6 minute read
Burbank
from Supper - Issue 20
Burbank Roomers FRANKFURT
A new restaurant by chef The Duc Ngo combines aromatic pan-Asian flavours with relaxed California vibes.
Words: Jenna Campbell • Photography: Courtesy of Gekko Group
Home to one of the world’s largest stock exchanges as well as the headquarters of the European Central Bank, Frankfurt or ‘Mainhattan’ as it is sometimes referred to, is a hive of high-powered financial activity. Every year, millions of business travellers descend on the business capital to attend conferences, exhibitions and trade fairs thanks to its prime geographical position at the crossroads of Europe.
And whilst the German hotel market may once have been regarded as a little stale, filled with the same cookie-cutter brands, a new generation of independents have helped to expand the variety of hospitality experiences on offer. Amongst them is Roomers, the trendy hangout from Gekko Group’s Micky Rosen and Alex Urseanu.
With outposts in Baden-Baden and Munich, Roomers is a pleasure-seekers paradise, describing itself as electric, hedonistic, sensual and glamorous. In Frankfurt, the 116- key property occupies a former office block, yet behind the gleaming façade is a seductive world of subdued lighting, moody tones and industrial-inspired fixtures. The hotel first made its debut in 2016, but, in a bid to stay ahead of the competition, has recently revamped its dining offer with the opening of Burbank – an Asian-fusion, Californian-inspired concept headed up by Germany’s hottest chef, The Duc Ngo.
Having collaborated with Vietnamese-born Duc Ngo on a string of successful restaurants including Golden Phoenix in Berlin and Moriki in Frankfurt, Gekko Group challenged the chef to come up with a completely new offering for Roomers. Inspired by the multi-cultural cuisine of the United States, his dishes are both aromatic and tasteful and are complemented by a beautifully upscaled restaurant environment.
Enlisting his good friend and business partner Hyunjung Kim to breathe new life into the existing interior, the space has been refreshed with bright accent colours and intimate seating niches. Light wooden tables and dark velvet seating mixes with deep green granite surfaces and a contrasting dove blue and desert orange palette, conjuring up images of a Californian vista punctuated by long highways and boundless beaches. “To show the theme, our designer used blue and orange colours, right away you feel that you could be in Los Angeles or Mexico,” says Duc Ngo. “She also decided to incorporate grand silver mesh light fixtures from Moooi as well as coloured glass and mirrors – it really shows the intention of the restaurant.”
Regarded by many as a culinary innovator for his role in characterising Asian cuisine in Germany, Duc Ngo’s style of cooking has been heavily influenced by his upbringing. “I’m half Chinese; half Vietnamese; I came to Germany when I was
was five and travelled through the whole of Europe; and I learnt Japanese cuisine,” says the chef. “I’m a fusion human, so I’m open to every type of cuisine in the world.”
Despite having no formal training, Duc Ngo set out on his culinary journey working in a Berlin sushi bar at the age of 20 before opening his own restaurant, Kuchi, a mere four years later, focusing on a combination of sushi, ramen and yakitori. By the time he opened Shiro i Shiro in 2005, the chef had amassed a loyal following with guests such as Sharon Stone, Mick Jagger and David Lynch.
Whilst his ability to attract A-list diners continues, Duc Ngo pays little attention to his own growing status and insists that his success is attributable to fine food and great hospitality. “It is very important to create something where the restaurant is the star and not the people visiting it; all of my restaurants are based on cuisine and cooking,” he adds. “Moriki is the place where everyone is begging to get a table, I really want Burbank to be like that too.”
At Burbank, sashimi meets guacamole and raw food flavours seamlessly intertwine with pan-Asian culinary philosophies. “Old school Californian cuisine combines with what I used to do in my first restaurants, Japanese flavours and very precise cutting skills – I always want food to be good looking,” says Duc Ngo. Highlights of the menu include Coco Love – an uplifting and vibrantly coloured salad featuring citrus fruits, mizuna and a sweet-and-sour lemongrass dressing; Chilli Honey Prawns with mayonnaise, almond and green chilli; and Peanut Satay Chicken, a stand-out notable for its punchy aftertaste thanks to the accompaniment of sambal matah salsa.
The most discerning of diners will be able to pick up upon a variety of global influences and taste fusions across the menu. Peruvian and Japanese cuisines mix to create Sake Aburi, a combination of flamed salmon, avocado, grapefruit, ponzu and olive oil; while Mexico is represented by the signature guacamole, served exactly how the chef likes it, with shichimi and a bowl of tortilla crisps. The menu is delicious, diverse and made for sharing.
With many of Duc Ngo’s relatives working across his restaurant portfolio, his brand is very much a family affair, with community and sociability driving its success. Channelling this approach at Burbank, the chef encourages people to come together with family and friends and enjoy food and drink without distraction. “It’s always about sharing, in Asia you never get your own dish, plates go in the middle of the table; it is the food of joy.”
While the chef continues his travels – he plans to visit Europe and parts of the southern hemisphere next year – it seems that the process of immersing himself in other cultures and developing his brand is much more than a job, it’s a way of life. “My family and friends tell me to slow down but I cannot,” he quips. “I love feeding people and I love when they get excited about my food.”
IN A BITE Operator: Gekko Group Interior Design: Hyunjung Kim Executive Chef: The Duc Ngo F&B Manager: Branimir Hrkac www.roomers-frankfurt.com
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