Because I passionately adore good African food, I had been dying to try out the African restaurant Massai on the Lychener Straße. This spot is only around the corner from the U-Bahn station Eberswalder Straße and next door to the Brazilian place Bodeguita de Medio. One day during the Christmas holidays, I was desperately looking for a restaurant to have dinner at, because my original reservation had blown up in my face. One of places I tried to crawl into in the midst of wintery snow storms was Massai – and because the staff was so sweet and friendly to me at that occassion (sadly, they had no available tables), I decided to return – one day.

That day was last weekend and I was excited. Massai looks a bit chain-restaurant-esque, but it is not part of a larger corporate construction. Where my beloved South-African restaurant Cape-Town is subtle in its looks and decoration, Massai embodies more of a mainstream typically ‘African’ decoration suitable for the open-minded Westener. But just because it is so, does not mean one cannot enjoy the African-esque menu (a thick wooden book), the decorative giraffes and the zebra motives on your plates. It may not be classy, but I thought it was fun.

African Food at Massai

Most of the menu is what you expect. Austrich, wildebeast, zebra and their African companions hop and skip through the dishes and offers on the menu. But apart from the more special meats Massai also does chicken, beef and more traditional meats for those visitors that wish not to gnaw on a bit of zebra. Massai also has a relatively large offer of vegetarian meals, with rice tofu, home-made sauces and fresh vegetables. But because I enjoy a wildebeast steak, I had to order the gnu (aka: wildebeast) at Massai. But before one receives any of the orders placed, there comes a cute vegetable creation called the ‘greeting from the kitchen’ to perk up your table.

After which I received a small soup, which was included in my wildebeast steak. The soup was based on maniok roots and a variety of vegetables and tasted very interesting. It was not the most flavoursome soup ever, and due to the texture, the experience was very curious. Obviously, I am not too used to African cuisine. After the soup and the nibbles, I impatiently awaited my steak. Before, I have eaten gnu at the South-African restaurant Cape-Town, not too far away from Massai. Gnu is one of the most soft, rich and juicy meats one can ever eat. If you know how wildebeasts look, they are not the prettiest of creatures. Apparently their virtue is their flesh – due to the long runs and lean bodies, these animals taste absolutely mind-blowing. Where austrich can sometimes be a bit too rubbery, wildebeast is soft, smooth and full-flavoured.

My wildebeast at Massai was nice. Two decent slices, nicely grilled. But I have to admit it was not as good as the wildebeast I have had before. Maybe it was just an off-day for this specific animal. It was still yummy, just not as yummy as I was used to. And one other thing need to be said. Most main dishes were accompanied by almost the exact same side dishes and the same sauce. Not really very proper for a good restaurant – as obviously a piece of austrich tasted better combined with different vegetables and ought not be drowning in a generic sauce.

What Makes this Restaurant Fabulous?

• Cool and funky atmosphere and decoration.
• Great and super friendly stuff. Authentic “African-looking” staff as well.
• Interesting and original authentic food.

What Makes this Restaurant less Fabulous?

• Due to its chain-like atmosphere and the generalisation of dishes and foods, sometimes it does come across as a chain restaurant. Better would be specific standard dishes that did not receive the same vegetables on the side.
• Not the cheapest either, but logically so. You eat gnu for around twenty euros, but they also do budget meats for around ten euros.

Where to Go?

[googleMap name="Massai" width="400" height="400" mousewheel="false" typecontrol="false" directions_to="false"]Lychener Straße 12 10437 Berlin[/googleMap]

Massai
Lychener Straße 12
10437 Berlin
+49 30 48625595

More than a specific cuisine, I like cool concepts of dining. We tried Pret a Diner, we have been up for some supper club dining and we even ventured outside of Berlin to look for nice places for food. However, most restaurants will remain conventional classical restaurants, but thankfully Berlin is a very exciting place with lots of opportunities for people with great ideas. One of these fabulous ideas is the backyard (Hinterhof) restaurant Lavanderia Vecchia – Italian for the old laundrette. If you want to visit this place, you will have to enter through a hidden entrance and walk all the way into the third Hinterhof before you can see a spacious but relatively small restaurant in the corner.

Italian Food in Berlin
Maybe I have not written enough on Italian food in Berlin, but this little laundry-esque restaurant had already impressed me upon entering. The space still looks like an old laundry place and reminders of washing machines and lots of table cloths ‘hung out to dry’ will not even allow you to forget the location’s old purpose. The kitchen is essentially completely open and you can witness the cooks prepare your dishes, as the tables are seated in the same space as the kitchen, bar and the reception.

When you enter here, you can immediately choose from today’s food menu at the small reception. The menu consists of two appetizers, two main courses and a dessert. You can mix and match it into a menu for 8 euros or choose one main dish (4,50 to 6,50), appetizer or dessert (2,50-to 4 euros). Each day will bring you new dishes from the kitchen, but the drinks (wines, prosecco, juices and coffee) will be on offer every day.

Out of a ten people staff, six are authentic Italians and the couple owning the restaurant are said to spend more time in Italy than in Berlin. The atmosphere in this place is really very homely and relaxed: you feel at home and you also feel the passion for the restaurant and it food. Very friendly hosts and accomodating staff.

