Like the review “Fine Dining by Numbers” of September 2014, I am reviewing St. Hubertus and La Siriola together, because most people considering these restaurants will be choosing to dine in one, if not both, of them.
I would describe the experience at St. Hubertus as Theatrical Philosophy. Theatre because the meal begins in the kitchen, where one stands near the brigade in a warm kitchen. Moving to the main dining room, the restaurants philosophy of using local ingredients and not wasting any part of the animal is explained repeatedly. I applaud the philosophy and indeed eat offal regularly, however not all parts can be applied successfully in a dish. Our first course at the table was a fine dish of soft ceviche covered in herbs, beautiful to look at. However every mouthful contained chewy hard shriveled structures which upon inquiry, turned out to be fish scales. When we questioned both the waiters and the Chef, this was explained as being in keeping with the Philosophy. We found it strange that no-one examined if the scales had been applied correctly (they may have worked if deep-fried till crisp) or asked for detailed feedback. The rest of the dishes were well-executed and pleasant enough. However we found it difficult to get over the need for a restaurant to rely so much on theatre and to justify its dishes under a philosophy. Upon enquiry with others in the industry, we understand that Chef Norbert is now exploring new ideas but actually excels at classical cooking. On the plus side the waiters were not only efficient but also friendly, which made for a pleasant evening.
I would describe the experience at La Siriola as Fine Food plus Amusement. The food quality was very high with ingredients being sourced widely. The cooking was excellent and every dish worked harmoniously together. The atmosphere was more relaxed, even though the waitresses (dressed in traditional costume) were busier. We declined cheese so did not visit the cheese room, but were brought to the chocolate room. It felt somewhat like an amusement park, particularly with the mint ice cream stick that was ceremoniously dipped in a chocolate fountain. We tried only one chocolate and it was mediocre. We felt that the cooking was good enough not to need support from amusements.
Despite St. Hubertus having 3 Michelin stars and La Siriola 2 Michelin stars, we preferred our evening at La Siriola.