Dinner, or actually dinners, as I came back again last night, at ⭐️⭐️ Bianc in Hamburg where chef/proprietor Matteo Ferrantino has recently reopened after lockdown restrictions have been significantly eased here in Germany.
After two ‘nice’ but fairly pedestrian meals in Hamburg at ⭐️⭐️Haerlin and ⭐️Le Canard Nouveau this made a very welcome change with some exceptionally tasty dishes based around Matteo’s Mediterranean background. He’s Italian and had previously worked in Spain and Portugal for a number of years as well as UK and Austria so you can really see this kaleidoscope of influences front and centre on each plate. Indeed you can sometimes even name check a specific restaurant. For example, the corn and foiegras dish screams Disfrutar at you, as does a thin crisp crustaceans ‘tortilla’ though to a lesser extent, and a spherified liquid centre olive makes an appearance as it does now at restaurants across the world in some form or other thanks to El Bulli and the Adria brothers.
People who know me and my eating habits will know that I am very much led by the ‘experience’ as well as the food. So a sombre though note perfect ⭐️⭐️⭐️ meal at L’Ambroisie or Les Prés d’Eugénie isn’t really what floats my boat (*somewhere Andy Hayler’s head explodes), although I do recognise those kind of restaurants as good and worthwhile reference points for someone who likes to explore food and restaurants as much as I do.
That said, I had a great ‘experience’ at Bianc. One thing that I have noted during the last couple of weeks eating in the new-normal is how hard it is to convey a sense of generous and friendly hospitality when your voice and face are muffled and hidden behind a face mask, as is the case now for all restaurant staff (and diners away from their tables). But they really managed this very well at Bianc where they provided a warm and friendly service with Matteo, who seems a little eccentric to say the least, regularly visiting the table throughout the evening.
The style of dresses and matching black masks of the service staff together with their purposeful stride in unison from kitchen to table with plates and back again with hands clasped in front lent a very Handmaid’s Tale vibe (in a good way) to the evening and at one point I almost responded with “Praise be” when the incredible focaccia (grandmother’s recipe) went down on the table together with the lightest of buffalo butters, oregano flower and a grisini wrapped in lardo (why haven’t I thought of doing that before?!)
People are understandably cautious about visiting restaurants at the moment or even venturing out of the house. I totally get this, but my view is that at some point we have to get out and start supporting these struggling businesses again and I will follow the recommended guidelines of the government of the country that I am in (although possibly not the UK) while making every effort to keep myself and those around me as safe as possible. I have my own month of lockdown coming up next week in the form of at least three weeks at sea so I am glad to have had this nice meal to remember while we are getting tossed around in the North Sea and Bay of Biscay. Enjoy your weekend 🙂