Bad Griesbach is not really on the doorstep if you have to travel from Hamburg. However, we chose the tranquil dream destination for golfers from all over Europe as the destination for the culinary conclusion of our trip through the Salzburger Land and Bavaria. The Il Giardino, crowned with two Michelin stars, was our visit – and by definition this award justifies any detour anyway.
The restaurant, under the management of Kathrin Feix and Denis Feix, is located in a beautiful garden villa directly attached to the Columbia Hotel Bad Griesbach.
We had phoned Kathrin Feix before our arrival and requested a vegetarian menu option. But in fact, not only this request was implemented, it was created its own vegetarian menu, from which we could even still combine and choose courses. That’s great – and already a first indication of the excellent hosting qualities that were to await us that evening. Of course, however, I opted for the classic version of the 8-course nature tour (129 €) and the matching wine accompaniment (84 €).
Starting things off on the non-vegetarian side of the table was a small roulade of sweetbreads and a roasted cauliflower.
The second amuse-bouche was then directly a real sensation. A dish to sink into. The two pieces of sot-l’y-laisse were served on the crispy skin of the chicken, along with porcini mushrooms, roasted and as a puree, and some salt lemon. Eating without cutlery, with your fingers. Which emphasized the sensory aspect of the gossamer skin even more. I would have loved to order two or three more servings of this….
A halibut in two preparations then marked the real start of the menu. One was lightly smoked, the other delicately sautéed, accompanied by a black salsify that lived up to its name and a light ponzu hollandaise.
The next two courses were also dedicated to protagonists from the sea. First the delicious Bouchot mussel with Jerusalem artichoke and horseradish, then crayfish in an unusual but very fitting combination with Piedmont hazelnut and feijoa.
Meanwhile, in the vegetarian section, two very appealing alternative courses arrived at our table. First a porcini mushroom with a small but fine risotto, then a visually very appealing composition with Romanesco.
In the following gear, the components evened out somewhat again. While for me the duck was the center of interest, supplemented by ravioli and a soup of pumpkin, as well as a sauce of verjus, the vegetarian version was modified as a pasta composition (without duck). Both fantastic and again developed with incredible attention to detail and many facets of taste and craftsmanship.
Actually, I was already prepared for a nice glass of red wine with the duck and was initially somewhat surprised when Kathrin Feix poured a Riesling instead. A Jesaja Riesling from the Ankermühle Winery. Fermented on the skins and aged for 24 months in barriques, unfiltered and therefore deliberately cloudy. Through the intense nose full of herbs, light hints of vanilla and also chamomile a great accompaniment to the duck.
The menu became progressively heartier, the ribs almost a classic combination with sauerkraut and batate. But of course, Denis Feix reinterpreted the produce in this course as well, serving the sauerkraut in the form of ice cream and adding texture with the crispy chips.
The bison fillet that followed was also served in two different preparations and was given a pleasantly light touch by the combination with roasted grapefruit and a puree of grapefruit.
As a transition to dessert, we were surprised with a variation of cream cheese and quince, it was then followed by the actual desserts of the menu. First, a composition of three varieties of chestnut. Draped on a plate as spaghetti, distinctly delicious and delicate, with pleasantly restrained sweetness. On the second plate, a chestnut au gratin on a graniteé of tangerine. Wonderfully light, fresh and fruity.
The third course from the patisserie then became a lot stronger and combined oak, rowan and mascarpone.
Of course, we could not do without a small variation of mountain cheeses (Tomme de Montagne and Comté Vieux, matured between 3 weeks and 16 months) to finish…
A trip that was worth it. Both the journey to Bad Griesbach, but and especially the nature trip of Denis Feix. It was a very special, wonderful evening. This is due not only to the fabulous, creatively and technically developed dishes from the kitchen at an extremely high level, but also to the friendly and very relaxed service of Kathrin Feix. Her passion for German and Austrian wines was reflected in the exceptionally excellent wine accompaniment, which not only always matched the menu sequence to the point, but also held some exciting and unusual new discoveries in store for me.
Il Giardino
Columbia Hotel Bad Griesbach
Passauer Str. 39a
94086 Bad Griesbach
Phone: +49 8532 309-0
Note: We were in Travemünde at the invitation of COLUMBIA Hotels & Resorts and traveled at press rates. This did not affect the reporting.
