CODA — Restaurant in Berlin

Our visit to CODA unfortunately did not meet our expectations, both in terms of food and atmosphere. If the restaurant did not have 2 Michelin stars (which comes with the price $$$), our rating would certainly have been much higher. Unfortunately such an accolade comes with obligations.

Let me start with the positives: when it comes to presentation, the desserts were truly aesthetic - small works of art. The service was also very professional. However, I am not entirely convinced that different waiters serve and present different desserts or drinks throughout the evening, but that may be a matter of personal preference. The bathroom with the toilet is elegant, and the hand towels feel pleasantly soft. Furthermore, the quality of the glassware and tableware should be noted.

As for what I believe could be improved:

Atmosphere:

a) The tables are placed very closely together, especially those near the entrance. It would be advisable to remove one table, which would significantly improve comfort. It is impossible to have private conversations.

b) Unfortunately, the chairs are very uncomfortable (though they are beautiful and fit the decor of the restaurant). It is difficult to sit on them for four hours during the dinner

c) The restaurant has a stuffy atmosphere - our neighbors, who overheard our conversation (as they were seated very close to us), joined our discussion and confirmed that they were also experiencing discomfort due to the lack of fresh air.

Food - for a dessert menu priced at a minimum of 550 EUR per couple (you can also order a wine pairing menu by the sommelier for approximately 90 EUR per person), I would expect not only top-notch ingredients and presentation (which were present) but above all exceptional taste and creativity - something that is almost impossible to forget - an adventure. All desserts were tasty (except for the grissini), but after the first three (out of a total of 15), there were no more flavor surprises. The ingredients and their combination were unfortunately very predictable. Moreover, the rarely occurring dessert ingredients that were supposed to surprise us (such as for ex. shiitake mushrooms) were practically imperceptible and contributed little (or almost nothing) to the overall taste of the dessert.

After finishing the dinner, we primarily felt tired. Twice during the evening, we considered leaving the restaurant. Not because the food was bad, but simply because we were very disappointed. The desserts were good, but that was it - not exceptional, not an adventure, nothing that you would not forget just after you left...

The moment we took notice of CODA last autumn we knew that we had to make a journey from the southwest of Germany to Berlin. I passionately cook myself and share the love for food with my girlfriend, so we naturally treat our pallets on our travels with food from all over the world. We never experienced something like CODA though.

We booked our reservation about 4 months in advance, everything went smoothly and on the day of our reservation we were greeted at the door after a whole day of walking and discovering Berlins neighbourhoods.

After we got seated, we had the opportunity to order an Apéritif which I gladly took. The staff always notified us when something was not part of the menu price.

Then the starters appeared on our table which included the best Gummy Bear we have ever had.

The main courses were fabulous. The flavours of the reduced vegetable juices incorporated in each dish are clearly the signature feature of the cooking style. The flavours of each meal's components complimented the whole dish. I really enjoyed how umami and sweet played with each other on my tongue. Different textures and temperatures also contributed to the whole experience. Everything tasted really clean to me, meaning that a dish was only composed of few ingredients with the attempt to get the most out of every single one flavour-wise.

The drinks that were served were all mixed in a way that they would balance out every flavour in your mouth. Don't expect getting drunk, though as the drinks are part of every dish and you only get an adequate amount for the purpose of complimenting each dish.

After the main courses we were invited to the kitchen and had the opportunity to talk to Heiner who is in charge of everything chocolate related. He gladly answered all of our questions and served us some chocolates which were partly also sweetened naturally with vegetable juice reductions.

The atmosphere in the restaurant itself was lively and calm at the same time. The kitchen is partially open, so you can observe what's going on behind the scenes. The staff was exceptionally friendly. Gregory and his colleague who mainly served us explained every dish, answered questions and asked frequently if everything is alright. A big surprise for us was that René Frank was there as-well, serving us and chatting with his guests.

A truly magnificent experience. When in Berlin, we will definitely come...

I’ve been to lots of Michelin-starred restaurants, and I have to say CODA definitely lived up to my expectations. This is a truly unique fine-dining experience that’s worth a visit in one’s lifetime. I do think it’s important tho, to expect the unexpected when dining at CODA and stay open-minded. For me personally I find it more like a taste journey rather than a standard fine-dining meal.

I planned my Berlin trip specifically for this restaurant and I’m very pleased with what I got — a surprise in every bite. The combination of ingredients in every dish is very special. The flavors are well-balanced and the orders of each dishes were arranged perfectly. My favorites were carrot, lettuce, waffle, grissini, and parsley root.

Another highlight that I personally adore was there’s this mix of posh, fine dishes that showcases the culinary technique and some more common-places dishes with a twist like the gummy bear and the waffle. Also, I thought the chocolate dish would be a heavy chocolate mousse like what it traditionally would be, but it turned out to be very airy and light, with a punch of umami from the shiitake. Sooo many thoughts have been put into this menu. The caviar popsicle is quite polarizing. I can’t decide if I like it or not, but I’m glad I tried it. I saw some reviews here saying they didn’t like it and that’s fair. This is why I think this is more like a journey of culinary discovery in dessert. I may not like every dish I experienced in a journey, but it’s part of it that informs the whole experience.

Finally the staff were very friendly and sweet. You can tell that they are proud of what they do and love the food themselves. My phone was running low on battery and they lend me a powerbank🥹.

I love the fact that no granulated sugar was used throughout the menu — only sweetness from natural ingredients. The dessert-centered concept is very well-executed. I definitely didn’t think I would enjoy it this much. If only I have a bigger stomach then I would be able to have another waffle lol. I went by myself and my table was lovely — friendly for solo-traveler....