KACHEN #21 (Winter 2019) English edition

RESTAURANT PORTRAIT
WINDS OF CHANGE
WITH RESTAURANT CHIGGERI
Young, creative and engaged – and yet willing preserve
the good qualities of the old – that’s what Joao and Sandra
Ramos stand for. In March 2017 they took over the traditional
restaurant Chiggeri in the Rue du Nord. What has
not changed is the decor of the historic city palace. Time
seems to have stood still in the labyrinthine former private
home of the Feltes family. There are original wood
floors, unsymmetrical and occasionally small rooms, and
a steep and narrow wooden staircase. Exhausting for the
service but certainly charming. Every room, from the conservatory
to the private salon to the romantic bay with a
view on Kirchberg, has its own special atmosphere. “We
have not changed the existing décor,” says Sandra Ramos,
“instead, we changed the philosophy and the menu.” Previously,
the brasserie downstairs and
the gastronomic restaurant on the
first floor were separate but that’s not
the case anymore. “All our guests get
the same food and wine menu and
can then decide if they would rather try our bistro menu or
the gastronomic choice. They are free to eat a hamburger
at our most beautiful table.”
“The dishes on our menu
are ones which have withstood
the rigorous family testing.”
The menu is small but select. The creative side of chef
Joao Ramos is obvious. Listed are classics of the bistro
kitchen as well as more eccentric creations of the haute
cuisine. The classics are nevertheless not run of the mill.
The Chiggeri hamburger on homemade bread delivers
with the best beef and Italian ingredients such as burrata
and mortadella. The lasagne is an old family recipe handed
down by Sandra’s grandmother and made completely
without béchamel. “We don’t do your typical Italian, Portuguese,
or similar country kitchen. Instead, we incorporate
ideas and stimulations from our travels across the
world. The dishes on our menu are ones, which we loved
the taste of and which we have redefined in our own way,
and which have withstood the rigorous family testing.”
Products used are, as far as possible,
local and seasonal, and everything
is cooked fresh each day. “This fresh
kitchen also allows us to adapt the
menu to the season every three
months,” says Joao. The joy in experimentation shows in
creations such as sashimi of red tuna with foie gras – now
a staple on Chiggeri’s menu.
Sandra’s father Dino Totaro is also part of the team. He
is responsible for the wine menu of the restaurant. As the
treasurer of the ALS (Association Luxembourgeoise des
Sommeliers) the role fits him like a glove. In 2017 Chiggeri
was awarded restaurant with the best wine menu in
Luxembourg. For guests, it’s useful to see the labelling of
the wines according to categories of price. “That helps to
discretely advise guests when choosing wines; making
sure they fit the food and the budget.”
In summer, Chiggeri’s terrace – one of the most beautiful
in the city – offers the perfect place for a relaxing dining
experience with a breath-taking view across the valley of
the city to Kirchberg. “We have no tourists marching past,
which means that guests can enjoy a calm and beautiful
summer’s day without feeling disturbed by traffic noise.”
Much loved by guests are also the “Dinner in the dark”
events. Every Thursday, they offer a meal for up to twelve
people in complete darkness. A bite-size four-course
menu is served with appropriate wines. “It’s astonishing
to see the dynamics in a mixed group of guests when one
of their senses is removed.” On account of its popularity,
reservation is necessary.
RESTAURANT CHIGGERI
15, Rue du Nord — L-2229 Luxembourg
Tel. +352 / 22 99 36
chiggeri.lu
86
KACHEN No.21 | WINTER 19