Hungry in Berlin

Yam-Yam, on Alte Schönhauser 6, just a stone’s throw from Rosa-Luxembourg U-Bahn (U2), is a nice find for Korean food — although the their Web site makes the place seem much more cafeteria-style than it really is.  Clean if not a bit Spartan, the restaurant (in a former clothing store location) serves up good, if not very good, Korean specialties — bibimbop and the like — and the kim-chi is properly spicy, even if the red pepper paste condiment seems a bit muted for local taste. Drawback: No beer. Bonus: Kids in the north of town don’t have to commute to Nollendorfplatz for bibimbop cravings. Check it out.

And second, completely unrelated to the first. Ever been to Rathaus Charlottenburg?  We certainly hadn’t. A serious need for refreshment after five-plus hours of Wagner at the Deutsche Oper led us around the corner to the Rathaus and its Ratskeller — which from the outside looks a bit touristy — but inside is a nice surprise.  Warm wood, fancy booths and a couple of impressive dining rooms (still with original 1905 sculptures of Pan and Bacchus leering at guests), a whole “Wild” menu and the feeling that you’ve left modern Berlin for a little bit of old Berlin, which can be terribly charming if you’re in the mood. The wait staff is unnervingly friendly, which is almost worth a trip on its own. Seems like it would be an ideal spot for groups; definitely a place for out-of-town guests. Or late-night beers, as it were…

The good Ben Perry reminds HIB that us kids have been remiss in passing along some dim-sum skinny.  You can find the new Asia-inspired grocery Amazing Oriental (yes, that really is the name) on the corner of Kantstr. and Friedrichstr. in Charlottenburg, just a few steps away from the Charlottenburg S-Bahn station. The company apparently has its base in the Netherlands, thus what they’re importing is pretty different than the Thai-centric fare you get in most other Asia laden in the east side of town.  There’s more Chinese ingredients (lots of dried stuff and a mega-selection of noodles), a lot of Indonesian spices, a good selection of fresh Asian vegetables, and best of all, a nice (but small) dim sum counter up front, that does char siu baked buns and a bunch of other goodies. Check it out.

Cultural lessons from the menu at Entweder Oder, a lovely cafe on Oderbergerstr. 15. Everything you need to know, without crossing a border.

French breakfast: Croissant, jam, butter and some fruit, a glass of water and a coffee.

Italian breakfast: Espresso with a glass of water, and a cigarette.

Apropos of nothing but a bit of morning procrastination: after skimming through a series on Lifehacker about what serious geeks (or wannabe geeks, my category) keep in their laptop bags, I thought I’d turn the tables and ask you all what you’ve got in your kitchen cabinets/shelves/secret spice drawers…ingredients or other cooking tools (food or otherwise) that you can’t do without.

I’m guessing that what you hoard here in Berlin (if the Hauptstadt isn’t your Heimstadt) will probably be different than the goodies you’d squirrel away back home, so I’m curious. Let’s start a list. Perhaps we can get some ideas or new inspiration from each other, oder?

My initial list: hot Asian red peppers (bought fresh from the Asiamarkt, then slowdried over a couple of hours in the oven; we use them in curries and pasta sauce and pretty much everything); tomato concentrate in a tube (why I never used this back home baffles me. No more cans!); our Moroccan tajine (a proper, no-glaze tajine that can slow cook anything into a delicious stew; flip the bottom over and in a pinch you’ve got a pizza stone; an excellent bread baker, too).

OK, your turn!

Inspired by a handy article from the Morgenpost, here’s a shameless summary (and lazy commentary) of where to go in the Hauptstadt to drink beer and be outside, at the same time.

It’s a revolutionary concept that the Germans have perfected, and perhaps one day other parts of the world that actually have far more SUN than Germany (I’m talking to you, California) will do something about its Prohibition-inspired alcohol laws and let people drink beer where it was meant to be guzzled, in the SUN. But I digress.

We certainly haven’t been to all of these, but will try our best this summer to do so. So get out your sunglasses and Steins. Did we miss your favorite? Comments all and sundry (and sudsy) welcome, as always.

Café am Neuen See: Beer with boats! In Tiergarten.

Café Schönbrunn: Beer for the people in Volkspark Friedrichshein, with a view of fountain.

CapRivi: Beers with a Schlossblick, in Charlottenburg.

Eierschale Zenner: Schlager style in Treptower Park; beer in plastic cups (?!?) and a Burger King (?!?)

Eschenbräu: Real microbrews in Wedding! Go here, these guys rock.

Freischwimmer: Old boat dock gussied up with techno beats and cocktails (and beer).

Golgatha: Music and beer in Viktoriapark.