The Food at Lavanderia Vecchia

Our menu during the day of visiting was a onion soup with a Käsestange, a salad with grilled pork and baked potatoes, a tuna spaghetti, a classical mixed salad and a dessert of panna cotta and apricot. The dessert was immediately decided upon: the panna cotta was to be had. I chose for the soup, whereas my lunch companion chose the pork.

The rucola salad with grilled pork, tomatoes and potatoes looked absolutely scrumptious and gorgeous and tasted fabulous. The portion was not too large, though, which has to be said. We wanted more.

My onion soup was actually quite a lot and very flavoursome. Simply a subtle, yet good onion soup. And the home-made Käsestange did not hurt either. Not to forget that we also received a healthy portion of (what looked like) home-made bread. But my favourite part of the meal was of course the dessert. A great panna cotta with slightly sour sweet apricot yelly, all home-made. The texture of the panna cotta was perfect and I could not help but pout after finishing my little glass with dessert delight.

What Makes this Restaurant Fabulous?

• Basically, almost everything.  I love the concept, enjoyed the food, fabulous atmosphere and decent prices to boot!
• For less than 10 euros you can enjoy an elaborate lunch here and feel like your worries will get washed away.

What Makes this Restaurant Less Fabulous?

• The food is good, but it is not extremely posh or haute cuisine. Simple, yet good and home-made Italian food.

Where to Go?

[googleMap name="Lavanderia Vecchia" width="400" height="400" mousewheel="false" typecontrol="false" directions_to="false"]Flughafenstraße 46 12053 Berlin[/googleMap]
Lavanderia Vecchia
Flughafenstraße 46
12053 Berlin
030 62722152

I love good food.
- Really? I hate good food. I prefer crappy food.

No, really: who likes bad food? No one. But what one deems to be good food, differs from one person to the other. But there are a couple of things most people can agree upon. Good food should be fun, flavoursome and original. I like my food to jump up at me, wave its flirtatious and tempting body in front of me, making me dribble and then – when I manage to capture the object of my desire, I want her to surprise me. I do not want to be bored and get exactly what I was expecting. I want from food what I want from my sexual partners: I want it to blow my mind and leave me wanting more. And there are not too many places that do that, just like there are not too many men or women who succeed at the same thing in the bedroom. But .HBC did it.

.HBC Restaurant

We wrote about Pret a Diner, which was fun and beautiful, but disappointing on the food front. HBC did the opposite. Atmosphere was also nice and cool, but nothing too surprising or mind-blowing. The food however, was a little journey on the road to culinary heaven. Okay, okay, I may be exaggerating here a bit, but I was really very positively surprised. But I will start at the beginning. HBC is a Kino, bar and restaurant all rolled into one, with three to four seperate spaces. It is on the Karl-Liebknecht Straße and you can roll there from the Alexanderplatz. The entrance is difficult to find, as you have to go up the stairs and there are no clear pointers guiding you up the stairs of the misleading horrible looking DDR building. But as you as you venture inside, wafts of deliciousness and hipster vibes welcome you. When you enter, you are in the middle of the bar/ lounge area. Next door, in a seperate bar space, they organise different evenings of presentations, movies or other Veranstaltungen. I went here once for an academic games discussion, and therefore stumbled into the restaurant and saw how cool it looked. The restaurant is at the end of the bar and in a seperate room, where poshness is combined with rough building styles in a way only Berlin is allowed to. No wallpaper, no beautiful ceiling, just the rough authenticity of the old building materials. Tables with crisp white tablecloths, shiny wine glasses and a menu more posh than London’s Soho. So Berlin.

.HBC Food

Their menu is as crisp as the table cloths. Simple, short and saucy. With 5 appetizers and a similar amount of main dishes, you are forced to try out something peculiar. In the end, I chose an appetizer (which they call Einklänge) with scallops (Jakobsmuscheln) and one with home-made canneloni with pineapple, cheese and truffel. I have a weakness for scallops and truffel, so I was secretly already bouncing on my chair. The menu changes regularly (if not weekly), but the vibe of the food remains the same. Classy, yet new and exciting combinations of the culinary classics. You will see a lobster pop up on the HBC menu at regular intervals and the scallops are another beloved classic. When my much anticipated dishes came, my heart melted. Finally another restaurant that know how to present its food. HBC knows its handicraft, they use simple yet appealing dishes and place their food as beautifully as possible. Of course you do not get big heaps of food – they were appetizers. And the whole point is in enjoyment of the flavours. With a generous Brotkorb (basket of bread) and home-made butter, you will not leave with an empty stomach.

The flavours of the food was great. The scallops were prepared perfectly, their flavour intact and the texture simply correct. The canneloni, with a mixture of hearty cheese and the sweetness of pineapple, finished off with truffle was a intoxicating combination – it surprised and it worked. And I am talking just flavours here, also the method of preparation was just – right. It all came together and really, really made me enjoy this delicious evening. If you are looking for an original, interesting and good restaurant in Berlin Mitte: go here. Prices are acceptable, with main dishes prices between 10-15 euros, appetizers go for 6-9 and the wine is afforable for 4-5 euros a glass. Staff is super accomodating, friendly and just as fashionable as the place itself. And after dinner, do not forget to sip on a drink in the bar. And every Thursdays they have oyster evenings!

