A culinary spring kickoff awaits at the new CAPITOL in Bad Berleburg. The new spring menu is valid from Thursday, March 19, 2026. Fresh vegetables in a colorful variety, crisp salads, top-quality meats, and fish and poultry specialties define the selection – as always, also featuring finely tuned vegetarian and vegan dishes. Seasonal cuisine that reinterprets classic products and surprises with unexpected flavor combinations. The signature style of head chef Norman Pontzen is unmistakable.
The salad plate, a perfect starter with fresh spring greens, chickpea balls, and wild garlic dip, is the ideal light meal for the first warm days. Fresh wild garlic with its tangy aroma and chickpeas as a healthy source of protein are staples on the new spring menu. A classic dish of salmon and spinach strudel with dip and salad follows, featuring tender fish and flavorful spinach.
Peas and carrots dominate one of the two “preludes,” presented in a carrot cream soup with chickpeas. The wild garlic cream soup with ravioli is another savory “prelude.”
The Capitol Bowl and the Wemlighausen Wagyu beef burger are staples on the menu at the new CAPITOL – this time featuring different, seasonally inspired ingredients. The poached chicken with Riesling sauce, mushrooms, peas, and spiced rice is also delicious – a glass of Riesling from the Spreitzer winery is the perfect accompaniment.
Pasta a la Norma is a vegetarian classic of Sicilian cuisine, originally from the city of Catania. The sauce is a mix of tomato and eggplant, topped with ricotta for a wonderfully creamy texture.
Fresh cheese and herb terra violis arrive on the plate with kohlrabi and Parmesan, and the salmon trout fillet is artfully combined with curried spinach and pasta – delicate fish flavors mingle with spicy, Asian-inspired components. For meat lovers, the rump steak, made with the finest Black Agnus beef from Argentina, is a particular delicacy.
A culinary rarity is the scallop – considered one of the most prized seafoods. On the new spring menu, it’s the favorite dish of Andreas Wolf, responsible for PR and communication on the CAPITOL team. “Scallops are demanding to prepare,” says head chef Norman Pontzen, who serves the seafood with an aromatic foam and a saffron vegetable risotto. Saffron is not just a coloring agent, but one of the most exquisite spices in the world. A good white wine to go with it. A revelation. All that’s missing is the sound of the Atlantic surf.
The “end credits” feature a semi-frozen rhubarb dessert with tonka bean foam or sour cream mousse with berry ragout.