Hoppetosse: Beer on another boat! In Kreuzberg.

Platzhirsch: Beers in Schöneberg (near a Flohmarkt, too)

Prater: Beers at Berlin’s oldest Biergarten, plus cool sandbox and swings for kids.

Schleusenkrug: Beer at the Zoo!

Van Loon: More beer on boats!

Zollpackhof: Beers with politicians! (Near the Hauptbahnhof, and priced accordingly.)

I certainly never do.  But apparently I do need to get out of the house more often, as the discovery of the Ethiopian resturant KoKeBe (no, not KaDeWe) was a very happy revelation, despite it being in the same Hinterhof location for years.

If you’re jonesing for spicy lentils and mutton, and love to eat with your hands, this is the location to do it. Good, if not slightly German-inspired injera (was that not a hint of rye in the sour bread?), nice spices (especially in the beef- and mutton-centric dishes) and a gorgeous coriander chicken dish, the recipe for which may have to be dissected on these pages at some point–very unique and tasty (and I’m guessing not too hard to make at home).

However, if dinner as mostly saucy purees or the thought of dirty fingers makes you cringe, Ethiopian may not be for you — but that said, it’s a great treat for groups who don’t mind sharing one huge platter and digging in with hands. Prices range from 7 to 12 Euro; there’s also a decent cocktail menu (although we drank beer, as it seems to match the food better.) What’s more, very friendly service and the potential for garden dining (and since it’s in a Hinterhof, you’re off the street and can enjoy food without car exhaust…) seal the deal.  Check it out.

And while we’re at it, anyone been to any other Hauptstadt Ethiopian joints? Now that I’ve broken my three-year fast, I’m ready to get my hands dirty again…

KoKeBe, Anklamerstr. 38, P’berg (near Zionkirchplatz)

Apologies for the lack of delicious copy, but the HIB team has been on the road in search of seafood here, here and here. All sorts of success, which you’d think would induce tears in returning to Berlin, but it turns out it’s spring finally. Which means outdoor eating, more Doenerspende recipes (now for picnics!) and perhaps some guerilla tomatillo-and-jalapeno planting. Quel crise?

As seen in the weekend insert from Plus in the Friday-mailbox (free) edition of the Berliner Morgenpost.

I’m still speechless.  Merkel Muffins, anyone?

A few weeks ago we asked a friend out to Indian food. I could hear the shrug through the telephone. “If you want to,” she said, which when translated, really means, “I think you’ve lost your foodie edge, and have gone all soft and wimpy on me.” Which, considering the suggestion, is easily understandable. We too for some time (OK, years now) have given up on Indian food in the Hauptstadt — too sweet, no spice, and heavens, far more flash (and flags) than real substance. Not worth the effort, and certainly not worth the price.

Hira Palace, located just under the S-bahn tracks (at the end of the street where the trams park; there used to be an Italian place there) in Hackescher Markt, despite its efforts to blend in with every other Indian restaurant in this town (yes, there are flags and buddahs and the rest), delivers good Indian food with authentic flavors — but only when you ask.  If you like the spice, when you order, be sure to in no uncertain terms tell the waitstaff (they are very accomodating and kind) that you don’t want “european style” flavors (which translates to not-hot) but proper spices. They’ll even offer a chili-sauce on the side, if you look particularly keen.

We’ve eaten there twice now, one time with a large group and once with just three people, and have always had more than enough food.  The dal (the style of which changes) is good; most of the vegetarian dishes are quite spicy and satisfying; the fish was mostly dry (but wasn’t much of a surprise.) Naan, as seems to be the case everywhere, is more roti in style (flatter, not yeast-raised) but perhaps one day I’ll start that tandoori-import business and make a killing in this town. Someday.

Check it out.  The Web site still lists the restaurant’s prior address in Charlottenburg, although last time we visited, the owner insisted that they were in the process of updating it.

So let’s see if we can get this experiment started. I wanted to share this super-simple recipe for lentil soup, in part because it’s inspired by Turkish cuisine (which in its purest form has absolutely nothing to do with döner!)  Mercimek çorbasi, like so many other Turkish dishes, is about simplicity and good ingredients. Which for our purposes, translates to yummy food for not a whole lot of cash.

The two caveats with this recipe, in light of the rules: there are spices involved that you might not already have in your spice rack, but that are easy to come by. HIB recommends getting your bulk spices at an Asiamarkt or local Turkish grocery, as they’re way cheaper and much fresher than the sort you’d find at an Extra or Rewe.

Also, a drizzle of decent olive oil on the soup is a nice touch before serving; if you don’t already have a bottle around, a dollop of yogurt will also do.

Read the rest of this entry »