Denkma(h)l!

A new stop on my culinary travels this year was the city of Hamm on the north-eastern edge of the Ruhr area, where I wanted to pay my first visit to the restaurant Denkma(h)l. I had already heard about some very positive experiences here, and on top of that, Alexander Hoppe, a chef I rate very highly, worked here for a long time before moving to Wuppertal three years ago to cook his way to a star at the Shiraz.

Reason enough to take a closer look at Hamm's star forge. And I like what I see very much, in many ways. The team around head chef Thomas Klasna scores on the plate with creative...