Why Is this Restaurant Fabulous?

• Because it is.
• Great, original food. Good, surprising flavours, yet very classical.
• Cool location, cool déco.

Why Is this Restaurant Less Fabulous?

• Well, it is a posh-y place. If you want a plate full of meat and stuff your face, do not go here. It is about quality more than quantity.

Where To Go?

[googleMap name=".HBC" width="400" height="400" mousewheel="false" typecontrol="false" directions_to="false"]Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 9 10178 Berlin[/googleMap]

.HBC
Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 9
10178 Berlin
030-24 34 29 20

Ever since I moved to Prenzlauer Berg, I have been cycling by a restaurant on the Schönhauser Allee that I have wanted to visit since I first laid eyes on it. For almost a year, I have been dying to visit Mamay, a small and minimalistic looking Asian restaurant on the Schönhauser Allee, positioned right behind a busstop. You notice it because they have large round lamps hanging outside and they put beautiful flowers and light incense in front of the entrance. The dominant motif in the overall decor is sleek white. The walls are white, so are the tables and the chairs. But when you enter the restaurant, you will notice 20 to 40 plastic “bubbles” hanging from the ceiling, giving the location a beautiful fairytale-ish feel to it in the evening. Not to forget that the large bar in the middle of the restaurant is brightly coloured in bordeaux and the pillows on the white chairs mirror the similar bordeaux colour.

Right? Thinking all too chilly or boring for me? No way. Because even though the main colour is white, Mamay is not a cold and empty restaurant. It is actually very warm and superb in atmosphere with the classical music in the background. When you come in, you will be suprised by the subtle scents of incense (which also lure you inside from the patio) and the soft lullabies of classical music. I went here on a Sunday evening and that would be exactly the kind of feel I would attribute to this restaurant. A warm, cuddle of a dinner on a lazy Sunday evening.

Dinner at Mamay

But enought about the atmosphere and deco – in the end I did come here to eat food.  And the fabulous thing about Mamay is that even though it has a luxerious vibe to it, the food is simply budget. For 6 to 7 euros you get your main dish and for another 2 to 3 euros you get exciting (non) alcoholic cocktails or mango lassi. Their food menu is not extremely large, but has around 10 dishes on it. Classical Vietnamese meals that you might recognize from other Vietnamese places.

Since it was so chilly on Sunday evening and autumn is definitely slowly creeping up on Berlin, I decided it was time for a soup. I ordered one of Vietnam’s most well-known dishes, the Pho Bo soup with beef, glass noodles and lots of fresh vegetables. My dinner companion chose a duck breast with rice and a yummy sauce. (I personally try to shy away from rice whenever I eat Asian foods, as I find rice to be quite bland most of the time.) My Pho Bo was as a Pho should be: a very nice flavour to the broth and filled with many thin pieces of beef and lots and lots of fresh vegetables that give the soup an exciting and varied flavour. Supplemented by a mango lassi, I even managed to fill myself up to such an extent I did not even find enough space to try out the dessert, which promised to be a crème brulée of some sort. Oh well, I will just definitely have to come back to this restaurant.

What makes this restaurant fabulous?

• The atmosphere. It is beautiful, quaint and relaxed. I absolutely love it. It feels like stepping into a cocoon of warmth and relaxation.
• The food, which is fresh and simply good.
• And definitely the prices. For such a atmosphere, I was expecting higher prices. But Mamay is actually a budget-proof restaurant.

What makes this restaurant less fabulous?

• Well, I could get how its strength is simultaneaously its weakness. If you don’t like this kind of deco, you probably will not venture inside. It is also not the place for a loud or elaborate dinner. It’s your perfect neighbourhood restaurant for an intimate meal.

Where to go?
Mamay
Schönhauser Allee 61
10437 Berlin
+49 30 444 72 70

[googleMap name="Mamay" width="400" height="400" mousewheel="false" typecontrol="false" directions_to="false"]Schönhauser Allee 61 10437 Berlin[/googleMap]

Photo’s: Flickr and Mamay

Another restaurant that I have visited many times and only briefly mentioned in my reviews. So today it is time for Zaza, a posh-y semi-professional cocktail and sushi bar on the Kastanienallee. Everyone who has ever read this blog before knows that I absolutely adore sushi, so the concept of a bar/ restaurant that specialised in sushi and cocktails sounded like a dream to me. The first time ever I went here, I was together with a friend and we ran into my boss. Since I had just started said job, I got all shocked and hot and bothered. Thankfully,  a couple of Zaza cocktails later,  my poor little shy soul perked up. Zaza does very nice cocktails and if you time your visit to coincide with the drinks happy hour (18-20h), you can enjoy your cocktails for decent prices.
You can find Zaza in the middle of the popular Kastanienallee in the bezirk Prenzlauer Berg, not far away the W-Imbiss and Sushi Number One.

Lounging in P-Berg

Zaza is pretty. It has a cool, contemporary lounge feeling to it and you will happily spend a long evening in this joint. The restaurant is very large and has a long, yet narrow shape to it. At the far end of the restaurant, you can find a large and comfortable smoker’s lounge with a bar where you can also drink drinks and eat food while inhaling some of your favourite Pall Mall or Marlboro scents. And in the summer days Zaza has a large (and mostly filled) outside space with tables and chairs – perfect due to it’s people spotting location on the Kastanienallee.
I have used Zaza as a liasion location for work-related drinks and dinners, what probably best describes the vibe that this restaurant has. It is chilled, but simultaneously has a sleek professionalism to its deco.

