Tim Raue is a Berlin institution. Famous for his two Michelin star restaurant by the same name, Raue also has another two restaurants in the German capital. One is La Soupe Populaire which serves primarily German and Prussian dishes and the other is the Sra Bua by Tim Raue which is located at the Kempinski Hotel Adlon.
On a recent visit to Berlin, and given it was a Monday, the only Tim Raue restaurant that was open and which I could therefore visit was Sra Bua. It turned out to be a very good choice.
You might ask why a German chef would open a restaurant whose culinary concept focusses on Thailand and Japan. And you would be right to ask that question. But Tim Raue’s flagship restaurant is the answer. Because while it is non unusual for Asian chefs, especially Japanese, to serve French style cuisine in Europe, very few Europeans are well known for their ‘Asian cuisine’.
Raue is the exception. His two-Michelin star restaurant is known for the bold flavours. He loves to say that his cuisine is not for the faint-hearted. “I serve very spicy food. I want to take clients to the border and sometimes even over the border.”
But Sra Bua is different. Here, the cuisine is clearly Asian but Raue’s culinary concept focuses on making innovative and creative modern dishes while showcasing the diverse Asian cuisine.
The restaurant was full on a cold Monday evening and I got a late sitting. The decor of the restaurant is modern and has a nice vibe but the food was what made the visit really interesting.
Here you could experience pan-Asian cuisine which showcases the purity of the ingredients. The first course was prawns with pumpkin, carrots and lime basil. The dish was stunning in its purity of flavours.
I tried two main courses, both fish. One was the pike perch with water chestnut and morning glory. The other was haddock served with celery and ‘buddha’s hand’. The fish in the two dishes was perfectly cooked and left pure while the accompanying ingredients gave the Asian touch to the plates.
This German chef is becoming a household name on the world circuit of top chefs. The announcement by Netflix that he will feature in one of the next seasons of Chef’s Table is a huge endorsement. If you happen to be in Berlin and would like to try Tim Raue’s cuisine in a more casual setting than his flagship restaurant, then Sra Bua is a great choice.
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