A Japanese dinner with Mediterranean influences – plenty of room for interpretation, and the location almost atypical for a “Japanese restaurant”. When thinking of Japanese restaurants, one first thinks of Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg or Munich – but certainly not of the former German capital Bonn or the Yunico Restaurant Bonn.
Exactly in Bonn on the fifth floor of the Kameha Grand Hotel Bonn, there is said to be one of the best four Asian restaurants in Germany. The chef Christian Sturm-Willms, just 28 years old and already in 2013 awarded Chef of the Year. Good omens for an interesting evening…. at the Yunico Restaurant Bonn.
As I have already written in various texts, good fine dining cuisine must also be good edible for me as a guest in each case. Culinary works of art a dream, but for guests at the table often a nightmare and exactly this understanding has Christian Sturm-Willms also. Great inspirations, great ideas – but for the guest also in the palate the experience and not only on the plate.
Through the talk with Christian Sturm-Willms the night before, it was already somewhat clear to me in which direction the fine dining experience at the Kameha Grand Bonn Hotel would go, otherwise I probably would have given it more thought. Japanese cuisine meets Mediterranean influences, there are many things you can interpret and build crazy creations in your head – sushi meets pasta – sushi with paella?
In the evening, the Chef’s Table at Yunico Restaurant Bonn was reserved for me. An elongated high table and quite unlike the tables with white tablecloth – unusual for fine dining experiences, so quite to my taste.
The thought behind it was well considered. The various chefs bring the food directly to the table, explaining each course and thus giving the guest the opportunity to ask the chefs questions directly during the evening in each case. One automatically gets a completely different feeling and can give direct feedback.
Fine Dining at Yunico Restaurant Bonn
The evening at the Yunico Restaurant Bonn began as the interview had ended the night before, relaxed atmosphere throughout the restaurant, each guest is greeted in a friendly manner and escorted to the table on the terrace, which is sunny in the evening.
A nice aperitif (non-alcoholic for me), plus the view of the sunset on the Rhine and a beautiful evening can begin. What is immediately apparent, the guests seem incredibly relaxed and look forward to the experience at Yunico Restaurant Bonn. Feel-good atmosphere from the first moment and “despite” fine dining, each guest may appear as he wants. That’s how I like it too…
The service in the fine-dining Yunico Restaurant Bonn in the Kameha Hotel Grand Bonn is exquisite and befits a good star restaurant. Every little thing planned down to the last detail and yet relaxed and not stiffed.
The dishes of the Yunico Restaurant Bonn were perfectly selected and coordinated. As a guest, you begin to experience the evening, tasting the different ingredients and analyzing each course.
The taste experiences quite different, but always exquisite. You immediately notice that there is a team in the kitchen who enjoy their work, expressly want the feedback of the guests and are always thinking about what to surprise the guest with.
Eating three days in a row in the Yunico Restaurant Bonn is also no problem. The kitchen team can react flexibly and offers the guest a different program every evening – and at the same time probably the best seal of quality.
Also with me there was the wish to use absolutely no spicy ingredients and it was directly paid attention to and alternatives pointed out. Where there might be just a slight tendency towards spiciness, there was a different creation for me. Thus one comes as a guest also gladly again and looks forward to each course, but looks itself, who would not like to reserve there directly a table?
Menu at Yunico Restaurant Bonn
Aperitif: MEBOKI – an essence of basil / mint / lime (infused with champagne)
Avocado cream / daikon cress / yuzu-chilli chutney
Brandade of sea bass / salmon caviar / daikon cress / miso cream / plum chutney
Scalloped scallop / imperial foam / spring garlic and garlic cress
Obsi Blue (blue shrimp) / yuzu sorbet / cucumber / egg cream / apple / nut crunch
Gillardeau oyster / char caviar / sesame oil / yuzu juice
Arai / sashimi / plom sauce (jap. citrus) / jap. contiments seaweed salad ginger wasabi style
Atlantic lobster / Thai stock foam / passion fruit / pine panko crunch / carrot / shiso purple
YUNICO “soup bubble” / bonito flakes / aromatics / dashi / onions / sesame oil – made and brewed live at the table
Wagyu tongue – cooked in root broth for 7 hours / corn / crayfish / miso / mint / sweet potato cream
Iberico Presa – 72 hours sous vide / terijaki butter sauce / fig / peas / chanterelles / yasai sentaku
served with kimshi / daikon (radish) / Chinese cabbage / spring leek with ginger, chili, garlic – fermented for 5 days
Pre Dessert – Plum Graniteè / Rice Spuma / Lime
Raspberry & Paprika – served live on the hand
Passion fruit Moelleux / coconut ice cream / curd cheese / passion fruit decoction / gold leaf / white chocolate spiral
Conclusion – Yunico Restaurant Bonn – Fine Japanese Dining
Christian Sturm-Willms and his team at Yunico Restaurant Bonn manage to conjure up a perfect transition, the transitions between courses coherent and yet always with enough room for new discoveries.
There are few restaurants in the fine dining sector that create a special experience in terms of taste, as well as giving the guest the feeling of being part of the evening at all times.
Although there are already 16 points in Gault Millau and two chef’s hats, Feinschmecker calls the restaurant “Surprise of the Year 2014/15” and awards it 3F, Christian Sturm-Willms is “Chef of the Year 2013”, the focus is on the guest.
It remains to wish the whole team and I am also absolutely convinced that the awards were only the beginning and many more awards will follow.
UPDATE November 12, 2015: It is done… the YUNICO is now rated and awarded with one star in the current Guide Michelin 2016 by the Guide Michelin. Congratulations to the entire team – you sooooo deserve it!!!
For me personally, it was one of the best fine-dining experiences in recent years and the Yunico Restaurant at the Kameha Grand Bonn is for me one of the few – unreserved – restaurant recommendations!
Those who have already met me personally in the last weeks know the recommendation and those who would like to reserve a table at the Yunico Restaurant Bonn can do so by calling +49 228-4334-5500 and maybe you will meet me there again. It will not have been my last visit to Yunico. You can also find the menu for a first taste on the website of the Kameha Grand Bonn (PDF).
… and if this description has made you want some sushi, I can comfort you, because there is also excellent sushi at Yunico, but I will show you that in the future …
A recommendation for every reader who would like to have a new restaurant experience.
