In the tranquil town of Bietigheim-Bissingen, just a stone’s throw from Stuttgart, lies the Maerz Restaurant. The 30-year-old Benjamin Maerz directs the kitchen, which has been awarded a Michelin star, and focuses entirely on the concept of homesickness & wanderlust: seasonal products from the region, combined with flavors from around the world, often influenced by travels to the countries of origin.
In the restaurant he is actively supported by his brother Christian Maerz, who as sommelier watches over the large wine cellar of the house and accompanies the guests through the evening. On my last visit, the compass was set on the East; Asian influences, especially from Japan, dominate the current menu.As a prologue, Maerz serves a pickled garden cucumber with kimizu, a Japanese egg yolk and rice vinegar-based sauce similar to a hollandaise but much lighter. In another small bowl, a raw radish can unfold its fresh play of pungency and essential oils. Only lightly supported with a gel of soy sauce and a vinaigrette of fermented radish. A light palate cleanser to start.
For the apero, Benjamin Maerz already continues the Japanese direction more clearly and shows his interpretation of a chawanmushi based on a mushroom dashi. Underneath the beaten egg mass you will find maties and caviar from Lake Constance and crispy panko on top. This may not be completely authentic, but by using local products in any case in line with the motto.
The menu begins with a char from the Black Forest, combined with avocado, mango and tomatoes from the previous year. The fish is lightly pickled and delicately tempered. A subtly used leek ash adds light bitter tones, while the mango provides strong sweet tones regularly found in Japanese cuisine. Pickled tomatoes from the previous year are used to make the vinaigrette, a tomato oil then adds some further sweetness and finely dosed tomato flavor. Overall, a very balanced dish around a nice piece of fish.
The Swabian Saure Rädle have now become a real signature dish at Restaurant Maerz. Benjamin Maerz transforms what is actually described as “poor people’s food” with sweet potatoes. These are first cooked in the shell until al dente, then cooled down and marinated for two hours. It is accompanied by confit radish and a rather hearty ponzu of onions and citrus. From the sections of the potato is then still prepared a créme, so that in the end the whole product is used.
The Lake Constance eel from the wild catch comes from the Meichle fishery. Its flesh is firmer and less fat than that of the typical Baltic eel. Here combined with duck liver, rice and ice carrot. The rice is integrated in two variants. One is cooked and marinated to resemble sushi rice, and the other is popped rice for a light crunch. The latter preparation is rather not found in Japanese cuisine and for me a bit irritating, the contrast to the tender eel and liver too great. But this is only a small criticism of an otherwise very coherent plate.
Norway lobster is a bit out of the ordinary as a product, but thanks to the sensational bisque with which it is served, this is anything but a drama – quite the contrary. Asian reference offers the lotus root, but in terms of taste rather negligible.
A real highlight is then the “duck from regional farms” with mushrooms, fermented honey and a “100 days cooked broth”. Of course, the Peking duck was the godfather here. The duck was scalded, dried, cooked hanging and then cut. In keeping with the elaborate procedure, the duck is not pink but vigorously cooked, the skin not crispy but firm. Unusual, but in itself quite coherent – not least thanks to the wonderful sauce. However, I could have done without using the geopopped rice again.
The Swabian acorn-fed pig comes to the table in two batches, first as a praline and then as a sous-vide cooked back with eggplant and wild broccoli.
Things continue on a slightly summery note with rhubarb from Löchgau and sheep’s yogurt ice cream. The rhubarb is cooked in its own juice for two hours at low temperature. Basically, a very simple dish. On this evening for the first time in the menu – and yet very elegant and almost purist. Great!
More robust and classic, the menu closes with a dessert of Original Beans Femmes de Virunga and Williams pear, Jerusalem artichoke, raw, as a créme and as a mousse on a pear and thyme broth.
The maxim homesickness & wanderlust is not just used as an empty shell at Restaurant Maerz, it is really lived in the quarterly changing menus. Of course, the cuisine cannot be compared to authentic Japanese kitchen craftsmanship. But that is not the intention either. It’s much more about experiencing local products with new influences, new flavors and different techniques. “Close to home and cosmopolitan” is also the official text of the restaurant. The next menu, however, will have a much stronger regional reference and will be dedicated to the classics under the motto “A homage to Swabia”. A good reason for another trip to Bietigheim-Bissingen…
Restaurant Maerz
Benjamin Maerz and Christian Maerz
Kronenbergstraße 14
D-74321 Bietigheim-Bissingen
Mail: info@hotel-rose.de
Tel.: +49 (0)7142 – 42004
