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The RELAX Restaurant

RELAX Restaurant in the Mercure Munich City – There are some evenings when you just don't want them to end. The one where I tried out the new RELAX restaurant at the Mercure Munich City Hotel was one of those. No, to be honest – I arrived in a good mood and left even better, having gained a wealth of new experiences. For example, I ate one of the best and most perfectly cooked rump steaks I've had in a long time in this modern yet cozy restaurant – admittedly, I hadn't expected that. I also sampled some fantastic gin creations and discovered new varieties. In this context, I'd like to introduce you to the new RELAX restaurant and the concept of the Mercure Munich City Hotel, and everything it entails.

Before we begin, a quick word about hotel dining in general. I can't stress this enough: take off your blinders and dare to eat in hotels. It's not just for hotel guests, no one will give you strange looks, and even if the menus are often more concise, it's worth a try. Often you'll find food that's just as good, if not better, than in many other restaurants. A good example: the Mercure Munich City, not far from Munich's main train station, a 4-star hotel and the first Mercure hotel in Munich to feature the new RELAX concept. I tried it out, including the food and drinks, gin, and atmosphere, and I was thrilled. The name says it all, and I became more relaxed by the minute.

Various gin creations

What can you expect at the new RELAX Restaurant?

In detail, this means that you enter the hotel – admittedly not particularly inviting from the outside – and to your right you'll find the much more inviting RELAX Restaurant. The entire area is taken up by the restaurant, the spacious relaxation area, and the bar. Bright, cheerful colors, soft and upholstered seating, subtle lighting throughout, coordinated decor, and inviting seating groups, tables, and armchairs. As always, you naturally get a first impression and know within seconds whether you feel comfortable or not. I enjoyed sitting in the RELAX Restaurant from the very first minute, happily choosing one of the tables for two and relaxing. During my visit, my gaze was drawn to the inviting bar, also furnished with seating and handsome bartenders ;-). As soon as I entered, one of the staff members approached me and asked if I needed any assistance. Everything at RELAX is very relaxed, pleasant, and authentic. Once I was seated, my companion and I were first served two different gin creations, some explanations, and the menus.

My Argentinian rump steak.

Gin tasting and bar offerings

Gin is a major focus at the new RELAX restaurant. Under the motto "Gin & Relax," they offer exclusive gin tastings. In total, there are over 25 different gins to sample. At each official tasting, you can enjoy unlimited samples from the entire gin selection. The tasting includes six different tonics, and the expertise of gin specialists is an added bonus. If you'd like to participate, you can book a ticket for €69 per person by March 8, 2017. The tasting takes place on March 10. Wine also plays a significant role at the Mercure and RELAX. Firstly, because there's a considerable selection of wines on the menu, and secondly, because there's probably no other hotel group that has a wine or cuvée developed specifically for the hotel each year. At the Mercure, this is known as the "M-Line," and this year the "M VI Edition" cuvée replaced the five-edition cuvée. This year, you can treat yourself to a dry red wine cuvée from the Markus Schneider winery in the Palatinate region, available exclusively at the Mercure Hotel (0.1l for €5.50 | 0.75l bottle for €35.50). A variety of craft beers are also available (two new varieties will be added in 2017!), as well as cocktails, long drinks, and hot and soft drinks.

You just want to take a bite right away, don't you?

Offer, selection and evaluation of the food

Far from it, anyone who thinks this place is only worth a visit for a glass of wine in the evening is mistaken. On the contrary. The menu is relatively concise, yet well-organized. Since the Mercure Hotels belong to the Accor Group, which in turn includes the Novotel Hotels, there is some overlap in the menu. It's divided into Cold Cuts, Snacks, Soups, Green and Healthy, Pasta, Main Street, and Street Food. Cold Cuts are 30-gram portions of antipasti, ham, salami, Parmesan, and similar items for €4.90 each. You can also order items like hummus, olives, or smoked almonds for €4.50. If you're feeling more substantial, there are soups (from €5.50), salads (from €7.50) excluding various toppings (from €2.50), or penne (from €9.50). If you're craving meat – like I was during my visit – you can choose either the Argentinian rump steak (200 grams for €27 with mixed salad and fries) or the Black Angus, rump steak, or barbecue burger (from €17.50). For a more classic option, there's also currywurst with fries (€9.50), salmon fillet with rice and vegetables (€23.50), or chicken curry with sesame seeds and mango (€14.50). The menu is quite varied. I appreciate that it offers both high-quality snacks and truly satisfying main courses. In addition, there are always around two dishes that the chef creates himself, outside of the regular menu, and offers as a regular change of pace. Currently, for example, there is a bresaola sandwich with fig mustard, sauerkraut and Gouda (for €10.50) and a panna cotta with berry compote (for €4.50).

You can't get full just by looking, so let's get down to business – or in my case, to the steak and the burger. On the cover photo, you can see my companion's "Black Angus Burger" with fries. In the background is my side salad with fries. Hidden behind that is my Argentinian rump steak. Cooked medium as requested, and absolutely perfect. (I should add that I've been eating quite a lot of meat, schnitzel, and steak lately, and at least the cooking levels have never been as consistently achieved by anyone as in hotel restaurants...). My steak, served with some greens on a colorful plate, immediately caught my eye, and I ignored the fries and fresh salad for the time being. Perfectly cooked, superb quality meat, and a feast for the eyes. Looking over at my companion's plate, it was a similar story. The burger looked appetizing, was easy to eat, and – like my main course – was quite filling. If you click through the photo gallery, you'll see that we sampled quite a few cold cuts and snacks beforehand. The Italian ham – sliced with an original Berkel slicer – really impressed me, and I practically devoured it, along with the cheese selection, until I remembered my steak order. The fantastic food was only surpassed by the gin variations created beforehand by the bartenders and served in stylish glasses. Here, I recommend that you don't choose for yourself, but rather discuss with the team which gin you like, what kind of flavor profile you're looking for, and then let yourself be pleasantly surprised.

Cozy, isn't it?

Personal conclusion and hard facts

For your next gin and tonic, steak, or burger, why not stop by the RELAX Restaurant? If it's for business, they have Wi-Fi. Add to that a cozy living room/bar atmosphere, good wine, knowledgeable staff, and high-quality products. My tip if you're just looking for a light bite is a gin and tonic and some cold cuts. 🙂 You don't really need much more for a lovely evening – depending on who you're with. The spacious restaurant can accommodate up to 110 people. Breakfast is also available to non-hotel guests (for €19 at the buffet). You can expect all the usual breakfast classics, egg dishes, bread, cheese, jam, etc. The menu described above is available daily from 11:00 AM, and they also occasionally offer a lunch buffet for €25 per person. I will definitely be back and will meet up with friends and acquaintances there for a few hours of work or for some relaxing moments. Wine and beer tastings are also planned for the near future. So things remain exciting.

Details:
Restaurant: RELAX Restaurant
Address: Senefelderstraße 9, 80336 Munich
Website

Pictures: