The Bite Magazine Issue 17

L ocated just seven minutes’ walk from the 16 th century Tiergar- ten Park and 13 minutes’ walk from Tiergarten S-Bahn station is Hotel Intercontinental Berlin, an upscale urban hotel marked by a glass pyramid entrance. Its refined rooms are equipped with Wi-Fi, flat TV screens and minibars along with coffeemakers and desks. The upgraded rooms have iPod docks and park views, while the posh suites provide living areas, and the club-level rooms include drinks, snacks and breakfast. For other guests, breakfast is served in a chic café with a stained glass dome or you can check out their other elegant restaurant, along with a posh bar and a cigar lounge. For leisure and relaxation, there is an indoor pool, a whirlpool and a gym as well as a sauna. Before we had dinner at the hotel, our party of six gathered in Marlene Cock- tail Bar which is nicely placed on the ground floor. The wood-panelled décor of the bar pays homage to German film star Marlene Dietrich and features many photographs of her from the various films she appeared in, including The Blue Angel which was set in Berlin during the years of the Weimar Republic. The drinks menu is grouped into different eras representing the life of the actress and includes classic cocktails such as Daiquiri, and old fashioned ones as well as contemporary ones such as Jet Set with Chambord Liquor and Lychee Cos- mopolitan with Ketel One Vodka. Once we were suitably refreshed, we took the lift up to the top floor of the hotel to the Michelin-starred Hugo’s Restaurant run by executive chef Eber- hard Lange. The dining room of the restaurant has a commanding view over the Tiergarten with the famous landmark TV Tower, the Berliner Fern- sehturm, in the distance. Eberhard Lange, sommelier Manfred Welter and restaurant manager Jan Schulze Köhling have a motto that says: ‘success is the result of good teamwork’ and it is from this that the three men work together to provide guests with a memorable dining experience in a relaxed and cosy atmosphere. When we were seated, we ordered a bottle of Bollinger Rose champagne to sip while considering our choices of what to eat. The dishes are grouped into three ‘Menus’ (Vegetarian, Menu 1 and Menu 2), but we were able to make selections from any of these. We all went for the accompanying flight of wines recommended by Manfred Welter who is one of the top sommeliers in Germany and the restaurant’s wine list and philosophy was recently given Wine Spectator ’s ‘Best of Award of Excellence’, one of only 10 restaurants in Germany to have been awarded this. The meal itself began with two amuse- bouches, the first featured a glass of white asparagus soup served with small crackers with ham and soft cheese, while the second had a delicate piece of sole with an accompanying light foam; all served with a variety of breads. For Ian Gillett gives an account of his dining experience at Hugo’s Restaurant located within the facilities of Hotel Intercontinental Berlin in Germany. bite cuisine Hug o s Restaurant BERLIN