Sein, Karlsruhe

Forum contributor QWERTZ says: “The menu – or rather, the four courses in the middle – really put me to the test in terms of acidity and heat. It also took me a while to get used to this style of cooking. In particular, I didn’t pick up on the narrative structure that Thorsten Bender builds into the menu – from the subtle, rather gentle start, through the intensity in the middle of the menu, to a more subdued finish. Here, particularly when ordering the menu, the service staff could do a bit more to guide first-time visitors with a few brief explanations. What struck me straight away, however, was that Thorsten Bender uses acidity and heat both boldly and skilfully. No main ingredient is overpowered or its flavour diminished. This is particularly well achieved with the Norway lobster and the turbot. This quality justifies all the reviews it has received and a good position in our rankings. I see a comparable standard in terms of acidity and heat at Tim Raue’s or at L.A. Jordan (at least as it was a few years ago). I definitely want to return to his restaurant in the near future. Once I’ve become more accustomed to the cuisine – and I’m sure I will – I’ll appreciate it even more than I did on this first visit. For Thorsten Bender offers an interesting cuisine that boldly combines high-quality ingredients, going beyond conventional harmonies. What’s also remarkable, however, is the contrast between the subtle, delicate courses and the bolder ones – you don’t come across that very often, and it’s particularly appealing.” (Published in March 2026)

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