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My selected appetizers from the buffet
Grill & Chill | Sophia's Restaurant and Bar
From June 22nd to September 8th, 2016, the relatively new "Sophia's Restaurant & Bar" at The Charles Hotel will host its new terrace event, "Grill & Chill." The title essentially describes the focus of this weekly event, held every Wednesday and Thursday on the restaurant's spacious terrace, which can accommodate approximately 30-40 people: grilling, relaxing, and of course, enjoying delicious food – complete with a DJ, buffet, and grill. You can learn more about the restaurant itself in my previous post. Article about "Sophia's Restaurant and Bar"„.
I was lucky enough to get a table on the very first Thursday evening of the first week. (Reservations are a must!) After arriving, my companion and I took a seat on the cozy terrace at a table that had already been set. The friendly restaurant manager and our server for the evening explained the "Grill & Chill" concept and brought us the menus. Sophia's describes it as follows: "Delicious food from the Green Egg (a grill) meets urban beats in a relaxed atmosphere." – And that pretty much sums it up. You'll definitely lose track of time as you help yourself to some of the delicious treats from the extensive appetizer buffet on the terrace and unwind from the stresses of everyday life. At least, that's how it was for me.
The board with two kinds of bread, dip, vegetables and sea salt
Grill & Chill: The menu and the buffet
To give you an overview at your table, you will be presented with a menu specially compiled for the Grill & Chill event along with the cocktail menu – featuring delicacies from the appetizer buffet (with various leaf and raw vegetable salads, tomato and watermelon gazpacho, Salade Niçoise, tomato and bread salad with Taggiasca olives and Italian country ham with pickled vegetables) and main courses from the grill (namely Argentinian entrecôte, French merguez, chicken legs from the Polting estate, sea bass with herbs or black tiger prawns (between €29 and €45 including the appetizer buffet)), as well as additional side dishes (baked potato & sour cream, grilled vegetables or various dips & sauces) to choose from.
Grilled vegetables. Delicious, right?
Grill & Chill: Procedure, food selection & rating
So, after choosing your drink (I recommend the "Sophias" (€19) and the "Green Gimlet" (€15) – two very refreshing cocktails perfect for summer – let yourself be surprised!), you can head straight to the appetizer buffet set up at the far end of the terrace. The prices listed on the Grill & Chill menu next to each main course include the appetizer buffet (€18 per person) and the main course itself. It's best to browse through the photos in the gallery and see for yourself what the buffet has to offer. My favorites were the tomato and bread salad (without olives on my visit – but I don't like olives anyway ;-)) and the tuna served in a small bowl with a summer salad. Although you can of course go out more often, I only got a small plate of appetizers, as we – like every guest – were also served a large board with fresh sourdough bread, homemade focaccia, vegetables for dipping with dip and sea salt (see photos in the gallery). You also get this board with fresh bread (etc.) if you eat à la carte in the restaurant or order the current summer menu. I love the homemade focaccia at Sophia's, and the whole board was gone in no time. My favorite was the delicious dip in the small disposable jar, and I just couldn't stop dipping bread and vegetables into the entire pot. 🙂
Here you can see the food before it is grilled.
Regarding the main course following the buffet, you can decide whether to order it directly, perhaps with a cocktail, or wait until the appetizers are finished. If you don't have much time, I recommend ordering a main course right before going to the buffet, as it takes a while to prepare. When choosing your main course, I definitely recommend the sea bass with baked potato, which I ordered. It might be hard to see in my picture, but the delicate fish was cooked to perfection, and the side potato I chose (a large baked potato with sour cream) was also delicious. My companion was in the mood for meat, so we ordered the aforementioned entrecôte with vegetables, cooked to her request, medium-rare. While the meat was definitely cooked medium-rare – I tasted it myself – it was still flavorful and well-portioned, especially with the fresh vegetables. I suppose I have to blame my companion a little, as it's standard practice at Sophia's to re-cook or add more meat if it hasn't reached the desired doneness. But instead of complaining, in our case, they simply ate it rare – and as mentioned, it was delicious. 🙂 Incidentally, there was also a tomahawk steak available that evening, which could have been ordered separately (see photos, in the grill master's hand) – perhaps next time. Anyone who knows me knows I can't go to bed without sugar, or even leave the table without it 😉 There was a wonderful chocolate lava cake with (optional) raspberry mousse. Anyone who loves chocolate will adore the small, perfectly portioned chocolate tart for dessert. Desserts aren't part of the event, but you can order from the regular menu.
When ordering cocktails
My personal conclusion & hard facts
All in all, Grill & Chill at Sophia's Restaurant is a fantastic event for me. Sure, the summer event comes at a price, but in my opinion, it's worth it if you have the time and an appetite. Just popping in and grabbing a quick bite – that's definitely not what Grill & Chill is about. You can decide for yourself how extensive you want it to be and whether you want to include a starter, main course, and dessert. Of course, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, you can also order à la carte as usual or enjoy the summery four-course menu outdoors. (Octopus & colorful chard; gnocchi, eggplant, tomato & ricotta; veal loin, asparagus & tarragon; mascarpone, strawberries & basil sorbet for €69). If the weather continues to be unfavorable, the event unfortunately won't take place. However, if the sun is shining, I highly recommend reserving a table outdoors or in the additional lounge for approximately 20-35 people (see photos).
A cozy terrace atmosphere is created…
In my opinion, Grill & Chill is ideal for a perfect summer evening with friends, acquaintances, colleagues, or family. It was a wonderfully balmy summer night, and after a while, I truly felt like I was on vacation on the quiet terrace and could have stayed forever. You can usually enjoy Grill & Chill until 10:00 PM (starting at 6:00 PM), but if it's really busy and the atmosphere is just too great, they sometimes extend it until 11:30 PM. I recommend booking the event on Thursday for a relaxed start to the weekend. If you can't make it, just come on another weekday. With its friendly and competent service, cozy atmosphere, and welcoming ambiance, it's worth a visit seven days a week.
Place visited: Sophia's Restaurant & Bar
Tested event: Grill & Chill – weekly until September 8th, every Wednesday and Thursday from 7:00 pm
Address: Sophienstraße 28, 80333 Munich
Website
Pictures:
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