Sushi food and more

The sushi menu at Zaza is quite impressive. They have quite a couple of festive and special rolls (like my beloved tamago roll) and an extensive offer of regular maki’s and nigiri’s. I think I might have spent the evening at Zaza at least five times now, and it took my five tries to finally also order something else from sushi. Because, even though they have a decent enough menu, I have to admit I was not particularly impressed or smitten with the sushi. Where other sushi restaurants regularly surprised me with flavour, Zaza’s sushi disappointed me with a bit of a bleak, boring sushi. Okay, maybe I am too much of a sushi buff to enjoy sushi that is anything less but superb, but these experiences made me choose a wan-tan side dish combined with a completely different kind of sushi from what I normally eat.
And I was pleasantly surprised: Zaza does great quality wan-tans and other appetizers. I have seen my table companions order nice grilled meats and salads that were also very yummy. I would recommend ordering a varied mixture of sushi and small nibbles to get as many of your taste buds to join in the culinairy experience. All in all, Zaza does more than decent sushi – but it is just not the best I have ever had. (More on that in the best sushi restaurants.)

What makes this restaurant fabulous?

• The staff is cheerful, polite and they know their way around the menu
• Zaza has a nice and posh atmosphere to it that will make you want to stay
• The menu is filled with many different kinds of nibbles and bites that are worth exploring

What makes this restaurant less fabulous?

• It is a sushi and cocktail bar in Prenzlauer Berg – and sadly therefore not the cheapest place. But with foods ranging from four (for a small maki) to ten euros (for a bigger dish), still affordable
• If you are a huge sushi buff and you want to eat a lot of good sushi for little money, I would not recommend Zaza

Where to go?

[googleMap name="Zaza" width="400" height="400" mousewheel="false" typecontrol="false" directions_to="false"]Kastanienallee 12 10435 Berlin[/googleMap]

Zaza
Kastanienallee 12
10435 Berlin
+49 30 44031185
www.zaza-bar.de

Photo: Flickr

We have been blogging for a while about all sorts of restaurants in Berlin and we have been writing about sushi a lot. Yes, it may be a bit obnoxious, but we do just adore sushi rolls. And just to mark our extensive search and expertise when it comes to sushi eating and enjoyment in Berlin, I hereby proudly present our very own sushi restaurant top 10, with the best, coolest and most scrumptious restaurants in Berlin for eating sushi. Graded based on deco and atmosphere for lovers of prettiness, the quality of the food and the amount of money you will be spending here. If you’re a sushi fan, all you need is this list and you will be eating away most fabulously for weeks and weeks to come.

• Most of the restaurants on this list already have complete restaurant reviews. Click the link to the restaurant names to read the elaborate reviews.

+ means less (expensive, atmospheric, flavoursome noms)

+++ means more (expensive, atmosphere, flavoursome noms)

This article was written in 2010 : read our new and updated list of best sushi restaurants in Berlin.

1. Wasabi (Mitte)

• Deco/ atmosphere +
• Food +++
• Price +
  

I proudly present the number one! My personal favourite restaurant that I just keep coming back to and that I would recommend to anyone who wants to eat sushi in Berlin. They serve great sushi, they have a large selection of basic maki’s, special rolls and fried rolls, nice and friendly staff – and all of that for a budget price. Simply good food for good prices, located on the corner of the lively Oranienburger Straße. In summer you can lounge outside and enjoy the weather, a glass of wine or a nice mango lassi with your kim-chi salad. Budget prices, great sushi.

Friedrichstraße 114
10117 Berlin

2. Sushi number one (Prenzlauer Berg)

• Deco/atmosphere +
• Food +++
• Price +

Looking for a quick sushi bite? Feel like taking some sushi home? For take-away anywhere in and around Prenzlauer Berg I would recommend Sushi number one. It is also a great place to sit down for a meal, but the restaurant is not always filled up with people and the deco is not particularly exceptionally enticing. For take-away, though, they are perfect. Very quick and friendly, a huge menu with budget sushi to choose from and great appetizers en desserts to take away as well. Tip: get the Sommerrollen as take away, you will get a large kim chi salad with it for free! They do charge fifty cents for packaging though.

Oderberger Straße 51/52
10435 Berlin

3. Le coq d’or (Friedrichshain)

• Deco/ atmosphere +
• Food ++
• Price +
  

Another sushi location that I keep popping in to. Not the prettiest of locations, but practically located in Friedrichshain on the Boxhagener Straße. Sweet staff, low prices and good quality sushi. If you like spending time in and around the Simon-Dach straße and like sushi, you definitely ought to pop in here for a nice filled plate with fresh and afforable sushi. Do stay away from the fried appetizers, unless you are into fried fry. Do order a nice bottle of wine for a budget price to accompany your sushi meal. Cheap, good sushi. Not such an extensive menu.

