Delicious dining experience at No. 40 of The World’s 50 Best: Restaurant Tim Raue (2. July 2021)
What is great about Corona is that things are relatively flexible when it comes to booking since nobody seems to plan a long time ahead. So, getting a table at Tim Raue with only ~6 weeks heads-up turned out to be actually quite easy – since in the past I have tried to get a booking and have always failed due to “non-availability”.
I went for the “Koi Tasting Menu” (EUR 208.00) and took the “wine pairing” (EUR 170.00) – where upfront, I got the feeling that the price for the wine pairing is a bit over the top compared to the price for the tasting menu. However, since the selection process took a few minutes, we went for a glass to start. “Unartig” (EUR 14.00) was actually a great start – and especially surprisingly good since it was a white wine.
Food-wise, the evening started happily with “fish broth with tangerine and celeriac. I’m not sure if the serving as a smiley was intentional or not but it definitely made my evening. And the broth was actually quite exquisite.
Together with the broth, you would also be served a variety of different amuse bouches which were all in all great.
The “sugar snap with pea cream and sea salt” was a nice start to get your taste buds going.
The “caramelized walnuts with honey” were a bit on the sweet side but definitely also enjoyable to finish the amuse bouches.
The “coco marshmallows and green curry” were a bit different than one ‘normal’ marshmallows but soft, fluffy, and enjoyable.
The “Pak Choi with lime and sour cream” was somewhat simple yet very interesting in terms of taste.
The “pulpo with yuzu and wood char coal mayonnaise” was actually truly interesting – since it was a combination of flavors and textures you do not encounter that often.
The “prok belly Sizchuan style” was my favorite of the amuse bouches. It had a nice intensity to it and really made your taste buds dance.
The “pink grapefruit with baiser and Timut pepper” was somehow the dessert-y part of the amuse bouches and all in all good.
After an interesting round of different amuse bouches, it was time for the first course to be served. The “parsley (lettuce, jalapeño: parsley purree, and dressing, chive oil, iced lime jalapeño lemonade, Amalfi lemon cest)” looked incredibly simple but was mouth-watering. The combination not only of flavors and textures was great but the fact that you’d get also a play with temperatures was really adding to the dish.
The “turbot (rice vinegar, beurre blanc, water cress: grape, pearl onion, pea, green Thai chili vinaigrette)” was a great first warm dish. The fish itself does not have too much of its own taste but in combination with the intensity of the vinaigrette, it was a great combination. And the sweetness of the grapes definitely added to this exceptional dish.
Next in line was a very red dish – “lobster (cape gooseberry, carrot: boiled European lobster, fresh and dried cape gooseberries, kalamansi oil and gelee, carrot broth, tomatoes and ginger)”. It did not only look red, it also tasted red. Red like the intensity of a feeling but in terms of flavor.
You could pick up to two extra courses and we decided to go all in. The “pikeperch (sprat, lime tapioka: pikeperch marinated in Sangohachi and steamed, cream souce made of sprats, Baeri caviar by Imperial Caviar, tapioka with lime, green chili, and Jerusalem artichoke)” (EUR 24.00) was the first extra course and it was good. I mean, the lime tapioka really added to the dish and made it an exceptional flavor experience and in combination with the saltiness of the caviar, it turned out to be a great dish.
The “Saté chicken (mango, peanut: corn chicken leg, marinated with rice wine and grilled, peanut broth, peanut cream, mango, cucumber, red onions, and Nuc Man broth) was something which had to persuade me first. Since I’m usually not a big fan of chicken, I was somewhat semi-excited when getting the chicken served but it turned out to be super delicious and full of flavor. Definitely lovely and worth trying.
The “Dim Sum rice dough (black truffle, Jerusalem artichoke: hazelnuts from Piedmont, nut butter foam, marinated Jerusalem artichoke)” was okay but not really my favorite. I mean, the whole dish was good, no question. But somehow it did not end up at the same level as the previous dishes.
However, to be fair, the side plate which came with the dumplings was exquisite in terms of taste but also in terms of execution and presentation.
One of my favorites was the “veal (soy, pea: pea purree, apple ginger soy sprout celeriac and sugar snap salad with jalapeño, shiso, roasted black quinoa, Kamebishi soy jus, Calville (apple) gelee)”. The veal was tender and basically fell apart the moment you would take a bite. But not only that, the intensity of the sauce in which the veal was served was just outstanding. And the combination with the refreshing salad and the grounded pea purree was just perfect.
For another EUR 24.00 you were able to get another extra dish, “Peking Duck 2021” which I decided to try as well. The “duck liver terrine served with a salad of pulled duck, lettuce, cucumber, leek and ginger” was intense in terms of taste but while it was meaty it was also surprisingly refreshing.
The “duck broth with lemon leaves, Chawanmushi duck pieces, bamboo mushroom, winter melon, and celeriac, chive oil” had an amazing intensity of duck. Without being “too duck-y” in taste. All in all, it was absolutely delicious.
My favorite of the three duck courses was the “duck breast with crispy skin, duck feet reduction, five spice pancake cream, leek and apple compote” since the duck was full of flavor without being too overwhelming – and went perfectly with the duck feet reduction.
As a little pre-dessert they had served a truly delicious, refreshing, and simple cream.
The main dessert though was “Yuzu (cheesecake, caramel Beurre Salé: Dulcey Valrhona chocolate Koi fish, filled with cheesecake mousse, caramel Beurre Salé sauce & dulcey crunch, yuzu sorbet & gelee, Korean lemon jam, lime, cress leaves)”. It did not only look lovely but it was also absolutely great in terms of flavor – intense, yet, refreshing and light.
The selection of friandises was nice and actually quite generous.
All in all, I can definitely recommend to enjoy the experience at Tim Raue – they offer great food in a nice atmosphere with good and attentive service. And, to be fair, with relatively fair prices.
The only thing which I considered a bit off was the pricing for the wine pairing since that is almost as much as the food and – at least in my head – the drinks should be cheaper than the food (which they still are).
What I liked a lot about the place was the interior design …
… it’s modern …
… and still has a touch of traditionalism which is kind of a perfect combination.
To sum it up, dining at the #40 of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants is definitely something I can recommend you doing. Make sure to book your table with sufficient time in advance.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Tim Raue
Rudi-Dutschke-Str. 26
10969 Berlin (DE)
Tel.: +49 30 25 93 79 30
E-Mail: office@tim-raue.com
Homepage: http://www.tim-raue.com
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. 
