RENÉ FRANK THE PIONEER

WELCOME TO BERLIN'S CODA, THE WORLD'S FIRST MICHELIN-STARRED DESSERT RESTAURANT, WHERE CHEF RENÉ FRANK CHALLENGES DINERS' PRECONCEPTIONS WITH HIS EXPERIMENTAL CREATIONS.

-  BARBARA WOOLSEY

A sweet-savoury dessert at CODA, created from parsley root, black garlic and pistachio

Would you like to see the dessert menu? The answer to the age-old question is so often, "No, thank you, we're far too full." But what if there was no dinner to fill you up beforehand? What if dessert was dinner? That's the concept behind CODA, a puddings-only restaurant in Berlin, where the whimsy of the Wonka factory meets earnest, fine-dining finesse.

At the sophisticated 28-seater spot, hidden down a street of graffitied apartment buildings in the district of Neukölln, it's best to leave any expectations of sticky toffee pudding or tiramisu at the unmarked door.

Instead, diners are served a four- or seven-course set menu of puddings that might include charcoal-grilled peaches (which slice like a juicy steak) in sweet pepper sauce. Or waffles stuffed with raclette cheese, dunked in tangy yoghurt and dehydrated gherkin powder, served with a pear cocktail. Or sour cream ice cream and five spice-braised mango, followed by cironé cheese with celery, doused in a coffee-almond emulsion.

The man behind the wood smoke and the smashable chocolate domes is René Frank. CODA's head chef and co-owner is credited with leading a revolution in the world of pastry and desserts by combining contemporary presentation and techniques with an experimental approach to ingredients. The restaurant's philosophy is never to use white sugar, chemicals or additives - all of which are typically found in puddings. "Industrial sugar has a history of being used in desserts, but it doesn't have to define the craft," says Frank. "If anything, it limits artisanship and the ability to work with ingredients."

René Frank