#10 | Ménage, Munich, Germany
Last Visit: February 2023
The Ménage bar in Munich's hip Glockenbackviertel already had something special and creative in its blood, so to speak. A few years earlier, the location had been opened in 2013 as the Gamsei, where the eye-catching and bar-dominating wooden furnishings on the wall behind the counter, reminiscent of modern Japanese concept stores, originated. Not only that, back then the interior design was even more progressive and experimental, great pictures can be found in this nice ArchDaily article. The two wooden grandstands facing each other are hard to miss, although not used by the Ménage anymore after moving in. Nevertheless, it's always a promising sign when a bar manages to be featured on AD.
Now I don't want to waste too many words about a bar that is actually different from the one mentioned in the title. As if someone would ask me about my partner and I start by talking five minutes about my previous one. One thing is for sure, however: I wish I would have visited Munich back then already and could have stopped by in the Gamsei. An artist/bartender who was responsible for one of Australia's most famous bars ("Der Raum"), this interior, locally sourced ingredients, food concept (beautifully continued in the Ménage), survived less than a year - this story contains many exciting parts.
A drama in three acts. Or rather, three articles in Mixology magazine in which you can still read much of the story. Sadly only in German for our English readers but try out your Google Translate/DeepL skills, it's worth it. Here they are linked, the headlines speak for themselves:
As I mentioned, several of the ideas from the previous bar could still be found in the Ménage (opened at the end of 2018), parts of the interior, focus even more on quality food than before and of course the creative streak. Whereby that last aspect in the resurrection of the location of course comes from the famous Frankfurt Kinly Bar, or more directly from the Kinly Boys, who brought the Ménage to life, René Soffner & Johannes Möhring. Bar manager and a great host on every single of my visits is now Max J. Maier.
The rotovap is casually displayed right behind the bar, you're greeted and advised in a very friendly manner, the menu is new every season and, especially in the current iteration, artistically elaborate. It immediately reminds me of great addresses like the Little Red Door in Paris or Arnd Henning Heissen's former baby, the Curtain Club at the Ritz in Berlin. Is there anything missing to be really sure that this is a high-end bar project, even if it still exudes a lot of coziness and casualness?
Oh yes, there was also the matter of the food: Luke Rogers has been the chef from the beginning, after previously well regarded work stations in Munich (Walter&Benjamin, avva, etc.) and ensured that the Ménage can be found in the Bib Gourmand of Michelin, as well as in the Gault&Millau Guide, receiving one of their chef hats aka stars. There is a food menu separate from the cocktails. On the right you find the "Barfood", on the left even a classic course menu. Bar food in this case needs to be put in big quotation marks, because what in other bars means olives, quickly made truffle popcorn or a sandwich, has a completely different dimension here, a small (still more simple) example you can find below, as well as the food menu itself.
"Talisman"
These two poles, cuisine and cocktails, inspire each other; the aforementioned rotary evaporator for vacuum distillation and other gimmicks are used, but not overused. It's not a bar that has to forcefully mention a new buzzword about high-tech tools in every drink. The concept works well enough with the classics fat wash, "normal" infusions / macerations and so on, as well as without mentioning any brand in the menu. Although they certainly use exciting spirits, many smaller, independent brands, were used there from the beginning, among these for example, always there and always intersting: Empirical Spirits from Denmark with their creative and experimental spirits. Here are my 2-3 drinks of the evening:
Talisman:
| Terragon-Coffee-Rum
| Orange Curaçao
| Salt
| Mirabelle
Very balanced and spring-like, contrary to my expectations it almost can't be called a "real" coffee drink. The tarragon and coffee are infusions, the coffee even just a 45-60 minute rapid infusion at that, which explains the tenderness and silkiness with which it meanders through the drink. Just as present is the Mosel Distillers Mirabelle Eau de Vie, the brand's bottlings are partly blends of brandies, spirits, macerates and the fresh fruitiness plays nicely with the salt here. The orange liqueur works more in the background as a connection, the tarragon comes through nicely only in the finish, which suited me well, so that it does not become too culinary from front to back. Very drinkable, a drink for a quick good mood.
"Rye Me A River"
Rye Me A River:
| Pumpkin Seed Oil Rye
| Caramel Verjus
| Tonka Port Wine
| Salt
My favorite so far from my now 4 visits to the Ménage Bar and that's saying something. The rye whiskey is fatwashed with pumpkin seed oil, the "caramel verjus" is basically a caramel syrup, which is however deglazed with verjus and the water in it is replaced with it. In addition white (!) port, infused with tonka beans. They tricked me here, reading a recipe you first think of red one, especially combined with a rye. But it all makes more than sense, since it is the rather bright and flowery Stork Rye from Brandenburg in Germany, which, by the way, can be found very often in Munich's bars. The white port is an ideal match, and the caramel verjus is the real highlight in the last third of the drinking experience. Imagine 3 very well made twisted Old Fashioneds, as you'd find them more often, one twisted with pumpkin seed, the next with caramel and the last with tonka beans, all mixed together in one drink. Nevertheless, every ingredient can be identified while tasting and all of this is then perfectly loosened up with a small dash of silky acidity (from the verjus), which makes the cocktail seem very airy and elegant. The heaviness and stroppiness is missing, which otherwise immediately comes to mind with these ingredients.
A shorter comment about the other two orders of the day: On the one hand the Livèche Total. A very interesting drink with lovage-infused bourbon and a few other ingredients, such as cherry, miso butter fatwashed cognac and gentian (liqueur). Sounds very culinary, and it was. A drink that felt straight out of the over-creative kitchen, unfortunately I personally discovered lovage to not be my cup of tea, but still a most interesting and balanced drink. It was especially tough since it was a clear contrast or spice counter to the savoury "Uncle Roger's Egg Fried Rice" (yes, named after the Youtube comedian). Just the right amount of coriander spicyness, aromatic mushrooms, topped with a perfectly poached egg: an absolute delight.
"Livèche Total"
"Uncle Roger's Egg Fried Rice"
In the summer of 2023 it will be the end for this most exciting bar project, as one could read in Mixology and I also had it confirmed on site. What remains to be said after my probably last visit to the Ménage?
That my heart bleeds knowing this review will be transformed into an R.I.P. review in a few months. That I will miss it very much to find myself already excited in the train on the way to Munich, anticipating new creative explosions and culinary influences you rarely get to see mixed together this way. New projects are in the pipeline they will tell you, which may calm one down a bit. We will see to what extent they will be able to replace a bar of such caliber, which didn’t have to hide internationally and especially in Germany showcasing a more unique concept.
But if the team behind the bar and in the kitchen has earned itself one thing, then it is gratitude for the wonderful hours and unique experiences, as well as trust, for example concerning new projects & endeavours.
Let's stay excited about what may come and let us keep this pearl of Germany's bar community in fond and joyful memories long after the coming end this summer.
The 3 drinks ordered from the 14 cocktails containing menu & the food menu:
