Essen in Essen! Restaurant Gastronomia Officina (17. March 2016)
When you arrive to a city which is called “Essen” (which means “to eat” or “food”) you have somewhat high expectations but then again you are correcting them a bit because Essen does not belong to the “famous” German cities really.
You would never find this restaurant as an outsider as it is quite hidden and can’t be seen from the streets. But once you are entering a backyard there is this little gem. The Officina is quite spacious, has two floors, and an appealing design. Once seated downstairs I inquired if it was possible to get a table upstairs as it was a quite noisy. And it was.
I had ordered a “focaccia al olio di oliva (olive oil, Maldon sea salt, rosemary)” (EUR 6.50) as something to eat while waiting for the main dishes. And well, I was wrong with two things: A) It was not small but quite a portion and B) it was not served before the starter but after the starter.
My starter was “grilled octopus with rocket salad served with a tomato vinaigrette” (EUR 15.90). I have to blame myself for ordering seafood in the middle of Germany (with no sea access) as the octopus was somewhat chewy. If it was fresher, the dish would be quite lovely in its simplicity but like that it was a bit of a disappointment.
The main course sounded very promising because I really like liver, so I had to have the “veal liver with butter and sage served on potato puree” (EUR 21.90). The liver was absolutely fine but I have had more tender liver in the past. So in both cases I was not entirely satisfied with the consistency of the main ingredient. However, both dishes were decent.
The place is very atmospheric and lovely with regards to its interior. The service was attentive and friendly, even jovial. While the dishes did not blow my mind, they were okay and also fair in price. The same applies to the beverages (0,75L, Pinot Grigio, IGT, 2013, Roncol del Gris, Veneto, EUR 32.00; 0,75L, San Benedetto, 0,75L, EUR 6.00; espresso doppio, EUR 3.90).
If you are looking for an atmospheric place with decent dishes, then the Gastronomia Officina is definitely recommendable in Essen.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Gastronomia Officina
Bredeneyer Strasse 142
45133 Essen (DE)
Tel.: +49 201 846 24 47
E-Mail: reservierung@gastronomia-officina.de
Homepage: http://www.gastronomia-officina.de
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
