Foodie Berlin: ZUKA Dessert Manufaktur

Very often when I expected a lot of time enthusiastically to go checking some cakes place everyone was talking about and left it with a big disappointment. I discovered ZUKA around one year ago during a walk with a friend, entered to see what it is all about and waited and waited till paying a visit. Somehow, I wanted to be sure that this place is for real and will stay open for longer. 

I went there during the week, around the middle of the day and it was almost empty. Some guests were enjoying the last summer days and were enjoying the outside places. However, I remember to see the place almost full in the evening. The overall design of the curvaceous location with a window wall was a bit disappointed as I expected more elegance after looking at the tempting pieces of cake. Another disappointment was the absence of wifi, something almost normal for many German places. 

After a bit of hesitation, I ordered a peach green tea tart and an eclair. After the disappointing KaDeWe eclair experience where I paid a lot for being offered a very sugary pastry, this time the sweetness was moderate, but the pastry a bit tasteless. The cold cream of the filling and the sweetness of the dots of chocolate changed the impression and till I was done I was having my sugar shoot. Before going further with the tasting, I allowed the very normal cappuccino to clean my mouth.

The fine green tea wall with a strong macha taste hide a white mascarpone cream, the only sweet part of the cake, with peaches on the top. Every single bit of it revealed new pleasures and alll the three elements of the cake balanced and completed each other. At the end of it, my eclair impression was just modest. 

The cakes can be also ordered for home. The prices are acceptable and the service is moderately friendly. Every single sweet temptation is offered on a small golden paper, and looks tempting enough to feed even the most sophisticated sweet teeth. This time, my sweet adventure was not disappointing. 

Foodie Berlin: Koshary Lux, Oriental Street Food

There is rarely something that can surprise me in terms of food in the Western part of Berlin, but this summer offered me many reasons to think that there are so many things on the move here too. As one day in August I was slowly walking around Savigny Platz, a colourful place with spicy smells caught my eyes and called my foodie curiosity: Koshary Lux on Grolmanstrasse 27. 

In a friendly ambiance with an even friendlier service, here it is served 'Oriental Street Food', trying to mix the shuk - market traditions - from Marrakesh, Beiruth, Algier or Cairo. The menu has one of success dishes on Friday evening - the Moroccan carot salad (with chilli and cumin), dates salad with goat cheese and celery, walnuts and baby spinach, meaty sandwiches and tomato soup. Many choices for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. For the beginning, I ordered a fresh Egyptian lime lemonade with mint that was so fresh and delicious - moderately sugarly - that I wanted one more time and the recipe too. Do not expect shawarma or falafel or humus and it is good this way.

The portions are available in both small and big portions, offered at affordable prices. Although hungry, the Koshary mix fed me enough although if not that spicy - introduced to me as moderately - I would have been tempted for one more try. It has lentils, rice and maccaroni with tangy tomato sauce, topped with caramelized onions, chickpeas and a pistachio-spice blend. Brought in a very simple metal bowl it has an interesting mixture of tastes and aromas that makes you think to busy shuks and unknown worlds.

For the end of my short first stay, I took a dessert too: a muhallabiya - milk pudding with rose water sirup, almonds and pistachios. A natural sweetness of the pudding meeting successfully the springles pistachios and almonds which offer a good balance. 

This order was enough to open the appetite for more. Maby they introduced some more meals for the autumn season. If not, still there are some things on the menu that would love to test anyway. 

Lavish dinner at Himmelspagode

Last week, I was heading to Briesetal part of my project covering 100 Places to See in Germany when I passed near a huge pagoda in the middle of Hohen Neuendorf. At first, was thinking that maybe I was dreaming or was it too hot for my imagination, but realized that it was exactly what I saw. Too busy to stop for an investigation, I decided to keep it on the top of the return agenda. Meanwhile, we kept debating whether it is a temple or a restaurant, with most of the voices saying that it should be a restaurant. 

