Borwin Hafenrestaurant sits next to the river that runs through Rostock on its way to the North Sea. Prior to departing on our cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette and arriving in Warnemunde, the nearest port-of-calI, I reviewed the seafood restaurants in Rostock. Borwin came to the top of the list. Deciding to put it to the test, we were not disappointed. We arrived shortly after noon on a Wednesday. The service was attentive, in English, and the waiter gave excellent recommendations after explaining how to select from their extensive list of seafood of the day. We chose the monkfish asking for a white wine sauce, and a dish with three fillets selected by the chef among the best catch of the day. In my case it included ocean perch, catfish and salmon in a lobster sauce. I am generally not a fan of catfish as I find it a strong flavored fish, but the lobster sauce took the edge off. The perch and salmon were excellent. For us, the monkfish was clearly the star of the meal with the white wine sauce bringing out the almost lobsteresque flavors a good monkfish delivers.
We wanted to try German dry white wine with the meal. The waiter recommended a glass of “Fang der Tage” Mosel Riesling-Cuvee and a Weingut and Gernert Werbssburgunder from Pfatz. We found that the Riesling Cuvee was perfect for the monkfish and the Werbssburgunder was strong enough to stand up to the catfish while complementing the perch and salmon nicely.
To top off the meal we chose a fresh rhubarb and strawberry compote with mascarpone cheese and a kumquat. This dessert is not only a traditional ending for such a meal in this region but an excellent way to leave the restaurant wanting to return as soon as possible.
I have lived and worked in central and southern Germany, but never before visited the northern seashore. The architecture reminded me more of Amsterdam than the rest of Germany. Bright colored homes with the traditional Dutch peaks are everywhere. Remnants of the city wall and the 22 gates that provided entry still remain. Of note are the Steintor (stone) and Kropelin gates. It is possible to see the demarcations between the stone and brick wall eras. Multiple churches dot the city center with St. Marienkirche the largest. It has been a site of worship for more than 770 years with construction starting in 1230. The astronomical clock has also graced this structure since 1472. Rostock is a university city with marvelous architecture and buildings located in the old city center. We met and talked with several students who moved to this city for the purpose of pursuing a degree. Its proximity to the nearby beaches I am sure had little to do with their choice to study here.
Rostock had not been on my itinerary of places I had hoped to visit, since it was part of the cruise we chose we elected to explore it and we are glad we did as we will long remember the architecture, the friendly people and the great experience at Borwin.
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