Tulus Lotrek

Rating: 18
Author: Gault&Millau

Fichtestraße 24, 10967 Berlin, Germany

18/20
Prestige Restaurant

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1 PHOTOS

Chef: Max Strohe
Cooking: French | Gastronomic | German | International | Vegetarian
Services: Terrace
Style: Casual | Romantic | With children | With friends

Gault&Millau's review 2025

As text-making restaurant visitors, we are often faced with an orthographic and linguistic pile of rubble when we study websites with a sprawling "philosophy of the house" or menu forewords that in no way come close to the level of what is actually served or, in the even worse case, actually correspond to it. Here, however, in Tulus Lotrek, which is also not quite house-trained in terms of spelling, this is exactly the case, only the other way around: You should (like we are forced to do) take the pleasure of postponing your reservation in this haven of Kreuzberg hospitality. And as a precaution, read the worst of all gastronomy-related texts there is: the cancellation policy. Elsewhere, they sound more like a reminder and penalty order than a friendly reminder that it is actually a matter of course to appreciate the performance of the restaurant even if you can't take it at short notice. After reading Ilona Scholl's text at the latest, you will understand why this really has to be the case. But much nicer, you have our word, is to sit opposite Ilona Scholl in person and actually make use of the kitchen services. Because the woman actually talks the way she writes, and the food is actually as good as her texts. Dear Mrs. Scholl, if the straw can't stand you anymore: We have a job for you ... The straw: That's the man in the kitchen. And in his restaurant, which is equipped with jungle wallpaper and decibel-high jukeboxes, he has his staff in wallpaper-colored clothing serve a Berlin version of luxurious idleness and the art of living, which is simply as much fun as deciphering his name in sweeping chalk calligraphy on the table. It is filled with feel-good dishes that are certainly not suitable as a diet, so much butter is in it. Boomy, strong, one banger course after the other. The straw hits the 12. And in the form of mostly small bowls that come to the table. The cutlery can be found in sufficient numbers in a brass box in front of you. We are in Kreuzberg, where not everyone dines in the gourmet world every day, and we find it particularly commendable that the large wine list has an extra page, with wines for or under 40 euros. Oh yes, with the meal: It starts with a tiny tartlet with tuna, daikon radish and oyster emulsion with a seafood assortment and char caviar. Very big. Then chawanmushi (egg custard) with asparagus infusion and a good dumpling of caviar. Served with raw asparagus from the julienne and hazelnut plus herb oils and chive flowers. Delicious. This is how it continues: A sweet carabinero is enthroned on Kochihikari rice and is almost drowned by the service with a very, very spicy, powerful hollandaise, which is supposed to represent a bouillabaisse espuma with Szechuan paste. Tastes good. Afterwards there is a snack foie gras in a nori leaf with fermented chili cream: sweet, spicy, fatty. It's a good thing that there is a 2001 Sauternes with it. Also good after a not so good scallop with truffles, both of which were aromatically drowned out by pine nuts: a cucumber sorbet with calamansi on spicy watermelon kimchi, just as good as the sour-fine, crispy fried sweetbreads with elderflower foam on sugar pea puree. The burrata ice cream with herbs, blueberries and olive oil with chocolate flakes – and a few more courses in between. So no, dear Mrs. Scholl: It's better to stay with the straw at Tulus Lotrek. That's fine. And quite splendidly, we think.