Vox Restaurant in The Grand Hyatt Berlin is unusual in that it offers a sushi and sashimi selection as well as a contemporary European menu. The restaurant, located on the ground floor of the hotel, is buzzy and modern, and oozes a hip-n-happening vibe helped in no small part by its dark décor and sleek lines. The open plan kitchen is divided into two sections each catering to the two different elements of the menu. A bar graces the entrance to the restaurant which was busy partying away on the night of our Saturday visit.

We decided to try the Japanese side of things first and elected for the nigiri, maki and sashimi collection (€29) as well as an ebi (prawn) roll (€18) with unagi (eel) sauce. In a city not famed for its sushi, our offering proved to be acceptable. The fish was fresh and palatable, although we longed for salmon and tuna which were a little fatter and richer in taste. Also a touch of something sweeter, perhaps some Japanese mayo, would have really helped to lift the prawn roll. A miso soup (€6) was delicious, but we found a seaweed salad (€12) to be disappointing. The seaweed was a little chewy and bland, and the dressing a little too acidic.

Sushi, sashimi & prawn roll

From the European menu, a lobster cream soup (€16) with grilled scallops and mango was a huge letdown. The broth was runny and lacked for both depth and a wholesome lobster flavour. Furthermore, the use of mango in the soup left an odd taste on the palate. Two pieces of scallop had been submerged in the soup and had not been cooked properly. We left the soup basically uneaten.

Lobster soup

Things looked up with a very tasty spinach risotto with Périgord truffle (€22) however. It gave way to a good flavour, was nicely seasoned, and the rice had been cooked al dente to hold onto a little bit of bite. We also appreciated the yummy slices of truffle that complemented the risotto nicely.

Risotto

Next was a Norwegian halibut (€36) which was thoroughly satisfying. The fish had been beautifully cooked and was flaky and moist. A ‘minestrone’ base of seasonal vegetables such as peppers and aubergine were all precisely executed and complemented the fish lovingly.

Halibut

To dessert, and a chocolate plate (€14) consisting of a chocolate ball encasing a manjara mousse was truly heavenly. This was an incredibly skilful and classy dessert, with the mousse being light and silky smooth. The chocolate ball provided a different element of chocolate to the dish, and the addition of blood orange to cut the richness of the chocolate was a masterstroke. There were also crunchy almonds floating through the mousse, and this gave the dessert a wonderful crunchy contrasting.

Chocolate

A lemon tart (€13) was also nicely done. The filling was zingy and lemony, and all the other elements of the dessert such as the yoghurt ice cream, the meringue and berries also added to this prettily presented dessert. However the pastry was a little soft and could have been more buttery and flakier.

Lemon tart

With the exception of the lobster soup, we found the contemporary European menu to be slightly more successful than the Japanese section. The manjara mousse was an outright winner and we also loved the fish course, so the soup could have been a blip. As for the service, we found it to be accommodating and friendly, but also a little unpolished. But other plus points included a buzzy atmosphere and a central location in the heart of Potsdamer Platz.

Summary Information:
Western menu summary: 3.5/5
Japanese menu summary: 3/5
Service rating: 3/5

Prices: €47 to €79 for 3 courses, excludes drinks.

Website: http://berlin.grand.hyatt.com/Vox-Restaurant