Lava, Deli, Neukölln

June 19, 2013 3 Comments

LavaThe storefront that precedes Lavanderia Vecchia is now home to Lava. A deli with mossy green walls and checkered tiles on the floor. A lone ham and 4 long salamis greet me when I come in. Doilies are pinned to the furniture at random intervals while barren wrought iron candle holders decorate the wall.

The space is large; I count 4 rooms one of which is also the kitchen. On Saturday afternoon, there are two tables besides our own but not at the same time. The customers speak English and I wonder if they have made the trip especially since outside, it’s mostly Turkish men reclining on fold out chairs and smoking effusively.Lava

The menu is small and scatty or one could also call it eclectic to put a more positive spin on it. There is a cold cucumber yogurt soup (€4.90). Spaghetti with vegetable Bolognese (€6.50) that is like a miniature ratatouille, one that uncharacteristically (and unfortunately), includes carrots. The vegetables are cut into brunoise, which shows me there is pride and care in the kitchen. The pasta has passed al dente and entered stodge town, which alongside the carrots, lets the dish down. Read more of this post

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Tomato Chickpea Salad with Celery

June 12, 2013 Leave a comment

Tomato, Chickpea Salad with CeleryI’ve gotten into a good habit of late. After I drop Layla off at school, I come home and make lunch or however much of lunch can be made ahead of time. A recent favourite is Camargue rice with black beans loosely based on this Bon Appetit recipe. Another is a mung bean noodle salad with lots of lime juice, fish sauce, roast peanuts and herbs from my balcony.  And then there is this one.  A pasta salad, where the pasta makes up about a fifth of the whole deal.

You take a couple of small shallots or a red onion, or even the white part of 3 spring onions (but not a yellow onion) and you douse them in white vinegar.  Probably about 4 tablespoons.  I don’t measure my dressing.  I taste it.  If there is some left over, I use it the next day or get creative with it in the evening.  It’s only a problem when there isn’t enough.  A healthy pinch of salt goes in and then I leave it in the fridge until just before I dress the salad, when I add roughly the same volume of olive oil.  Keeping in mind that I will be liberally glugging more olive oil over the rest of the salad.Tomato chickpea salad Read more of this post

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Du Bonheur, Patisserie, Mitte

June 7, 2013 9 Comments

Canele from Du BonheurFew sweet pastries have the ability to dispense with my good grasp of self-control – except for Canelés.  The outside made up of a maximum caramelized, crunchy, sticky surface.  And the inside, solid custard, flecked with black vanilla seeds, yielding.  It’s a creme caramel you can hold in your hand, improved by texture, beveled edges, sharp ridges – pockets of bliss.

Not that I had to battle with lost self-control since the last Canelé I ate was at Dabbous, almost a year ago (post here).Du BonheurExcept, there is this new place that opened up on Brunnenstraβe.  With a striking fuchsia pink awning and tea roses on the tables.  There is an exposed brick wall, rough and dusty  which sets off the slick white counter with glass thick enough to safely display diamonds.  Within the cabinet are elaborate cakes, striking enough that they look like large fancy brooches more than anything edible. Read more of this post

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Jung Grün & Blau, Private Kitchen, Moabit

June 5, 2013 4 Comments

Jung Grun & BlauDo you remember what you were doing when you were 19? I vaguely recall watching too much TV, missing days at a time of University and harrumphing when the world didn’t lay down, prostrate and purring, at my feet.

I only bring it up because this weekend a teenager accompanied by a newly minted twenty year old cooked dinner for Sylee (of the blog Berlinreified), Caroline (of the hugely successful Thyme Supper Club), a friend of theirs from Copenhagen and myself.IMG_4229At 19, Dylan has already worked in kitchens for 5 years.  Specifically at Per Se, Daniel and Eleven Madison Park .  His strongest influence comes from Japan where he worked at the 3 Michelin starred kaiseki restaurant: Ryugin.  ”They’re my people.” the young Canadian says earnestly. Read more of this post

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Barcellos Salon Sucré, Pastries, Kreuzberg

June 2, 2013 8 Comments

SucreéBarcellos Salon SucreBarcellos Salon Sucré is open 4 days a week, from Thursday to Sunday.  On those days, Eric Muller wakes up at 3 a.m. and works 14 hour days.

