Regional vegetable cuisine at Tonka in Bockenheim

DUncluttered wooden counter, the delicate smell of many beer evenings and a brick floor show where you are: in a real corner pub. But sandwiches with schnitzel and fried eggs, which used to be a hit in this restaurant in Frankfurt's Bockenheim district, are now in vain on the menu. Because in “Tonka”, whose operators have lovingly preserved the rooms of the Bockenheim institution “Heck Meck”, everything revolves around vegetables.

As the cuisine has changed, the guests have also changed: women in particular dine in the busy vegan restaurant. But even avowed meat lovers will be won over by the dishes that do not require many substitute products.

Last year, Justin Steberl and Fernando Schmidt opened the restaurant in the former corner pub, whose closure was painful for many Bockenheim residents. Schmidt, who previously cooked in the vegan restaurant “Leuchtendroter”, is in the kitchen, Steberl serves and mixes the drinks. All dishes are vegan, but there are no labels or instructions anywhere – the concept comes as a matter of course.

When vegetables become the main protagonist

The small menu changes depending on the season; “Tonka” sources its products from regional retailers. The kitchen team also makes a lot of things themselves, such as apple cider vinegar or a homemade green sauce liqueur, which, with a clear note of borage, is an interesting alternative to a classic herbal digestive. There is also a large selection of natural wines and sparkling Pernats, as well as a changing daily wine of this type of production. On this day it is the Dahlem Cuvée from Rheinhessen, which tastes tangy but not too sour.

To make vegetables the focus of dishes, they are roasted, pureed, fermented and pickled. The winter vegetables on a rich miso-hazelnut cream impress with the perfectly cooked roots and a leek with a delicate smoky aroma. The umami taste harmonizes well with the gentle acidity. The farce, which consists of chopped mushrooms instead of meat, impresses with its silky mouthfeel, but is not that complex in terms of taste. And the kitchen could have safely done without the oat cream on top.

More complexity would also have been desirable for the “BBQ carrot”. Pickled shallots give a nice sour kick, and the kimchi mayonnaise provides a rich counterpoint. However, the grilled carrots could have used more spice, spiciness and roasted aromas, which come through briefly in some places but then fade behind the carrot puree. You could have gotten a little more out of it with lime zest and chili. However, since the kitchen relies quite consistently on regional and seasonal products, such more or less exotic ingredients are missing.

The star of the menu: Tonka mousse

Roast celery, on the other hand, has strong roasted aromas. The tuber, which is roasted whole in the oven and served in slices, develops an enormous sweetness when cooked. The Aligot, which, due to the lack of cheese, is more reminiscent of a creamy mashed potato than the French pilgrim's meal of beaten young cheese and potatoes, creates a warming, full-bodied comfort food. It's the same with the red wine pear, which is intensely cinnamony and has a clear wine note but is a little too sweet as a dessert.

The star of the menu is the Tonka mousse, which is served with dessert. It's hard to believe that this fluffy, sweet but not too sugary cream was made from lentil cream and cocoa butter instead of an animal product.

The result is incredibly light, melts in the mouth and contrasts with the bitter cocoa nibs and the pickled black walnut, which exudes a hint of licorice. It's no surprise that the dark bean, whose vanilla flavor flavors the cream, made it into the name of the restaurant.

■ Tonka Friesengasse 19, Frankfurt, telephone 01 52/59 86 42 35, www.tonka.restaurant. Open Wednesday to Saturday from 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturday lunch from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.