At first I thought it was infatuation, but after some reflection it has become clear to me that I had fallen in love with Berlin. The issue laid in the fact that I could not pinpoint, though, exactly why. Berlin is a city with a heartbeat that is buried below layers of intense history, culture and tradition but it is dominated by a generation of young people who are proud of who and what they are, not of what their city may have once been. (I think I can best describe Berlin as everything that Brooklyn dreams of when it goes to sleep at night) It is a city where anyone and anything is accepted and embraced. It is not hard to find amazing music, food, drinks, fashion, art, history, architecture... or really anything you like in Berlin.
Some of the highlights of my trip included:
Some of the highlights of my trip included:
- Stumbling upon a"bier garten" tucked in the woods behind the Berlin Zoo, which serves fresh, organic and inventive meals along side mouthwatering schnitzel and brats, all washed down by cold German beer and some incredibly rich pies and cakes. The atmosphere was just as complementary, being seated around large wooden picnic tables, wrapped in blankets, and clinking glasses under the heat lamps. I can only imagine what a great spot this would be in the warmer months!
- Cookies & Cream... I was not thrilled when we made reservations at this vegetarian restaurant, but I can promise you that veggie eater or not, you will not leave this establishment hungry or unhappy. The fun began as we set out to find the place, which involved sneaking behind the back of a large hotel, past the containers and down an alley to a side door with a hanging, flickering light above and a doorbell to the right. Once buzzing in and confirming your reservation, you enter into a dimly lit speakeasy lined with chesterfields and small oak tables. We had a seat and enjoyed a perfectly mixed Old Fashion and waited for our table to be set in the upstairs dining room. The menu is a prix fix card, offering a selection of appetizers, mains and desserts. I started with a delicate quail egg salad served on buttery brioche and accented with port and truffle jus. For my main, I went with the baked lasagna, swayed by my enamorment with the accompanying fava beans, peanuts and pumpkin, which sounds like an unlikely pairing, however the textures perfectly complemented the light, layered, saucy lasagna. To finish, I chose the crémeaux of chocolate, with a salted caramel drizzle and cardamom scented plums
- Finding a Turkish Pizza, which was supposedly brought first to Berlin before becoming a drunken, late night staple snack all across the country. The kebab meat is sliced off the constantly rotating grill and laid into a warm flat bread, which was previously spread with a spiced tomato paste and baked. Then you have your choice of topping to be layered on, including red and white cabbage, tomatoes, onions and finished off with a creamy yogurt sauce (I recommend the scharf aka spicy variety). I have had a lot of Turkish Pizzas, whether I like to admit it or not, and my treat in Berlin certainly did not disappoint in its authenticity