Boxhagener Straße 27
10245 Berlin

4. Kuchi (Mitte)

• Deco/atmosphere +++
• Food ++
• Price ++

With a spacious and atmospheric courtyard for summery evenings and classy deco for a night inside, Kuchi already flaunts its tailfeather before you even sit down to eat. This is a fabulous real restaurant where you go for a nice proper dinner. They do beautiful and great flavoursome sushi and have a great and extensive menu with sashimi, soups and hot rice-based dishes. A great restaurant that may cost a bit more, but you get for it in return is definitely worth it. Fab food, friendly service and a beautiful deco.

Gipsstraße 3
10119 Berlin

5. Zaza (Prenzlauer Berg)

• Deco/atmosphere +++
• Food ++
• Price ++

A cool, sleek cocktail and sushi bar that also does noodle soups and noodle dishes. Very after-work-ish and cool. A nice place to take your collegue or your boss for a meeting. In the back they have a large smokers lounge where you can also sit and eat very comfortably. Filled up in the weekend, not that packed on the week days. Good sushi, not particularly budget. You pay for the cool lounge atmosphere – but order sushi after eight, when the happy hour starts. Cocktail happy hour runs up til eight. So pop in after work for a cocktail and sushi. Extensive and interesting sushi on the menu.

Kastanienallee 12
10435 Berlin

6.Chaapa (Schöneberg)

• Deco/atmosphere ++
• Food ++
• Price ++

A slightly posh and up-scale sushi and Thai restaurant in the middle of brimming Schöneberg. I love the location and especially for people that do not hang out in Schöneberg enough, I recommend hitting the streets around the area for a nice bar or restaurant. At Chaapa you can enjoy and order great sushi from an elaborate menu, enjoy the fresh air on the heated patio and watch interesting Schönebergers walk by. A bit more pricey than a budget sushi location, but you are well compensated by the atmosphere, deco and polite and friendly service. Not to mention yummy sushi.

Maaßenstraße 9
10777 Berlin

7. Steel shark (Neukölln)

• Deco/atmosphere ++
• Food +++
• Price +

A small and tiny restaurant that is probably most suitable for taking away food, or having a lunch with one of your friends or lovers. But do not be deceived! This small sushi shop serves the greatest sushi in Neukölln. Interesting and original combinations surprise you as soon as you open the menu. Maki rolls with prunes – or spicy peppers? Definitely order a new type of sushi and prepare to be surprised. Their soups are also fabulous – I have eaten the best wan-tan soup in my life here. Not a huge menu, but everything is very budget. Perfect for a weekend brunch after sauntering through Neuköllner shops. Ordering or take away recommended.

Karl-Marx-Straße 13
12043 Berlin

8. Cogai (Schöneberg)

• Deco/atmosphere ++
• Food ++
• Price +

A modern and sophisticated interior is the intial attraction of this Vietnamese sushi restaurant. In a very mellow atmosphere you can chill on one of the design tables or chairs and order an interesting and flavoursome salad or  enjoy the nice sushi. Their menu is normally-sized with an afforable offer of the most desired sorts of sushi. A cool restaurant with great food for a very decent price. Located around the corner from the Nollendorfplatz, on the lively Bülowstraße.

Bülowstraße 9
10783 Berlin

9. Cube (Kreuzberg)

• Deco/atmosphere ++
• Food ++
• Price ++

Around the corner from the Bergmannstraße, on the Zossener straße, lies this little cute sushi restaurant. I have eaten here a couple of times and I was positively surprised by the nice and original sushi combinations. The cosy tables and seating arrangements make you feel right at home and with a diverse and extensive sushi menu, you will definitely be tempted to have a long and elaborate sushi meal here. The price is very reasonable for hanging around the Bergmann kiez and the Mehringdamm. Cute, nice and fine sushi in a pretty restaurant. Basically how eating sushi should be.

Zossener Straße 18
10961 Berlin

10. Ishin (Mitte)

• Deco/atmosphere +
• Food ++
• Price +

Essentially, a sushi eatery. You pop in, order the sushi, sashimi oder steamed fish that you want and you eat it. Not pretty, comfy or posh. Just a very functional restaurant that offers good quality sushi for budget prices. Very authentic and perfect if you just really want to eat sushi and do not care about any of the other stuff. Probably not the best place for a beginner, even though they offer ample vegetarian opportunities in case you are not that into fish. In the city center, almost on Friedrichstraße. Perfect for a functional business lunch. (Also recommended for tourists that like an authentic sushi experience. It is not as unattractive as it sounds. Just do not go here when you want to be lounging about a restaurant for hours. This is not the place.) Free green tea for everyone.

Mittelstraße 24
10117 Berlin

Other Great Sushi Restaurants

Yet another great sushi place worth a recommendation: Mikoto (Prenzlauer Berg).
Eating sushi in Zehlendorf? Bamboo makes fantastic sushi.

And if you want to order sushi, you could give this sushi delivery service in Berlin a try.

Going on a trip to Potsdam?

Then definitely hit the sushi restaurant My Keng in the city center on the main shopping street, the Brandenburger Straße. It is a small restaurant and a bit more pricey than anything in Berlin, but they do some awesome tempura sushi rolls. My personal reccommendation is the tempura roll collection with scallops, which taste absolutely surprisingly delicious.

Request:

If you have eaten at any of these sushi restaurants, please leave a comment on how your experience was! I would be thrilled to read about your own sushi experiences!

