Restaurant Hamburg: Bistro Carmagnol – Eldorado for Francophiles

Hamburg. It has been one of the most delightful gastronomic places to stop over the years Carmagnol Bistro in the living Schanzenviertel. Not exactly in the eye of the Shenzhen Hurricane, but in a more secluded spot on Juliusstrasse, it’s not just that Eldorado is par excellence for Francophiles, but also a reliable haven for everyone who just likes to eat really well in a relaxed, slightly busy bistro environment, taken care of by a friendly young service team. Apart from the absolute classics of the cuisine, one or two exciting vegetarian or vegan dishes following the spirit of the times can also be found.

Restaurant Hamburg: aroma-intensive appetizers and exemplary prepared classics

A successful, aromatic starter composition is the Tatar vegan made with mushrooms, eggplant, carrots, beetroot and smoked tofu (13.50 euros, seaweed caviar 16.50 euros). The “low carb menu” (115 euros) is a good way to start a lovely evening for two: it includes a dozen first-class oysters, accompanied by a bottle of the highly respected Max Cochut Reserve Champagne. Keep it simple. An exemplary classic is the soup de poisson with oysters, prawns, fish fillets and vegetables, as it should be, served with baguette and a spicy rouille sauce (14 euros).

Excellent among the main courses are the sumptuous steak tartare, raw beef with capers, gherkins, shallots, homemade tartar sauce and French fries (25 euros), spicy marguerite, lamb sausage with tomato and coriander salad, harissa and French fries (19.50 euro) and, a rare treat on local menus, the jus de cochon: tender cedar-braised pork cheek with scamorza mashed potatoes and apple mustard (29 euros).

Restaurant Hamburg: happy ending with natural wine and dessert

If you still have room, you can happily end the evening with a refreshing quince sorbet with crème de ridge au lait (vulgo: micres) à la Lamazère salted caramel sauce and Florentines (11 euros) or champagne (12.50 euros). The Franco-German-Austrian wine list isn’t extensive, but it’s very knowledgeable and lovingly put together and has a few notable vintages, including small flirtations with the natural wine scene. If you want to take a peek, Kamptal’s Fred Loimer recommends “Gluiglich” as a “natural wine for newbies”: the biodynamic cuvée is spontaneously fermented and tastes really decent (10 for 0.2 litres, 33 euros a bottle).

Heinrich from Burgenland’s “naked wine” (€35) is a slightly more natural wine: it’s a mash-fermented, unfiltered cuvée made from Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Welsriesling, Neuburger, Muscat Ottonel and Grüner Veltliner that can hold its own in court. If you’re willing to dig a little deeper into your pocket, you can enjoy our “all-time favorite”: the ultra-elegant, multi-layered, simply delightful 2020 Macon Blanc Gram from Brett Brothers (€55) – a textbook Burgundy as it always is. This exceptionally well-chosen bistro proved to be the perfect way to round off the evening.

Updated: Saturday, 26.11.2022, 8 am