I finally
managed to pay a visit to this interesting restaurant in the Bahnhofsviertel
area. Chez Ima is operated by the same people that own Maxie Eisen and it is similarly
trendy and hip. The restaurant is on the ground floor of a cool boutique hotel
located in one of the sketchiest part of the Bahnhofsviertel, which is undoubtedly
the unruliest, wildest, dodgiest part of Frankfurt. It is the ideal location
for this restaurant, where the owners spearheaded the gentrification and
hipsterfication of the area around the central station. Technically, we are
here actually in Gallus, but the proximity of the central station and the red-light
establishments only a few meters away make it part of the Bahnhosviertel area.
As such, Chez Ima has to be reached by walking one of the sketchy alleys
towards Niddastraße, which needs a bit of courage. Once one has made it passed
the drug dealers and their clientele, homeless and drinkers, one suddenly finds
oneself in a small hipster nucleus: some trendy hotels, bars and an art gallery
– and among them is Chez Ima.
We came
actually not primarily to eat at the restaurant, but to visit an after-work roof
top party at the hotel. Those events are very popular and added even more to
the hipster feel. I am usually quiet a fan, but this was a hipster overload for
me. Thus, even if the view was cool from the roof – the skyline with its towers
on Mainzer Landstraße was hit by the last rays of sun light after a warm summer
day – we left fairly quickly. We thought, why not try out the restaurant, which
I already heard good things about. And indeed, the menu was already very intriguing.
The dishes on offer can be described as oriental – different creations
influenced by Moroccon, Turkish and Lebanese/Levant cuisine.
I decided to
go for a mixed plate of oriental treats called freestyle plate. The dish consisted
of some classics like hummus, couscous and a nicely fresh tomato salsa. On the
plate was also something what I think was a bulgur ball, some small pieces of
meat and a cucumber dip. This came with some pita bread to wipe the hummus and
mix the other ingredients. The only slightly odd ingredient on the plate was
the pickled cucumber. With its sourness, which I usually like, it did not fit
too good in this oriental composition. But overall, it was a great plate of
food with the flavors being strong, the ingredients fresh and the visual aspect
was also satisfied. My conclusion is that this is rightfully considered one of
the most interesting restaurants in the Bahnhofsviertel. I would want to come
back to try, for example, their lamb dish.
Style: Casual
eatery/Dinner
Cuisine: Mediterranean/Lebanese/Moroccan
Location: Gallus
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