I love European grand café-style dining. The retro décor, cavernous dining space and bustling atmosphere all make for a great night. Gymnasium is the latest grand café in London. Was it any good? Time to find out...
Ideal for:
A glamorous night out to impress a date
Good quality food with hearty portions
Casual dining with friends
Ambience & Décor
German Gymnasium followed the classic European grand café-style décor. Given it was a converted period building, the exposed bare brick was the antithesis of the slick, contemporary vibe and décor. The modern style coupled with a smattering of art deco pieces contravened the usual ostentatious grand café design. However, I thought it worked really well. The dimmed lighting perfect for date night. The cavernous interior reverberated the sound to create a jovial atmosphere.
Service
The service was slick and commendable. Good service is paramount to the image and tonight’s showing certainly enhanced Gymnasium’s overall rating.
Food
I love schnitzel, and as such went for the traditional Vienna Schnitzel (left). This was a breaded veal escalope with a warm potato salad and a lingonberry compote. The schnitzel was beautifully cooked all over, and given the giant portion, this was an impressive feat. However, the schnitzel itself was a tad bland; needed more seasoning, which was a shame given this is a speciality. Potato salad is a traditional side with schnitzel, and it was delicious. The Dijon mustard gave the salad the X-Factor. The berry compote gave the sweet twist that rounded out the entire course.
For deserts, I went for the Warm apple strudel (right). For those who know me, apple-based deserts are my favourite, and this strudel was sublime. I would come back for this. The apples had the perfect tang, delightful amount of sweetness and enough cinnamon. The pastry was beautifully cooked inside and out.
German Gymnasium was a surprise. The food was good but the schnitzel was a tad bland and this was the showpiece. However, main course was still enjoyable and the desert was delightful. My biggest gripe was value for money. Overall German Gymnasium gets an A- rating.
Photos of German Gymnasium and more can be found on Instagram here.
Final grade: A-
Final comment: German Gymnasium is a good all-rounder and good for all occasions!
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