Mammertsberg

Excellent cooking

Langoustine, Lostallo salmon, lamb, caviar: all available at the beautifully situated and elegantly appointed «Mammertsberg». But the star of the menu is another product altogether: a simple, as large as possible carrot, which Silvio Germann purchases from his neighbor in Waldhof. The big carrot challenge: braise until tender (two to three hours at 90 degrees). Vacuum-seal in a broth with honey, soy sauce, and red curry paste. Let dry under a heat lamp. Glaze with chili paste, cane sugar, and poultry stock. Serve carrot tartare and slices with tarragon and shiso from the restaurant’s own garden in beurre blanc. This is spectacular kitchen theater – and the result is wonderful. Silvio Germann: “Carrots are rather a boring vegetable. But we have worked on the dish step by step. The guests’ reaction is stunning. So the course will stay on the menu for a while longer.” Good move. Is GaultMillau’s “Cook of the Year 2024” slowly but surely evolving into a vegetarian chef? Several signs point in that direction. The carrot dish involves considerable effort. Many aperitif bites and all starters are 100 percent vegetarian. We are fortunate with the weather and get them outside in the magical garden with an unobstructed view over Lake Constance. All are good and a few outstanding: the massive Sakura mushroom, purchased from the “mushroom expert” in Zurich, meaty in flavor, with leek and onions in the vinaigrette and shaved champignons on top. The small cucumber with jalapeño and oxalis. The Swiss chard with birria and wasabi; a touch of Mexico must never be missing from a Germann menu. At least one bite is intended for us non-vegetarians: a taco with beef tartare and paper-thin sliced radishes. Chef Silvio: “In the summer, there can certainly be a few more light vegetarian dishes.” After the starters comes the main menu, where the guest faces difficult decisions. Do you stick to the attractive plan laid out by the young brigade, or do you order additional courses from Silvio’s “Special” list? We choose both, because we don’t want to miss out on two bestsellers from earlier menus. Neither the simply brilliant mini gnocchi with nut butter nor the braised beef agnolotti baked inside a wheel of Appenzeller cheese. On the five-course tasting menu, the deluxe carrot was, as mentioned, the star, but the two fish courses were also impressive: the Lostallo salmon, cured, cooked at 42 degrees, and flambéed. The sea bream, wrapped in a thin artichoke sleeve, served in a summery fashion (lukewarm) alongside a wonderful herb beurre blanc and elevated with a spoonful of Kaviari caviar. We are impressed by such harmony on the plate, yet we still wonder: wouldn’t a few rough edges or sharper contrasts in the menu have benefited the overall experience and heightened the tension? The main course had considerable power: lamb from the Appenzell region, sourced by Bianchi. The loin was roasted classically, while the belly was marinated for five hours at 120 degrees in a curing marinade, served with a bold ’nduja from Calabria in the sauce. Chef Silvio: “I was positively surprised by the quality of the Appenzell lamb.” «Mammertsberg» is a team effort. The two sous chefs, Stephanie Mittler and Lukas Messmer, keep Germann’s back covered, and Stephanie also creates impressive desserts and pastries: Thurgau strawberries with sesame, apricot with yogurt, and an apricot soufflé with an “always rises” guarantee. Stephanie Mittler’s versatility is impressive. GaultMillau has named her “Pastry Chef of the Year.” Lo Vasco oversees service and is also an exceptional sommelier. The vintage Jenins Pinot Noir 1998 from von Tscharner Castle (still remarkably fresh), the 2020/2021 Syrah by Jean-Pierre Pellegrin, and the 2008 Marsanne Grain Noble by Marie-Thérèse Chappaz served with dessert particularly impressed us. “Chappaz and apricots – that works,” says Lo Vasco about it.