Hotel Strandhof

The fish dishes were a real highlight. The pan-fried sole was golden brown, and its delicately seasoned butter sauce went beautifully with the fish, unlike anything I'd tasted before. The grilled sea bass was aromatic, expertly prepared, and had a Mediterranean touch. We shared dessert: the crème brûlée had real vanilla, and you could see and taste the difference right away ;) The slightly tart orange sorbet with orange liqueur and delicate brittle was delicious and refreshing in that South Seas setting. We had a thoroughly enjoyable evening, with excellent food and attentive service that never felt forced. The atmosphere was warm and friendly, almost like being among friends, which you don't find in many places anymore. We left impressed by the kitchen's quality and flavor, and would love to come back.

The food was presented as fine dining, but felt more like an overpriced wannabe Michelin-starred restaurant without the quality to match. Portions were extremely small for the high prices, and the ambiance was outdated and uninviting, more like a retirement home than a cozy restaurant. Service was extremely unfriendly throughout our visit, and staff barely responded to requests. When we raised a justified complaint about a very sinewy entrecôte that fell far short of expectations, they dismissed it by saying that was just how the kitchen was and that we had probably never eaten entrecôte before. That condescending response was unacceptable. One person in our group was practically left hungry because the kitchen had closed, and nobody tried to find a solution or even said a friendly word. A complete disappointment. We can't recommend this restaurant and won't be back.