Read our new and updated 2011 list of best sushi restaurants in Berlin.

 

Asian food is something we are particularly good at eating. And with only a few of nice and sunny days in the last few weeks, it was not strange to see our mouths ‘accidentally’ fall unto plates of fresh Asian foods.

Sasaya is the kind of place that you’ve heard about through the grapevine. Random acquintances mention it a couple of times and before you know it, you find yourself standing in front of the sleek and modern looking restaurant. It is on the Lychener Straße, on the corner of the popular Helmholtplatz, near the Spanish Tres Tapas and La Bodeguita de Medio‘s Cuban restaurant. Sasaya looks cool. It partially has the look of a posh gallery, but when you get closer you actually see the cute little authentic Asian seating arrangements. If you get lucky enough to sit in one of the Asian corners, you take off your shoes and snuggle up on a cushion-y floor with a small table in the middle for your food. All very authentic and an interesting experience an sich.
The sad thing about Sasaya is that it is very popular and they allow the entire restaurant to get fully booked. Which may lead to a half-empty restaurant that turns poor little hungry girls like us away, because all of their tables have been reserved. Which I think is bad for business, unpractical and very sad. Eating food is an impulsive thing and I do not like having to make up my mind on what I am going to eat in two weeks time.

Sushi 2.0: sleek, sexy sustenance

However, we got lucky enough and found a nice spot outside, where we were surprised by the cool looking menu. On colourful thick paper with an interesting sensual texture, wrapped in in even thicker soft see-through plastic, was the menu. They have a small daily special menu, with a few appetizers, main dishes and a dessert offer. The rest of the menu is Sasaya’s standard offer of foods, drinks and nibbles. As our appetizers we ordered an exciting skewer with marinated squid, some very flavourful seaweed salad and two thin spring rolls. The squid skewer was disappointing to me as the sauce was too overpowering. However, the other dish with squid that I had afterwards was very scrumptious – just plain grilled squid, simplistic but very yummy.
Sasaya offers a mixture of main dishes and many different types of sushi. The sushi menu was a surprising, interesting and challenging list of combinations. One of the few restaurants that I have seen in a long time that actually surprised me with their sushi menu. I eventually ordered a vegetarian futo maki big roll, with tamago egg, various vegetables, tofu and sesame. Holly had a few classical maki’s with grilled salmon skin and some vegetables.
The food is served on very pretty plates and in cute bowls. All of them are different, yet match due to their earthy tones. The sushi looks rugged. The sushi chefs work in the middle of the restaurant, under everyone’s questioning eyes, on their sushi pieces. Maybe it is sushi Sasaya-style, the rugged look of bits of rice that are not perfectly pressed into shape by the process of rolling. My sushi was nice, yet smothered in a dominant spicy sauce. Do not get me wrong, I can appreciate a sauce in or on my sushi, but I prefer subtlety when it comes to such things. It is a shame when a dominant flavour kills the nice and more subtle flavours of the meal.

All in all, I was impressed, but I probably expected too much from Sasaya. However, we are definitely planning a return visit to give some of the other exciting dishes a try. One of the foods that I did adore and fall in love with was their coconut crème brulée. Traditionally, I have always had a huge weak spot for caramel desserts and crème brulée is surely number one on my list. If prepared properly, it can be the best thing your tongue has touched in years. At Sasaya, they thought of combining the classical crème brulée with a coconutty pudding, which actually tasted delightful. The pudding actually entailed the texture of coconut and that combined with crunchy caramel made for a match made in heaven.

What makes this restaurant fabulous?

• Atmosphere, decoration and even the staff all give Sasaya a right authentic and Asian touch to it. It is simply ‘cool’ to have the sushi chefs prepare the food in front of you. If you have a bar place, you are actually practically on top of the sushi making process.
• The food is interesting and original. Maybe not all creations are as fabulous as the next, but if you want to eat something different from what you eat at your average Asian/ sushi restaurant, is it definitely worth a visit.

What makes this restaurant less fabulous?

• To be expected from such a sexy restaurant, it is not the cheapest location for eating sushi. It is definitely a decent mid-range restaurant, where you can have a nice evening for around 15 euros, so not unafforable for sure.
• The previous mentioned lack of impulsive visiting possibilities. If you want to have dinner here, better make a reservation.

Where to go?

[googleMap name="Sasaya" width="400" height="400" mousewheel="false" typecontrol="false" directions_to="false"]Lychener Straße 50 10437 Berlin[/googleMap]

Sasaya
Lychener Straße 50
10437 Berlin
030 4471-7721

I am not a big fan of restaurant chains, nor am I a big fan of eating Italian food in restaurants. Pasta I can just as easily prepare at home and when it comes to pizza’s, I tend to prefer Dr. Oekter’s Ristorante over a restaurant pizza. I know, call me crazy.

It was a crazy situation indeed when I found myself venture into the Italian chain restaurant Vapiano, which you can discover in various different locations in Berlin. There is one restaurant situated right on the Potsdamer Platz, one on Friedrichstraße and the one I went to was am Zoo, close to the Gedächtniskirche. I was together with a friend, and we had just attempted a small shopping spree on Kudamm, after which we simply wanted a drink without having to go too far. Because of that, we stumbled into Vapiano.

