Master’s Home (Munich)
Munich does not tend to evoke images of fine dining; rather, images of glockenspiels, lederhosen, liters, weißwurst and debauchery at the Hofbräuhaus tend to be the typical tourist experience in this war-torn but resilient city.
True — it is easy to find a typical Bavarian biergarten experience in Munich, and it is truly an experience to behold, but do not count out the numerous culinary gems that have graced Munich in the past few years.
Having fallen victim to the intoxicating (literally) wiles of the Hofbräuhaus the previous evening (which involved a liter too many, new Swiss friends, and full and false confidence in my Spanish), I set out with my companion to find such a gem on our second and final evening in Munich.
The Master’s Home, in an advertisement, boasted a unique “pay-per-course” experience with an Italian flair. The shtick: no menu — everything is a surprise — and you pay €6 a course, eating until you’re full. Intriguing.
Aside from a unique décor (each room of the restaurant has a home-y theme: the main dining room is a cozy living room reminiscent of colonial British Africa, the bar has a Sherlock Holmes library feel, and other rooms emanate a bedroom and bathroom), the place settings are downright elegant. We were seated next to a marble fireplace at a table clothed in white linen and garnished with a five-prong tapered candelabra and red roses. Our chairs were highbacked leather lounge chairs. We were truly dining in comfort from the start.
We weren’t really sure how the whole “eat-until-you’re-done” thing was going to go, but we just went for it. Our first complaint was that we didn’t have a choice in the wine we drank — the only bottle offered was a €38 Italian something-or-other. It was delicious, but I get pretty cranky if can’t choose the wine myself and if I really don’t know what I’m drinking. Fighting the urge to shout, “PRICE-GOUGERS!” I pressed on.
The following is as accurate a recollection as I can provide (plus adjectives):
First course: thinly sliced sashimi-grade tuna atop grilled white asparagus, drizzled with a red pepper vinaigrette. Perfect.
Second course: a modified caprese salad … layered with eggplant and baked, drenched in a homemade marinara and pesto. Zesty.
Third course: fettucine Bolognese in a parmesan and parsley bowl. I repeat: a parmesan and parsley bowl. Edible, of course.
Fourth course: Veal ravioli in a lemon-truffle sauce. DROOL. Sublime.
Fifth course: Pecan-crusted white fish (I think it was halibut) in a Pernod broth.
At which point I felt compelled to tell the waiter that we’re done, and I run to the rest room. I returned to find a martini glass full of sorbet, which I assumed was a lovely complimentary dessert; a consolation prize for having made it through five courses.
Not so much. Said “dessert” was a palate-cleanser. Our waiter had no intention of stopping us on the home stretch. The palate cleanser also happened to be lemon sorbet soaked in vodka, which, you know, did nothing for the inhibitions.
The grand finale was a bacon-wrapped filet mignon in a red wine reduction. I was so stuffed that I could only eat half of it. My fabulous partner in crime graciously relieved me of its remains.
Overall: the Master’s Home was amazing; the food was amazing; the experience was amazing. I just would have loved to know at the outset that I was in for the long haul — a coerced (albeit pleasantly so) prixe-fixe menu. Still, seven courses for €42 was hard to beat, even with the abysmal exchange rate.
I highly recommend the Master’s Home if you happen to find yourself in Munich, but with two caveats: 1) fast all day before you go and 2) don’t plan on stopping once you’re there.
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By Lauren McNally
Lauren B. McNally is a New York based consultant and freelance writer who spends most of her free time exploring culinary and oenological pursuits with friends. She originally hails from Maine and graduated from Bowdoin College,spending time abroad at the University of Cambridge in the UK (where she found the dining hall cuisine rather offensive and repulsive, as opposed to the top-ranked Bowdoin Dining Services). Her palate is ever-evolving but Burgundies are among her current obsessions. Her least favorite wine-related phrase: “I don’t like _.” Lauren also enjoys cooking Italian and French cuisine, and has an unnatural obsession with Gorgonzola and pancetta.
About The Humble Gourmand
The Humble Gourmand is published the first Friday of each month, edited by Alison L. McConnell, a Washington, D.C.-based journalist and writer. It is designed to offer straightforward lessons and advice to aspiring cooks, oenophiles, and all other eaters and drinkers.
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