When I visit on Saturday, he is scooting around frenetically.  Having baked most of the pastries on display earlier that day, he is now in serving a steady flow of customers.  Most of whom speak French and appear to be regulars.  Muller addresses everyone with Monsieur or Madame and it seems to be part of the treat, for French customers to interact in their own language and non-French to resuscitate forgotten snipets and fragments.CrémantNormally, I don’t make people aware that I will be writing the visit up for my blog.  In the spirit of  preserving my instinctual reactions rather then getting muddled between liking the people versus the restaurant or whatever.  But in this case, photography is forbidden without permission so I begin to speak to Muller.

“Let me explain my philosophy” he quickly interjects.

“Life is short and money is not the most important aspect of it.  My wife and I decided to open this place.  She has her hair salon, I have the shop.  4 days a week, we work hard, close to each other.  The rest of the week we are free to spend quality time together.  And, December and January we close and go to Brazil (where Katia Barcellos is from) and spend time exploring.”

Pain au chocolatI’m winded by such a sensible awareness of life, of how to best parcel it up so that you are almost able to eat your cake and have it too.  I mean we all – somehow – are aware that life is short.  And  just as that awareness sets in, life ups the pace, so that it feels like you are stationary and it is hurtling past.  But kids, deadlines, mundane things keep you from stepping off to the side for a moment or two and thinking of where you are actually trying to get to. Read more of this post

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La Soupe Populaire, German Food, Prenzlauerberg

May 26, 2013 5 Comments


The Menu at La Soupe PopulaireTim Raue’s newest venture is at the Bötzow Brewery.  Championing German food (yes – apparently it’s possible) in the original space of the former brewery.

Two of us sit perched up high on leggy metal work.  Surrounded by Futuring, an exhibition by Eva & Adele (who were described to me as Berlin’s answer to Gilbert and George when I asked Sylee what on earth was up with the bald couple in drag?)  The sharp acoustics of cutlery and voices in the cavernous space are offset by the rain coming down in a persistent rhythmic patter.

Futuring exhibitionAt lunch time on Saturday, there are 4 tables occupied besides our own.  The customers are all german, slim, elegant and wearing navy.  The men have either allowed themselves to go silver, all the more to set off their naturally tan (not sunbed or spray on) skin.  And the women have silky blond hair, the kind that can be washed in the morning  and suffer no ill effects when exposed to 24 hour downpours.

La Soupe PopulaireI want to invite the female Maitre D’ to the bathroom so I can bop her on the head and steal her outfit: blue peep toe wedges on top of which she wears skinny trousers with a blue flowered pattern that looks like it would be equally at home on fine bone china.The ladies toilet at Bötzow Brewery

I resist the urge and apply my attention to the business of ordering.  There is the Prawn Cocktail KaDeWe (€14) which comes with prawns bigger than my thumbs, the dressing enlivened by punchy Piment d’Espelette (a spice I own and love often).

Konigsberger KlopseFor the main course, two handsome Königsberger Klopse appear wearing crowns of fluffy crumbs, a third sphere made up of thinly sliced beetroot nestles at the top.  Besides being the most attractive plate of meatballs I’ve ever seen,the perfectly seasoned mash that comes with them and the sauce they are bathed in are utterly delicious.

My dish is rabbit liver with tiny pearl onions, dyed red from the vinegar they have stewed in and manifesting more as an unknown berry than an alium.

Amuse of white asparagus, pork fat and home baked breadGerman fare is hearty stuff, even in these delicate portions.  Especially as we started the meal off with a plate of pork fat (Schmaltz) in place of the more traditional butter.  And yet.  It’s all been good enough to prompt me into dessert.

Bee Sting Cake at La Soupe Populaire Read more of this post

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Aroma, Dim Sum and Chinese Food, Charlottenburg

May 22, 2013 8 Comments

AromaOn the 1st of January, 2013, my husband and I drove through the streets of Berlin, in search of a place to eat that was not Starbucks or located  in a hotel.

After 40 minutes of driving, I thought of Aroma.  Surely, Aroma would be open.

Of course it was.

AromaWho should we lock eyes with as we entered the restaurant but Luisa, Max and baby Hugo.  Lucky too as the place was full and we probably wouldn’t have managed to get a table otherwise.  I would like to think it bodes well for the year ahead, to bump into friends and share food on the 1st day of the year. Read more of this post

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