01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
Hockenheim pairs old-breed chicken, slowly braised in red wine, with tomato sauce and wild saffron rice. It is Chikara-tei’s featured dish, though its name gives little away. Diners have described the chicken as tender enough to break apart with a spoon, and the tomato sauce as balanced between acidity and richness without being too heavy. Some also enjoyed the saffron rice for its pleasantly firm texture. Scooping up the braise with the rice lets the grains take in the sauce, too. At lunch, one diner particularly remembered the onion soup, noting its sweetness. If you enjoy a first course while waiting for the main, this soup, which comes up in diners’ accounts, sets a flavourful tone for the meal.
For a change of pace, the rich black curry topped with thick-cut grilled pork is an option if you like a spicy kick. The grilled white fish is cooked in olive oil and served with a house sauce finished with herbs. These two dishes offer distinct alternatives at lunch to the chicken-and-rice braise. The menu can also vary from day to day: one diner described a daily special of sautéed Sangen pork belly, served with a rich red-wine-based sauce, mushrooms, potatoes and a generous helping of pasta. A visit centred on the signature Hockenheim can feel quite different from one built around the day’s special.
Drinks include wine and beer. The menu lists Tranquille Rouge, a red, and Tranquille Blanc, a white, as well as Yebisu and Heartland beers. A glass of wine alongside a braised dish is one way to linger over dinner. At lunch, coffee and tea are also available as set drinks.
