Altes Jagdhaus - Hannover

Although the uninitiated may have the sense that they are sneaking around to the back door of an unfamiliar house, once in the dining area, one finds a lovingly decorated room.We were greeted by Mr. Stern himself, who made brief subsequent appearances in the dining area. Most of his time was spent in the kitchen--alone.Mr. Stern's manners have been mentioned on numerous occasions in this forum. I will not quibble with others' observations. I would describe him simply as socially awkward. We were seated nearest the door, which I would not recommend, as it was drafty.The obligatory bread and butter were outstanding. The appetizer was fabulous: raw scallops, sliced paper thin and resting in a caviar sauce, topped with fresh greens: sublime. Accompanied by a lovely savingnon blanc. Ox medallions were the main course. The meat was as tender as can be, absolutely melted in the mouth, but lacked somewhat in flavor. The myriad of vegetables, however, were a culinary fireworks. The accompanying wine was ideal. After the main course, I expected that I would be asked if I would care for coffee or dessert. My assumption, born out of many years of restaurant visits, was erroneous. After waiting for thirty minutes, I asked whether they had dessert and was dutifully brought an extensive dessert menu. I settled on a warm chocolate cake. That cake, it turns out, was an old friend from La Monde, where it tasted better, although I would be at a loss as to explain precisely why. Some have been critical of the prices at this establishment. I think that the prices are a fair reflection of the quality of the ingredients and the considerable creativity and virtuosity in their preparation. My principal reservation would not be with the food, or with Mr. Stern's demeanor (he is, after all, an artist). Rather, there are details of the experience that do not measure up to the food: the awkward reception, the drafty table, the continuously audible clatter of the exhaust fan in the kitchen, the fact that as I write this, my clothes smell as though I spent the evening in Mr. Stern's kitchen. In a way, I wish that I had. I think I would have learned rather a lot.

I found the place through a map app and trip advisor while in town for an expo. We were the first to arrive at 6ish. The chef greeted us at the door but a bit hesitant at first to accommodate English. His English was very good. Either he was skeptical of us or simply had a subtle yet playful sense of humor. Either way we had a great experience and enjoyed his service.The menu was only in German. So, we relied on his guidance to pick dishes. He recommended a fish tartar salad to start which was very fresh. It was good, but I did not eat all of it which appeared to be met with disappointment. Oops. Entrees were excellent. We had the pike covered with black pudding and horseradish ream sauce and the braised of cheek (apparently a restaurant favorite). Mashed potatoes were also delicious. I asked for a recommended wine pairing and he offered a Riesling that was the likely the best I'd ever had (at a reasonable 6 euros per glass). For dessert we chose the warm chocolate cake (kind of a cupcake size) and apple tart. Both were excellent. I'd love to go back and enjoy the Biergarten. Overall the meal for two coast a reasonable 125 euros approx plus tip. For this quality meal in the states it'd easily run equal. Our best meal of the week.

This is one of the best restaurant in Germany. If you want to eat very well, in the nice place, stop here. Everything fresh and served with taste and refinement. Excellent desserts and wines. Professionalism and courtesy by staff.

This is a lovely restaurant with a relaxed andpeaceful atmosphere . Food and service excellent . What more could you want ? Price good too !

Not exactly the level of past visits. I think it was just too crowded for a Universal Soldier to give the Lord Stern to his restaurant. We ate together with Princess of Bavaria and Foodlover, a guarantor of germinating boredom.