) with lentils in creamy gooseberry.
The lunch and dinner menus change once a week. According to the season, he concentrates on available ingredients. For instance, in mid-June ended the roughly two month asparagus season.
Holger Zurbrüggen told me that roughly 45% of his guests are local regulars, including many from the Federation of German Industries (BDI) and the Association of German Chambers of Industriy and Commerce (DIHK), situated on the other side of river Spree. Roughly 55% are tourists.
The restaurant offers some 130 seats inside and 100 on the Spree riverterrace outside.
An asparagus dinner at Berlin’s restaurant Balthazar 2
As an amuse-bouche, the chef sent me a delicious, thick lime and tomato soup presented in a small cup. Among its other ingredients were pesto-like basil, olive oil, Turkish yoghurt, sugar, salt and pepper. A promising start!
I chose a glass of the housewine: Frankhof Weinkontor Tag für Tag. It’s a Riesling, QBA, half-dry from from the Palatinate with 11.5.% alcohol. It is a simple, fresh and fruity classic with a taste of quince, pear and pineapple.
Ahead of the meal, white bread with sea salt butter, olive oil as well as quark mixed with herbs (including parsley) and onions, known as Kräuterquark, was served.
The first dish of my dinner consisted of a spring salad with chives blossoms, pea sprouts, watercress, avocado, radish, white asparagus from Beelitz with a bite on an avocado-lime vinegrette. Refreshing, light and delicious, perfect for a summer evening.
My second dish was a hot asparagus-passion fruit soup with caramelized white and green asparagus, both with bite! The asparagus stock was mixed with whipped cream.
It was followed by a German, unaltered classic: Beelitz white asparagus with sauce hollandaise and grenaille potatoes. This dish may be simple, but a lot can go wrong! The chef cooked everything to the point, again the asparagues with a bite. Excellent! A « sans faute » so far.
Because Holger Zurbrüggen had just received some of the first, fresh golden chanterelle mushrooms from the Brandenburg region that day, he offered me gnocchi filled with chanterelles and white asparagus from Beelitz, accompanied with a Swiss Appenzeller cheese sauche. This dish was more hearty, rusty, but nevertheless recommendable.
Towards the end, I tried a Winzersekt Rosé Balthazar (Pinot Noir), prepared according to the traditonal Champagne method, with 12% alcohol by the winemaker Weingut Landmann in Baden. A fairly-priced drink.
I was full and had to skip dessert with the exception of one scoop of a recomendable passion fuit sorbet to help my digestion. It was sweet, but not too much.
In short, Holger Zurbrüggen remains one of the great Berlin chefs!
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Photo copyright of all photos: Holger Zurbrüggen / Restaurant Balthazar 2, situated at Spreeufer 2, 10178 Berlin.
Article added on June 17, 2019 at 17:52 Berlin time.