Many hours later, we were at the gates, and took one of the places on the outside terrasse of the Himmelspagode, ready to enjoy the pleasant summer afternoon wind and our meals. The menu was not making our choices easy - with various choices of Thai, Chinese and sushi. While waiting for the food, had a look indoors - slightly air conditioned - instantly transported in the middle of a (foodie) Chinese bedtime story: 400 places, three floors, one reserved for private business lunches and other events, enormous candelalbra and a big pond with tortues and red fish. The three big halls: Kaisersaal, Pekingsaal and Himmelsaal are carefully decorated in the classical Chinese style, with engraved mirrors and colourful glass paintings inspired by flora and fauna. 

One of the many waiters bringing the orders with a smile, dressed in colourful traditional clothes, brought us fortune cookies. With the classical music on the background, we tried to understand the message sent to us...

Hopefully, the food arrived fast and we gave up our intensive thinking. Out of the dishes we ordered, sushi was not the strongest point of the menu, but eating sushi at a Chinese restaurant is always a problematic choice. Instead, my fried noodles with black sesame were simple with moderate amounts of onions, and some pinches of carrots. The rice was not as oily as the Asian imbiss next my office door, with enough veggies to make it rich in taste.

While waiting for the sweet parts, I enjoyed my cold coffee - not the usual Vietnamese coffee I am so in love with. Rich in icecream and fatty cream that diminishes the strong coffeine taste.  

As usual, the sweets are for me the most important part of an Asian meal. I simply cannot have enough of them, with their moderate sweetness and combination of fruits. Our co-shared meals included baked balls of sticky rice filled with a mousse of red beans. Balanced taste with the natural sweetness of the honey and pineapple. 

The baked bananas - my choice - were not such a big surprise, maybe too fried, or too oily and the banana were too mashed for my taste. Maybe I was just having enough of all the food and of the long hours - around four - spent on the balcony of the pagoda with a view over the outdoors lake surrounding the circular building. 

The restaurant is open from Monday to Saturday, from 11.30 to 23.00. It has another two (much smaller) restaurants in Berlin, at the KaDeWe and Kaiser Pagoda in Potsdamer Allee. The prices are moderately to high, but given the good service, the ambiance and the quality of the food, it is one of those places that you always keep in mind to return, whatever the price and the distance. 

Israeli lunch and unforgettable Pavlova at NENI

The 25 hours hotel bikini Berlin opened more than one year ago, and pleasant gossips about good food and interesting interior design reached my foodie ears, but although I am visiting the vicinity at least once the week, I did not dare to go further on from the hipsterish entrance. Till one day, when too tired after an early spring trip through Tierpark I went straight away, passed the Trabant in the lobby and went up to the 10th floor to NENI restaurant and its Monkey Bar. As usual, my spontaneous plans bring always the best results.

The elevator stopped directly to the 10th floor and for the beginning, made a tour of the Monkey Bar, with comfy sofas covered by colourful pillows outlined by mysterious lights in the corners. It is mid-day and the ambiance in the lounge is chilling, with some people eating from the plates resting on their knees, everything under the playful eyes of the monkeys on the metal plattered walls that reminds some old temples in Thailand.

Similarly with the design of the neighbouring Bikini concept stores, the ceiling is an intricated plumbing labyrinth, but the flower decorations, and the bric-a-brac of vintage objects exposed on the massive counter brings a note of irony and home feeling to the huge space. 

Colours and the natural light are dotting the massive wooden blocks. Cocktails parties are often held here, under the motto of Balagan, the Yiddish word for overwhelming chaos - a leaflet at the bar describes it as a 'sympathetic chaos'. As the hunger won over my interest for design and etymology, I promise to think more about it when I will for some cocktails. 

It is one sunny day, so I stay a couple of more minutes on the terrace, admiring the view over Ku'damm and the KaDeWe. As everywhere around, there is a lot of green which makes the stay even more enjoyable. In a way, it reminds me of the nice green rooftops of Tel Aviv, always ready to welcome unknown guests for the long summer parties. 

