Fritz & Felix

Baden-Baden

When German gourmands discovered hotel Brenners Park was replacing its Michelin two-star restaurant with ‘buzzy’ new concept Fritz & Felix, they were in a state of shock. White tablecloths were whipped off revealing sleek marble tops, leather-bound wine lists were replaced with a magazine called Shortlist and stuffy attitudes were (politely) asked to be left at the door. In came a jazz soundtrack, a bronze cocktail bar inspired by the Roaring Twenties and a small-plate menu where vegetables take centre stage. On our visit, platefuls of Jerusalem artichoke doused in Pommery mustard topped with smoked almonds jostled for space next to king crab swimming in onion stock, and fingers fought over the last beef short rib smothered in a tangy beetroot sauce. Though it took them a while to acclimatise, the same Balmain blazer-wearing crowd that used to sign up for the two-star pomp and circumstance can be found knocking back Negronis and tuckingin to tapas-sized Black Forest trout and tiny truffle hot dogs. Foxtrotting into the future while still genuflecting a grand past is no mean feat, yet Brenners Park blends substance and style in this modern vision of a restaurant. 00 49 7221 900 999, fritzxfelix.com