Restaurants
Kommod Art and fine cuisine in a cosy ambience
© Kommod | Rupert Rechling
The name is genuinely well chosen: It is incredibly spacious in this restaurant, which used to be a bakery, as evidenced by the wood-panelled walls and a converted display. Where baked goods used to be stored on turned shelves, you can now take a seat and enjoy the creations of Stephan Stahl and his kitchen colleague Steffi Parlow.
The latter is actually an artist, which is why her boss asked her at some point if she would like to combine art and cooking. Steffi Parlow wanted to and created the series "Dark blue smells salty, yellow tastes bitter", for which she works with changing artists.
During the month of the visit, this is the artist Till Weinhold, who comes from Duisburg. You can marvel at his works on the walls of Kommod and taste his life on your plate. One dish on each multi-course menu is inspired by the artist.
On the evening of our visit, it was NRW Schranke - the classic snack bar that has been given a culinary update here: The mayo becomes a delicate lemon cream, the ketchup a nutty pesto, and instead of greasy fries, crunchy lettuce leaves are dipped.
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This reduced way of cooking runs through the entire menu, which comprises four to six courses, depending on preference. The fresh ingredients are allowed to shine, are cooked to perfection, puristic and harmoniously seasoned. It starts with the first greeting from the kitchen: vegetables from the monastery garden, "harvested very freshly", the chef enthuses, and served only with a vinaigrette for dipping.
It continues with Steffi Parlow's home-baked bread, accompanied by Yiddish liver and pickled spring vegetables. The subsequent courses feature Heurige Erdäpfel and dark sautéed Jungkraut, which enters into a delicious ménage-à-trois with cream cheese and smoked fish.
Sommelière Mara Feißt pours surprising, characterful wines into the glass - for the main course (lamb, elder and mushroom jus), a fruity Pinot Noir from Burgundy. The service is cordial. This is another reason why Kommod is so cosy.
By the way, the outdoor area is also comfortable: the café garden is located in a narrow alley, and you look out onto the small former bakery, which is already a gem from the outside with its ornate façade.
The menu at Kommod ends with a strawberry tart taken apart. Poached strawberries, mascarpone ice cream, sponge cake and meringue. The name of the dessert: Strawberry Dream. This is also well chosen.