But it is time for real food now, otherwise the brain cannot think. Not as fast as I wish, because there is a long cue and I have to wait in line to be seated. As usual, since living in Europe I forgot how important a reservation can be for a successful lunch, but luckily, there are some places left for the spontaneous type of humans. 

After being seated, my order is taken even faster, by one of the many people running around as organized bees. Despite the full tables and the Babel of languages, everything goes rapidly and you feel like home. You can even have a look at the kitchen, where home-made recipes are prepared. It seems that the idea of the founder of NENI, the successful Haya Molcho that moved from Vienna to Berlin, to make the restaurant more than an eating place, but a place you feel like home, was successful. NENI stands as the acronyme of the names of her four sons: Nuriel, Elior, Nadiv and Ilan. 

The menu is not that long, but has so many dear recipe names to me that I don't hesitate a second before ordering: a lemonade, prepared according to the highest standards of the Tel Aviv restaurants (the kind that I am longing for for centuries in this city), cold, with mint leaves and balanced portions of sugar and lemon; sabich; and...some special sweet non-existent in Berlin till now whose name I will disclose later on. While waiting, some fresh olives covered in spices and olive oil make me dream about sea and the summer.

The place looks like a huge eatery, with a podium in the middle with more tables, under a coverage of green plants hanging from the ceiling. Tables are also set outside, where one can admire some fancy parts of West Berlin while eating. 

The pita is so fresh and moderately warm that I can spend hours eating only it. The sabich is prepared according to secret directions known only to those who are familiar with the Frishman beach restaurant. It combines a finely fried eggplant, roasted carefully in order to let the flesh fresh, plus some special hummus, spiced, and slow poached egg. Using the traditional recipe, it brings a new fresh taste, brought by the art of combining skillfully the spices. The local cuisine of NENI combines the family knowledge that has Israeli, Romanian and Spanish influences. Temping meals as chraime - a special recipe of Moroccan fish - babaganoush, 3-colour hummus (curry and red beet, besides the classical one) or the well-known shakshuka are encouraging me to make my foodie wish list for my next visits. There are also meat-based dishes and a variant of the popular Ruben sandwich.

The queen of my menu is called Pavlova. This is a fantastic sweet, whose memories are hunting me for years. In Berlin, every time I asked, I was received with suspicion, silence or surprise. Here, it is part of the menu and no one looked at me with big eyes when I ordered it. Wish I was able to have more and more portions. Made following a recipe of Haya Molcho, it combines the softness, sweetness, and freshness of the meringue with whipped cream but also some sour taste brought by the red sauce, and a very special note brough by the mint. Perfection for me!

Happy with my choices, I decided to leave in time, generous enough for letting other people too the chance to taste so many delicious foods. The prices are moderate to high, but in the case of my orders, it deserved every single Euro. 

With so many Israeli visiting and even moving to Berlin, it is about time to bring some changes to the local cuisine. NENI is a very good example that will feed my foodie dreams for a long time now.

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. 

Foodie Berlin: Pan Asian Kitchen

I am craving very often for Asian food, but still haven't found what I am looking for, especially when it comes to some specific dishes I am so much in love with - like pad thai, for instance. One of the last weeks, I was wandering around Zoo, hoping to discover a place to recommend for the exquisite cuisine. As any menu seemed to be very far from my requirements, the journalistic side won and decided to explore a new place full stop. Rolled the dices and entered the Pan Asian Kitchen a relatively new place on Ansbacher Strasse. It looks very youngish, with colourful decorations matching the bowls with fruits. 

It does not look as a big investment in design, but looks friendly, a good choice for Sunday brunch of families with children or for tourists tired and hungry after long walking around the Zoo. The service is friendly and very fast and we were able to order, enjoy the food and leave in less than 50 minutes.

 We started with a green tea, a healthy addiction I acquired during my Japanese time.

We started the meal with a delicious salad, with an unexpected and unique for me combination of veggies: edamame and waterchestnuts, plus tomatoes, soya sprouts and different types of cabages. Light, an impressive portion for one person and brings back the good energy.

