Op de Eck is on the edge of the Altstadt, appendaged to Düsseldorf's excellent art museum. The restaurant is quite small, seating only 30 or so. The bar is where the action is - a large area with tall plate glass windows looking out (and spilling out in the summer) onto Grabbeplatz. Malkasten also has an art connection, leasing its space from the Malkasten art society (Künstlerverein), whose art is scattered liberally across the walls, changing every two to three months. In contrast to Op de Eck, Malkasten's bar is smaller than the restaurant, and more intimate. Also fairly centrally located, at the eastern end of the Hofgarten park, it is next door to the Goethe museum, but that is not enough to put in on the tourist trail. In case you were wondering "Op de Eck" is a local corruption of the German for "on the corner", which is exactly what it is.

Welcome: both very friendly. Malkasten has a maître d' to assist customers. At Op de Eck it is more a case of grabbing someone's attention. Reservations are strongly recommended for both - even in the Op de Eck bar, especially if you want a good table.

Bar: Op de Eck's bar service is standard for Germany, and the menu is the same as the restaurant - you just don't get the linen tablecloths. Malkasten has more of a lounge feel, and many of the customers are pre- or post-dinner drinkers. Malkasten's bar menu is much more restricted, with some overlap with the restaurant.

Menu: neither has a vast menu, but what there is sounds enticing. Malkasten offers a set price menu, allowing the flexibility of adding or removing some of the "inbetween" courses. This menu can also come with a different wine for each course for an extra charge. The à la carte menu is certainly interesting, with a good range of starters, and relatively straightforward main course standards presented in more imaginative ways. Op de Eck has the more unusual array of food, and its pudding menu in particular requires some confidence with translation. Malkasten has the better wine list, although neither of the two offer particularly unusual wines, surprising given the exotic nature of their menus.

Service: hard to fault either of them here, and as Germany is something of a customer service vacuum, this is high praise indeed. Malkasten is more formal, more attentive and passes my personal bugbear of not religiously assigning one waiter to a table. If something needs doing, someone will do it. Op de Eck's service is more relaxed and very friendly, even when busy. You can wait a while to catch someone's eye, as in many restaurants here.

Food: again, not much to choose between them. Malkasten probably just sneaks it although Op de Eck's portions are more generous. Op de Eck certainly wins for pudding! Malkasten's crème brûlée was perfect in the middle, but the top needed another five seconds under the blow torch. Malkasten also offers a canapé.

Clientèle: much more mixed at Op de Eck. Malkasten caters for the well-heeled middle classes, generally fashionable 40-somethings.

Ambience: naturally it depends what you like, but for me, Malkasten doesn't quite get it right. Needing to light up the artwork requires overlighting the whole restaurant, the drop-ceiling doesn't alleviate the spaciousness and you are neither able to have an intimate meal à deux, nor to feel part of a bustling, lively restaurant. In the end it feels like eating in an art gallery cafeteria - albeit a very posh one. The chairs are comfortable, but not relaxing, and the tables seemed to be longer than they were wide (a bad idea). Op de Eck is busy, lively and suitable for both that romantic dinner and a casual drink with friends.

Price: Malkasten is expensive. For Germany it is very expensive. Op de Eck is not cheap but the difference at Malkasten is not worth paying for. The menus below suggest the prices are not that different, but the average Malkasten bill will be higher, especially when you add drinks.

Overall verdict: Op de Eck sneaks it for ambience and value for money. But if you are a fan of good food, neither will disappoint.

Sample Menus

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