Delicious, delightful delicacies... but not the food.

Alexander Herrrmann's Palazzo "Delikatessen"

Nürnberg/Nuremberg, 12th November 2016 

 

The stuff I do to see special people perform.... Not much a fan of such shows as the whole package is often half-baked I nevertheless kinda had to go to see the wonderful Janko Danailow being part of the group of five singers performing throughout the show among the dinner and the acrobats.
With going on a three week vacation mid of November I combined a trip to Nuremberg with the start of my annual leave flying out of Frankfurt the day after...

Well, overall the current production of Nuremberg's Palazzo is decent, customer visitors' reaction is certainly largely positive, I though, having been to I do not know how many other variety shows thanks to a friend working in that business, while I enjoyed most acts, was not fully satisfied.

Not so much the acts, I prefer though them to be more show than acrobatic, especially the tissu number (since my friend is an excellent rope/tissu artist) felt rather unexciting.

Yes, the usual stuff was there, but it all felt too focused on getting the act technically 100% right, which is okay for a circus, but this is variety and the show element is just as important.

I was certainly more entertained at many other shows at the GOP theatres in Germany been pretty much to all, other similar shows including some here in Hamburg or the Tigerpalast in Frankfurt, THE address for variety in Germany.

Saying that the acts which nevertheless impressed me were:

• the Duo Gangsters (Danylo Strakhov and Anton Khaperskiy) delivering an excellent and show-y handstand performance (as can be seen >> here)

• Andrei & Aliaksandr delivering a technically exalted breathtaking horizontal bar performance

and

• the duo Strahlemann & Söhne, Pat Fabio und Gordon Leif with a brilliant most entertaining (by far) juggling number that included taking their clothes off and putting it back on

The little story, created around the 4 course meal and the artistic number was fun with two food critics (comedians Nils Hellmuth & Steffen Lemke) arriving at the tent, no reservation but since they cannot keep quiet about who they are, are given a table.

Of the five singers, two are some kind of presenters (Marta Debreczeni and Marco Maurer), one is like a front of house host in charge of reservations etc. (Katharina Martin), the fourth works at the bar () and last but not least Janko Danailow being the head chef called Chili Gonzalez (or however spelt).

Little episodes throughout the show especially as the chef has a crush on the bar lady, the bar lady is obviously more interested in one of the food critics etc. do take place though to actually call it a story is a bit exaggerating.
The funny bits are certainly around Janko's character being a feisty Latino macho type of guy with being very self assured (most of the time) but also extremely jealous who is having a hard time when the focus of his attention kinda snubs him or at least plays her game with him.

For me show wise these moments are worth the visit.
Especially Janko is such a star (yes, I am biased). Oh gosh, how I adore his facial impressions as can see on some of the photos in this post - they made me crack up so much (and seeing him actually made me wish he was in a proper show this season where he could act properly just as in "Der Medicus" last summer and not this as much as I liked seeing him perform in general (cannot wait to learn what he does next summer)).

Each of the singers also had their solo numbers besides several group numbers.
Usually in the middle of each course each sang a well known song, again Janko's most beautiful emotional version of "Hey There Delilah" being my favourite followed cloly by a sensual interpretation of Marylin Monroe's "I Wanna Be Loved By You".

Too bad many people could not honour the solo numbers as the chit chatting during the numbers was often way too loud.
Why not just enjoy and indulge in the food and enjoy the music?
Actually reading some of the comments on the Palazzo facebook site some people have moaned that there was not enough time for the food - suppose if you extended the time for each course you'd sit there for five hours - minimum.

Oh better stop, I get bitchy.

Better focus on the fun part as the fabulous energetic version of "You Can't Stop the Beat" sung by all the singers (ah, how I miss "Hairspray") or as introduction to the desert course "The Candy Man" from the 1970s movie Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, sung sweetlishly (get it? ;-) ) by Janko.

There are though just as many instrumental reprises of "The Rhythm Of Life" I can bear.

I mean, I LOVE Sweet Charity having seen the musical several times and the movie a lot, but when the guys finally sang the number near the end I had nearly enough - though since Janko sang the Big Daddy Brubeck parts that was quickly forgotten.

So why was I not happy when the actual show was largely satisfying? Well, the show has two parts - the show itself and the dinner. And the dinner was a disappointment.

The menus, vegetarian and non vegetarian, were created by Alexander Herrmann, a well known chef being a lot on TV shows, his restaurant in Bavaria being a Michelin star awarded establishment but for me the vegetarian meal was not only boring, two of the courses were actually awful.

Vegetarian cuisine can be absolutely amazing but this meal looked like made in such a rush and an emergency solution. 

The starter, a celery carpaccio, tasted more of vinegar than of vegetables and was not worth the money at all.

That is actually another criticsm I have. I paid for the vegetarian meal the same price as for the non vegetarian, and while I am aware that the ingredients are only a small share of a price in a restaurant the value for money was very poor seeing what fancy meat the other meal had. Actually  a rip off for me.

Also a massive disappointing was the main course being served some "Maultaschen" (German ravioli) filled with nuts and veg which were pretty much the same as in the amuse-gueule and the starter - lame, lamer, the lamest besides the taste being absolutely flat.
What was an absolute no-go though was how DRY they were. In any other restaurant I would have returned them - and since I may see the show once more in a few weeks if they are as awful as then, they WILL be returned.

I actually commented on Alexander Herrmann's Instagram account the other day after he had posted a vegetarian meal looking most delicious me telling how much I had wished I had served something like that and not that awful dish I had to experience. His answer was actually most surprising as the course was not really his idea knowing how lame it is. Weird. 

The desert was also plain. The vanilla mousse had as much vanilla in it as a pack of vanilla sugar.
The ingredients are definitely of anything but high quality (and yes, I can judge that being brought up in a family with a professional chef and a professional baker/pastry chef plus being a very active hobby baker).
The entree also did not look anything like on the official website.

Too bad there are no tickets available, at least at the side without the obligatory meal as at other shows that kind of offer. 

What was also disappointing was the seating arrangement.
For 150 EUR on a Saturday night (top price, slightly less midweek at still around 135 EUR) I sat at table with 6 others in the right hand corner and despite not being anything but short the view was max decent.

Just with a lot of leaning and stretching the view was acceptable.
For anyone shorter that view would have been a disaster especially when you have, as I had, people at the table who were totally disrespectful blocking view and when you told them they'd constantly do that being rude (though overly friendly out of the blue when after the show they learnt I "know" one of the performers - eye roll). Well, welcome to Germany I'd say!

So overall I was happy to see Janko, his version of "Hey There Delilah" and his Chili Gonzalez moments are worth the visit alone but with the food being a disappointment I can only hope that my second visit some time next year will be an improvement!

Rating 6/10