However, like many similar evenings: we came for a drink and went out with a complete dinner and dessert. It is  one of the curses of restaurants, where you are continuously confronted by the delicious food other people around you are ordering. It does something to your brain and makes you desire food like never before. And it definitely did something to my brain, because I decided to go for a Pasta Carbonara. Again, something that I would never be inclined to order (I’m just not that into pork).

Fancy fussili, farfalle oder penne tonight?

But Vapiano is different. The restaurants are large, offering various comfortable chairs and corners, supplemented by large wooden tables with dozens of basil plants everywhere. When you enter, they give you your personal magnetic card which you can use at the bar for drinks and desserts or the kitchen for food. The whole ‘thing’ about Vapiano’s is that you can basically pick and choose exactly what you want and how you like it. You can pick the herbs, the cheese, the vegetables and even the kind of pasta that you want in your meal. It is real do-it-yourself food. The pizza’s on offer you can therefore make into your own perfect pizza dream. Or go all healthy or extra meaty on your pasta or salad. And the best thing about it: it is very afforable. A nice pasta you can get for around five euros or a great and fresh salad starts at zeven euros. Therefore many of Vapiano’s customers are business people or working men that pop into the restaurant after a long, hard day of work. Even considering the fact that I am not a big fan of Italian food, this really is a great place if you’re into that kind of food. If you are prepared to enter a global chain restaurant.

What makes this restaurant fabulous:

• You can personalise the food to fit your every whim. All ingredients are fresh.
• The deco of fresh herbs (basil, rosemary and more) on all tables is very cool.
• The prices are very decent. You can eat a nice meal here for five euros (excl. drinks and desserts).

What makes this restaurant less fabulous:

• Big, global chain restaurant. I prefer supporting the small independent restaurants a lot more.
• It can be stuffed with customers, together with standing in line for your food, giving it a bit of a posh-Italian-McDonalds feel.

Where to go?

[googleMap name="Vapiano Berlin (1)" width="400" height="400" mousewheel="false" typecontrol="false" directions_to="false"]Joachimstaler Straße 33 10719 Berlin[/googleMap]

Joachimstaler Straße 33
10719 Berlin
030 8871-4195

On Easter Sunday I had my (Dutch) parents over for a visit. Sadly enough most shops were closed, so we were forced to spend our day in the Mauerpark and occupy ourselves with a bit of neighbourhood sightseeing.  The climax of the weekend, the one moment that we had all been  looking forward to, was going to be the ‘big’ dinner. We were going go to hit a fabulous restaurant. And with my long list and extensive experience in the Berlin cuisine, I was easily tempted to drag them to one of my favourite haunts. But then again, eating at a new restaurant might provide a fantastic experience and blog. So, I managed to lure my parental units to a restaurant once recommended by my boss, the South-African Cape Town on the Schönfließer Straße in Prenzlauer Berg, around the corner from my house. Since the Netherlands used to own parts of South-Africa in the colonial days one of the reigning languages is still Afrikaans (a mixture of Dutch, Zulu and all other languages present in South-Africa). During my studies as a Dutch language and culture major, I used to study and read quite a bit of Afrikaanse literatuur, which might explain my fascination with this country.

Have You Always Wanted to Eat Crocodile, Zebra and Wildebeast?

Generally, I do not eat that much meat. But whenever I go out to dinner, I might be tempted to order a nice steak once in a while. My mother is not that much of an adventourous eater (it took her a bit of convincing to get her into the restaurant), but my father and I are always willing to give something new a try. Firstly, we ordered a mix starter plate with bobotie (South-African meatloaf), fried chicken sticks, little meatrolls, gamba’s, samosas, fruit and three exciting sauces. This in itself already was half a meal in itself, especially in combination with the tasteful dark bread that was served as an complimentary appetizer. The starter even convinced my mother that this restaurant was the right choice for our Easter dinner.

She then quickly made up her mind to order a burger, as she likes ordering food that she is familiar with. My father then suggested he and I share a Cape Town Plate, which consists of a selection of zebra, gnu, springbock, crocodile and ostrich steaks for two people. Of course I said yes, all excited about tasting these exotic animals. Unfortunately, they were out of the crocodile (apparently April is not the crocodile season) and we got the opportunity to choose other animals in its place. To supplement our dinner, we chose a very nice Merlot and before we knew it, the sipping had lead to the moment of truth. We received a large dish filled with 10 small steaks, on a bed of rice, beans and potatoes and of course accompanied by three different dips. The zebra has the most peculiar – yet very nice – taste. Not quite like a normal steak or anything I have ever eaten before, it has the most surprising secondary flavour. The gnu almost melted in my mouth, it was very tender. And the ostrich – a familiar and favourite of mine – was fabulous. At the end of the meal, I was barely able to walk. We were all so full, we sadly did not order a dessert. However, they do offer a great choice of sweets: ranging from white chocolate mousse to dessert cheeses. Needless to say, I was very thankful for the close vicinity to my house.

Update (August 2010)
I was lucky enough to be invited to a Cape Town dinner last week  and this time I went for a gnu steak. I enjoyed 200 grams of absolutely scrumptious meat, with sweet potatoe and green beans. It sounds simple, but it was once more one of the best dishes I have ever eaten! For anyone who likes to eat (adventurous) meat: I really 100% recommend Cape Town!