Unaware of the size of the dishes, we ordered a (huge) portion of veggy noodles too.Compared to the usual wok experiences, it did not have too much oil, but for a second meal, it was obviously too much. At the end of the feast, we are treated with a small bowl of fresh fruits just not too feel too guilty after so much eating. The prices are moderate, and this first experience was friendly enough to give a chance to a second meal here. 

Foodie Berlin: Nepalese Everest Restaurant

It seems that most if not all the Nepalese restaurants in Berlin have the name Everest, but this one is relatively new in town. For almost 2 months, I promised myself that I will have a tasting lunch during the happy hour - 4.90 EUR. for a 3-course menu till 4pm, and compared to many restaurants in Berlin, you can also pay by credit card - but inevitably, all my emergencies were taking place during this period of time. 

Resigned to my situation, the last Monday, I took my camera and my notebook and paid a visit to the restaurant decided to finally get into the Nepalese mood. 

It is situated close to both U-Bahn Fehrberlinner Platz and Blissestrasse, on Brandenburgische Str. 71, very close to the Wilmersdorf city hall. Relatively busy during the happy hours - followed half an hour after by some cocktail happy hour - it was almost empty when I visited. 

While I was trying to take a decision about my lunch, I was brought some Indian crunchy bread with some well seasoned spicy sauces. Some of the sauces were really hot!

Generally not a bit fan of soups, I tried to make a change this time and ordered a cream ko jholo veggie soup, with white flour, peas, carrots, soy sauce. It was brought very hot - the order was delivered relatively fast - and had an excellent taste: creamy, very soft and fresh, a bit salty and moderately aromated.  

While waiting for my second meal, I was looking around. I must confess that the ambiance is not the strong point of the restaurant, with a quite modest and cheap looking furniture. The Nepalese carpets on the wall makes a difference though as it does the traditional background music.

But I was mostly there to get some insight about the Nepalese cuisine, and the second meal helped me better. Shahi Paneer was a combination of three different meals: the rice, the Paneer - a neutral taste with the sweet tomato sauce and cashews - plus the fresh salad, without any kind of oil. Brought on the same plate together they bring a lot of energy and satiety. Strongly recommended if you are really hungry! The only regret was that the rice was not hot enough to keep the same temperature 15 minutes after brought.

I was undecided which dessert to try and we were relatively out of time, so rather preferred to call for the bill and get ready for the next stop of the afternoon. Maybe there is a Nepalese art of thought reading because together with the bill I was offered as a house present a small bowl with a perfumed and equally tasty yoghurt with cinnamon. It was my possible first choice when had the first look at the menu! Probably I was offered a second chance to taste something really good and simple. All you need is a pinch of cinnamon added to your plane yoghurt. 

I left the restaurant with a big smile on my face, as I enjoyed some Nepalese hospitality and also a good meal. Maybe the next time will try to make more time to visit the restaurant during the happy hours, just because I am sure there are more tasty secrets in the Everest's kitchen waiting for me.   

Restaurant review: Rice Queen on Danzigerstrasse

The last Saturday evening, we were a bit tired and a bit more confused about what to do. As usual, we turned to the East side of the city for more inspiration. For the first time in more than a year, we went slowly on Danziger strasse, on both sides of the street, looking to find out a decent restaurant for a smart easy light meal. We spotted the Rice Queen and after checking the menu at the entrance, we were convinced to enter. 

It was quite busy, with a lot of local people enjoying late family meals. The restaurant seems to be another reconverted space from the area. It also has small tables for couples. The service is fast and pleasant. The background music was nice not too loud. The restrooms looked decent, but not impressive, with some old Chinese soap advertising near the ceiling. The prices are Eastern Berlin-style, meaning more than affordable. 

I started with a Jasmin-Rose tea that was not too perfumed and flavoured, a lot of water and not too much tea leaves. 

My choice of entrée was Su Wor Tip, some small pancake pockets with a mixture of veggies and soy sauce. There were a bit burned on sides but overall fine, an almost neutral taste. 

