The Rose Kitchen & Bar International brasserie cuisine in a fancy ambience

Let their path be adorned with roses... We already knew the charming Deli Rose Garden in Mitte district. Now Jana Strohbücker and Kaveh Sani are dedicating themselves to their second gastronomic project at The Rose near Friedrichstraße.

Velvet benches and dark wood create a stylish and cosy atmosphere. Jana Strohbücker, the founder of her own label, is responsible for the chic interior and has a good hand in art. The impressive paintings that catch our eye come from the German expressionist Mavadí and the Berlin artist Sophie Mangelsen.

This Thursday evening is also stylish in terms of sound, as every Thursday from 6.30 pm you dine at The Rose in cooperation with Jazz Radio to live jazz. It's just a shame that the low temperatures today don't allow us to take a seat on the enchanting terrace in the back courtyard, which, like the bar on the first floor, looks directly onto the iconic world balloon. 

Not bad, and we make ourselves comfortable inside and are immediately ensnared, as we have been all evening, by the young and extremely friendly team. We get in the mood for a magical evening with a superb Negroni and a glass from the house of the Grande Dame de la Champagne, Veuve Clicquot.

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Listening to the sounds of jazz, we study the menu: At The Rose, chef Rainer Dung cooks international brasserie cuisine. There is a Peruvian ceviche next to the brasserie classic beef tartare - whatever tastes good is allowed. Meanwhile, we opt for other, equally tempting appetiser classics.

The scallop of our starter is perfectly cooked, cauliflower and carrot puree with light vanilla flavours underline its sweetness. We are pleasantly surprised by the sharpness of the iced gazpacho, to which melon balls add a nice juiciness. To accompany it, we indulge in the rock shrimp tempura, which are so expertly deep-fried that not only their cooking time is on point. 

While we are still feasting on our starters, the next table is being served a drink that really makes a statement. Bartender Tino Hiller, whom some of you may remember from Reingold, is creative and likes to conjure up his own individual creations. 

The main courses on the menu at The Rose include popular international classics such as ribs or veal escalope, and of course steak frites are a must. At The Rose, the meat comes from pasture-raised beef in Ireland and is allowed to mature for 23 days before it is prepared for the guest. For lunch, there is a smaller menu and the option of two or three courses.

This evening, however, we feel like pasta - so we choose the truffle and lobster pasta. While we are initially puzzled by the small wine list, Lisa from the service team enlightens us: "The founders are great wine lovers. Especially young vintners from Germany, wines from Bordeaux and Francophile wines from Tuscany can be found in our wine store." So it's worth asking, or you can take a direct look at the fridges and shelves on the way to the terrace.

Meanwhile, we make do with a bottle of Pinot Blanc - light, drinkable, tangy and perfect for our pasta. It is al dente, delicious, well seasoned. Just like our starters, it convinces less with surprises and creativity than with excellently crafted and easily accessible heartfelt dishes; and that should definitely be taken as a compliment at this point.

We are allowed to take another look at the first floor and the aforementioned Spy Bar. An exuberant floral display shows us the way, which also leads to the washrooms. Dark velvet chairs and a beautiful marble counter continue the cosy, stylish impression from The Rose Restaurant. We particularly like the small séparée with its own balcony, which leads off from the bar and is just right for evenings in a small private setting. Think: Family celebration, birthday dinner...

For a successful evening, a dessert must of course not be missing. We choose - how could it be otherwise - a crème brûlée. Although its crust could be crunchier and the vanilla slightly off-putting, its taste is absolutely convincing, also thanks to the wonderfully fresh mango sorbet that sits enthroned on top.

An extremely fine finish that makes it even a little harder for us to make our way out of the cosy The Rose and into the uncomfortable outdoors. Jazz sounds accompany us out and through the night...

Translated by Alexander Brandes

Ronja C. Kolls

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