Update (June 2011)
Still Cape-Town remains one of my most beloved restaurants. The meat is simply fantastic and makes you come back for more.

What makes this restaurant fabulous:

• The atmosphere. It is officially a restaurant and lounge, which you notice immediately when entering. The music is nice and relaxing and the smallness of the restaurant, together with its location in the middle of a residential area make for some comfortable dining.
• The food. If you’re up for an exciting or refreshing meal, something that is not sushi, Asian food or a Bratwurst – you should definitely give the food here a try.
• The staff. On that Sunday evening there was only one charming man taking care of all customers. He was friendly, polite and the lack of five chaotic collegues running around only added to the atmosphere.

What makes this restaurant less fabulous:

• Well, you might have seen this one coming: the prices. It is definitely a bit more of an expensive and up-scale restaurant. Still very afforable, but not the place to go when you need to cut down on your costs. The Cape Town plate, with five different small steaks costs 20 euros per person and a glass of decent wine you can get at 3,50 and upwards. A vegetarian dish, then again, you can get for less than 10 euros.

How to get there?

[googleMap name="Cape Town" width="400" height="400" mousewheel="false" typecontrol="false" directions_to="false"]Schönfließer Straße 15, 10439 Berlin[/googleMap]
Cape Town
Schönfließer Straße 15
10439 Berlin
030 400 576-58

Transit is a Thai and Indonesian restaurant that currently has two different locations in Berlin. One in Mitte (Rosenthaler Straße 68) and one in Friedrichshain (Sonntagstrafle 28).  After becoming well acquainted with the original restaurant in Friedrichshain, we also ventured into the Rosenthaler Straße Mitte location of Transit. The deco is less elaborate and bright, as they went for a more classy style with earthy tones. The staff, however, is equally friendly and the food is just as great. They basically offer the same menu in both restaurants. If you are not sure which of the two locations to choose, though, I would reccomend the Sonntagsstraßee, with it’s bright colours and exciting bird cages.

But back to the authentic Transit restaurant and its concept. Transit is a modern, brightly-coloured and very welcoming restaurant. The staff is authentically Thai and Indonesian and they know their way around the menu. Maybe you think you know Asian food and you’ve had enough of rice, currys, meats, fish and sauces? Transit is a new upgrade of the Asian kitchen. They don’t do boring Asian food, but they do asian tapas, as I like to call them.

Asian Tapas at Transit

A long time ago I visited Transit for the first time. And although the whole concept is a bit hip and funky, but the food is really great fun. I enjoy eating various dishes in small quantities – experiencing as many flavours as possible without having to over order. All dishes here cost 3 euros and you should order around 3-5 per person. You can then mix and match with your table companions and try each others little dishes. They have an amazing menu consisting of delicious foods. They are all fun and yummy nibbles, great for a night out with a bunch of friends. A small summary from the delectable menu.

• Duck in pyjamas: slices of duck meat in small wraps with haricot-verts, a fitting sauce and some fresh vegatables.
• Gado gado: classical vegetarian dish with egg,  peanut (satay) sauce, steamed vegetables and fried tofu.
• Almost nude: the most delicious white rolls with shrimps, meat, fresh herbs and salad in thin rice dough. (Personal favourite.)
• Party girl: a spicy salad of fresh green papaya.
• Golden harvest: creamy yellow curry with sweet potato and chicken.
• Crispily fried shrimp with home-made guacamole. (And many, many more.)

The names of the dishes are delightfully hilarious and they offer a menu in German and English. As side-orders you can order rice or noodles for 1 euro each. The menu does not change that often. Every so often they add some dishes to the menu, but for the last couple of years most Transit tapas have remained the same.

Enjoying Thai Good Food at Transit

Transit also does a nice classical dessert. Creamy panna cotta with mango on top – a very refreshing and flavoursome dessert, perfect to wrap up a nice evening. Sadly, Transit does not offer any additional desserts. Another thing to beware of: of the fantastic cocktails (a bit on the pricey side started at 6 euros each) they serve at Transit. They offer your classical Mojitos and Maitai’s, but also have a very nice selection of non-alcoholic drinks. I know what you’re thinking: why no alcohol? Well, once in a while it’s nice to have something for your thirst only. And at this restaurant they make the best home-made ice-tea-meets-Mojito. Just without the alcohol.

What Makes This Restaurant Fabulous:

• The food, which is simply scrumptious, interesting and exciting food.
• The price is also fun, with 3 euros a dish, you can spend as much as you want.
• The staff is rery friendly, remember you were there before and even offer to call you a cab.
• The deco at Transit makes you feel like you’re in a special place, with the bright colours and bird cages.

What Makes this Restaurant Less Fabulous:

• It may not be the best place for getting drunk. Cocktails are expensive (6,50 euros), but they offer a good deal on whole bottles of wine.
• A small desert selection that has remained the same for almost a year is also dissapointing for a dessert fan.

Getting there

[googleMap name="Transit Restaurant" description="10245 Berlin" width="400" height="400" mousewheel="false" typecontrol="false" directions_to="false"]Sonntagstrasse 28 10245 Berlin[/googleMap]

Transit
Sonntagstraße 28 / Rosenthaler Straße 68
10245 / 10119  Berlin