My partner chose something very inspired, as usual: 5 spices tofu. There have been identified at least 4 main spices - cinnamon, anise, pepper, cloves. Maybe it was too oily and maybe too sweet too, but overall was considered a good choice and healthy enough after some heavy meals on Friday evening. 

Call me unlucky - at least when it comes to order food - but my Pad Thai was a disappointment. The tofu looked like plastic and it was too salty for any normal taste. It looked as a couple of spices and veggies and the noodles were thrown soullessly together and brought to my table. Again, a very big disappointment.

The dessert saved the meal. Crispy spring rolls filled with banana, soaked in honey, sesame, almond and coconut sauce. Warning: it is very sweet, but 3 pieces are enough to make you feel full, especially after some modest or even less than modest mains. 

We left the Rice Queen convinced that the next time, we should try other restaurants on Danziger strasse. I am sure that till the next time there will be even more temptations, as the area is changing very fast. 

In the garden of delicacies: Eating without measure at MESA

I am very selective when it comes to eating out, looking especially for completely new, interesting places, serving food that I love and with relatively well known ingredients. Such a combination is not always possible. As I miss too much the sun and the view of the sea and I am relatively done with the Thai/Oriental food - till the new discovery - the Lebanese/Middle Eastern food is calling me. In the last weeks, I extensively explored my Charlottenburg area, amazed to discover so many new places, among which a small door leading to a Lebanese restaurant. As it is open only from 4pm - except the Sundays when it is closed - I needed to return weeks after, and what a great discovery I made! It's name is MESA, a word that means entrées. In the Middle East, you may be served a huge plate with small plates that you can test individually or mix all together. 

The restaurant is situated underground. From your table, in the middle of old chess boxes hanging on the wall, one can see the people coming and going. Except the obsessive carols playing over and over again, and some seasonal kitsch glittering near interesting old advertising, the ambiance is pleasant. And the service is very fast and ready to help the lost European.

It must not be exactly how things should be at a typical meal, but I cannot resist to start by ordering a Mocca, well seasoned with cardamom. I love coffee, and I drink it without sugar. This gracious cup had exactly the amount of sugar that makes the coffee delicious. So bad it cannot be kept warm for a longer time!

I decided to make an atypical choice again, and I ordered the wine without connection with what I was about to eat later: a Ksara red wine. Moderately flavoured, strong, but without giving any headache hence natural, simple but with a specific personality. With a glass of water, it can last for hours.

Here comes the first order: a delicious labneh, very creamy with extra mint, fresh olive oil and an olive in the middle, Lebanese pita - which I am not a big fan of - and kabis - something I wanted to test without being aware what it is: several sour pickles, that can go together for a while with the labneh. Despite my serious Hungarian roots, I am not a fan of pickles, but out of curiosity and ready to change my life, I did taste more than I would have done a couple of years ago. Good, but not something to kill for.

The main dish left me breathless and too full to move too much for a while, because of the fine texture of the tehina sauce, with cumin and Cayenne pepper, the delicious French fries, and the fried pieces of salmon. Not too oily, not too salty, a combination of tastes matching and completing each other. The fresh side salad: lemon, some mint, carrots and lettuce balanced the tehina. My gustatory papillae were very happy. The only problem was the wine. The white one was more recommended.

Full but not ready to go yet. I am a serious blogger and how can I leave the restaurant without tasting the desert? But I wanted something lighter, despite my secret wish for a baklava - it will be a next time, don't worry mind and body - so I asked what can continue my eating party. I was recommended a combination of vanilla ice cream with small pieces of almond, and whipped cream plus some hot stuffed dates with peanuts. I had on my plate three different levels of temperature: from the very hot dates - how I did not know about such pleasures before - to the placid whipped cream and the very cold vanilla. Surprisingly enough, I ate faster than usual and with an equally unusual appetite. 

The prices are also acceptable, but somehow, with so many good choices, it's worth working some extra hours the month for enjoying once in a while real good Middle Eastern food. As the menu is not only good looking and colourful, but also with many good recommendations, I am ready to go back soon for a new tasting experience.