Gastown’s new Bauhaus Restaurant, led by celebrated chef Stefan Hartmann and owned by film director Uwe Boll, has finally opened this week after months of renovations.
Bauhaus Restaurant is named after the famous design movement from Germany, which seamlessly marries form and function. Many of the dining room elements were custom designed in the original Bauhaus style.
The restaurant is situated inside one of Vancouver’s unique historical buildings, also known as The Boulder Hotel, originally built in 1890. Over the last 100 years, the building has gone through many changes: from its early years as a saloon and bank to its most recent home to Boneta’s Restaurant.
The renovation was led by Vancouver designer Andrea Greenway. The goal of the design was to keep as much of the original structure as possible, an effort that included exposing the original 1890’s brick and marble, and uncovering the historical Bank Safe.
“It was a real challenge to keep the integrity of the building and incorporate our Bauhaus design concept. Modernist design can be a bit austere, so I hope that we have created a nice balance of modern and warm.” ~ Andrea Greenway
The restaurant aims to bring a new style of dining to Vancouver. The beautifully designed restaurant features both a dining room and a large lounge area. The menu incorporates both local and fresh seasonal ingredients and features a chef tasting menu, an à la carte menu, a German classics menu and a lunch menu.
When people think about German cuisine they think Sausage, Schnitzel and Sauerkraut. Unlike its French neighbour, Germany has not historically been known for its haute cuisine. But a modern trend of revitalizing reliable staples, from poached veal tenderloin with polenta and peas to brioche dumpling and white asparagus soup, has ushered in the gastronomic age of neue deutsche Küche, or, New German Cuisine. According to an article by James Brennan (Fine Dining Lovers), Germany has become “one of the powerhouses of modern European gastronomy,” proven further by the impressive accolades awarded by the 2015 Michelin Guide: a whopping total of 281 starred restaurants.
Michelin star chefs, such as Bauhaus Restaurant’s own Stefan Hartmann, have been creating light, lean and local gastronomic delicacies by infusing contemporary flair into traditional favourites. And, lucky for us, Hartmann has brought the taste of Germany to Vancouver’s trendy Gastown district, where the communal spirit of neue deutsche Küche will likely resonate with British Colombia’s local food scene. Much like Canada, according to Food Republic writer Drew Lazor, Germany possesses “a storied agricultural backbone, including a strong citizen gardening tradition dictated by the communal cultivation of seasonal vegetables.”
But don’t be intimidated by chef Stefan Hartmann’s Michelin star title: prices at Bauhaus range from $20-40, and the 8 course chef tasting menu, priced at $110, is a real experience. The seasonal à la carte menu currently features: spot prawns with white asparagus, hollandaise and tarragon; halibut with caper crust, bean puree and lemon butter; goat cheese strudel, with white or green asparagus; and beef tenderloin with celery three ways.
The lunch menu, with prices between $14 and $27, features Arctic char, white asparagus soup, and German classics like beef roulade and wiener schnitzel.
“The good part about the long renovation is that it gave me more time to explore and sample ingredients from suppliers and farmers all over the lower mainland to ensure I have the best on my menu.” ~ Chef Stefan Hartmann
The Bauhaus Bar is led by award winning German bartender Florian Rupp, who recently won the Giffard Liqueurs Iron Bartender award. The signature cocktail menu features original German-inspired drinks like the Buttermilk Margarita (tequila, buttermilk, fresh lime, lemon, agave nectar, and quince jam) and the Ranglum (dark rum, wray, nephew overproof, fresh lime and falernum).
“We look forward to complementing Vancouver’s diverse restaurant scene with the first ever neue deutsche establishment in the city! There really is something on the menu for everyone.” ~ Uwe Boll.
Social Media Handles
Website: bauhaus-restaurant.com
Twitter: @BauhausRest
Facebook: facebook.com/BauhausRestaurant
Instagram: @bauhausrestaurant
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