Foodie Berlin: Karun Bistro on Kantstrasse

At the beginning of this year, I had a couple of weeks when I was feeling at home in small bistros, serving hummus and various Middle Eastern dishes. Living in Berlin, finding them is easy, as you can hardly go on a big foodie street without your name being called at least twice by some Turkish or Arabic or Mediterranean meals.

This time, I did not need to go too far away: I had a look at the newest additions on Kantstrasse and made a delicious stop at Karun. The place was relatively new open when I visited - at the end of February - and with plenty of people, especially during the lunch time. The line went faster and my veggie plate was brought up without too much worries that I will starve. The customer service is friendly, with both English and German happily used for communication. The main disadvantage of visiting the place at such a rush hour is that you can hardly find a free place, and there is no chance to be left in a quiet pace. Otherwise, if you are a freelancer working from home and spending more than half of the day on your own, you might enjoy a little bit of action around. The place also have a corner for children. There are only about 10 tables, and except the big pictures on the wall, don't expect anything special in terms of design. 

Besides the fresh pita, my generous plate included, for a less than 7 EUR. price: pumpkin, aubergines, hummus, falafel, fried aubergines, tomatoes, zucchini, sour cream, fresh veggies, taboule, haloumi cheese, cucumber and salad.

I don't eat falafel too often, but this one was one of the best in town, with a genuine taste, not the usual made out of box ingredients that you can find in the majority of places. Taboule were very fresh and with various, yet complementary aromas. The combination between hummus and pumpkin is not usual, but it tasted outstanding delicious. The aubergines were a bit burned, but still keeping the original taste. Maybe I was missing some French fries for some oily addition, but I was not offered the opportunity to make my own choice. 

Such a fresh meal is a good choice for the dinner. Now, when I miss some good falafel and hummus, I know that I don't necessarily need to run far away to Kreuzberg or Prenzlauer Berg.