10.03.08: Out to Eckstein

You can't see it, but the name Eckstein is etched at the top of some of the main windows of this pleasant caff that was catty-corner to our hostel. Our waiter patiently translated every item on the evening menu, saving us the vertiginous task of glancing from menu to guidebook (and repeat).

HE SAYS: German comfort food, perhaps? Very tasty pork in sherry sauce with zucchini plus Hollandaise sauce and very German and yummy krünter-spätzle and salad. Apart from the delish pork the krünter-spätzle with it's not-quite-pasta, not-quite-noodle qualities stole the show.

SHE SAYS: My gebackenes aubergineschnitzel auf ratatouille mit feta and bulghur dazu salat really couldn't go far wrong - who doesn't like a giant piece of meaty aubergine fried up crisp and light - or two? The so-called ratatouille was more like a puddle of veggie soup, though, and the feta was oddly smooth and creamy...I suspect a substitution. The bulgher salad was wholesome and blameless. Altogether a decent goodbye meal, if not a great one. Overall, I think Berlin is better for drinking than eating, but given more time I'm sure we would find more to love.

07.03.08: Out to Brecht Haus

For most of our Berlin dinners, He and She were joined by excellent dining partner and savvy traveller Miss Information. Our adventures began at historic yet artfully modern Kellerrestaurant im Brecht Haus, where He and She both plumped for the hearty weiner schnitzel + sauteed potatoes + salad...

...which came with thin slices of nicely chilled cucumber in dill and vinegar that we shared 'round...

...while Miss Information judiciously selected the spatzle with pork and saurkraut.

SHE SAYS: This hearty fare was so welcome after a l-o-n-g day of travelling and exploring, not to mention happy visiting and catching up with Miss Information. It also provided lots of fuel for the long nite still ahead! My schnitzel was less nicely browned than the one pictured, but it was still pretty good, and I ate all but, say, a sixth of it, which I tithed to His plate. The potatoes were crisp-edged and creamy in the middle, and that cucumber accompaniment was superbly zingy, cool, and herby. Sehr gut!

HE SAYS: Thought the weiner schnitzel was tasty, the coating was light and crunchy. The potatoes were also crispity-crunchety, browned very nicely, and the cucumber salad served as a refreshing palate cleanser. The portions were very generous, as you can see. The service was a little sluggish, but the atmosphere was casual, cosy and welcoming - a nice find for our first nite in Berlin. Das ist, über was ich spreche, Willis!

MISS INFORMATION SAYS: This special spaetzle was the perfect hearty meal for the coolish March weather, and went quite well with my regional pilsner. These dense and flavorful mini dumplings had a tender-firm consistency without being slimy, suggesting they were recently fresh-made rather than from dried (although I never confirmed). Tossed with bits of smoky bacon and a rich, mild cheese, the ample mound of pasta had a core of piquant, warm sauerkraut, providing a complementary tang to the otherwise heavy ingredients. The portion was so large I simply couldn't finish. If I hadn't been travelling, I would've repurposed the leftovers for next-day's lunch. But with a limited amount of Berliner food adventures to be had, I could not see wasting a meal time on repeats!