My dad was a Commander Pilot so most of my childhood I spent in hangars, planes and choppers. When I saw I was going to attend the event "Dine around the World" at Food Zürich I was thrilled. I read a big plane was involved and the location was direct in the airport... After a ride on 2 trams and 5 minute walk I was there at RUNWAY34 right in the airport, almost at the landing strip or "runway". The entrance was just like a sleeve of a plane. I felt just like boarding one. Inside the hangar restaurant was a huge Ilyushin plane just in the middle of the whole space. I got greeted with some bubbles and my First Class card, for drinks of course! It was a buffet. I regularly dont blog about buffets but the location was awesome, the idea was super and the food was good. One of the cool things was, there is a simulation academy there and you can actually get inside the big Ilyushin plane. I will tell you guys what is inside later on. I started my trip around the world in Asia, my beloved Asia. I had a Thai green curry chicken with jasmine rice, a Tom Yum from Thailand, Samosas from India and Spring Rolls from Vietnam. Most of the seats were taken from old airplanes. The "crew" was actually wearing flight hostess and pilot uniforms. And most of the decoration was plane parts, food carts and so on. My dad would love this place for sure. A small food break to test those simulators. You can fly the Lockheed Super Constellation, a Pilatus PC-7, a Boeing 777 and a Jet Ranger BELL 206B3, the one my dad used to fly and was an instructor at Bell Helicopter in Texas back in the 80s. Sorry, I am a nerd with airplanes and helicopters. Next Stop: North America and Southamerica. Argentinian entrecôte with chimichurri, baked potatoes with sour cream and corncobs . Served with grilled tomatoes and green beans rolled in bacon. Now we are in Europe. Yummy! I started with some San Daniele Ham cut with a Berkel machine, antipasti and salad with different dressings. Some bread and the mushroom risotto with loads of parmesan. Lets go fly again! now the coolest plane in my honest opinion. The Swiss Air Force Pilatus! muahaha This baby was so much fun! You fly around with 9 airplanes through the alps. Perfect break before the next continent. We are now in the last stops: Africa and Arabia The highlight of my trip was the pumpkin soup, I loved it. I was not sure if it was in the America or Africa tables, it doesnt matter. It was the best pumpkin soup I had since I was a kid. (Ok after a short research with my friend Google, pumpkin soup is actually from Africa, craziness!) I had as well couscous, sheep cheese, veggie taboule, hummus & babaganoush with pita bread. After all those continents, one last tiny bite of dessert and return my wine passport into my purse and drove back to my cozy hotel The Yard to meet my bae Food Bloggers for a Beer at the bar :) Want to know what was inside of the big plane in the middle of the restaurant?? This blogpost was in collaboration with VisitZürich
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For the ones that dont know much about the Peruvian culinary tradition, we have loads of cultural influences. One of the best outcomes of it, is the Japanese influence. What brings us Nikkei, a combination of Japanese and Peruvian cuisine that has become new trend amongst Europe. I mean, Sushi mixes perfectly with ceviche if you think about it. Combining Japanese dishes with Peruvian flavors and techniques has a remarkable effect. The minimalism and delicacy of Japanese food meets the rough freshness and spiciness of Peru. a deadly combination for every foodie around! Both are so similar, yet so different. But what is Nikkei? or what does the word mean? Nikkei people are Japanese emigrants and their descendants who have created communities throughout the world. And Nikkei food, for me, is the evolution of Japanese food where these communities live. I was in Peru this May, and I was dying to eat some Nikkei again after 14 years living in Europe. I had to Taste the trend. Sadly I couldnt go visit Micha, my childhood friend and owner of the number 13 of the 50 best restaurants in the world, but I got to take a little time to visit Osaka and get delighted with all the flavours this cuisine has to offer. I went there with my family. And we started with some delicious Nikkei Cocktails made with japanese and peruvian fruits. Each of them tastier than the other. I got the Pisco Punch Osaka as i loved the one I tried at the Super Foods Event from last december. We started with 2 Tiraditos. Tiradito is a Peruvian dish of raw fish, cut in the shape of sashimi, and of aspect similar to crudo, and carpaccio, in a spicy sauce. Carpassion: Salmon, passion fruit honey, watercress and crunchy dough and Osaka Tataki, a grilled seared tuna, oriental citrus sauce, togarashi and negi. After the tiraditos, we ordered a nigiri platter. A dream of Foie Gras, Shrimps and truffles. It was mouth-watering. - Hotate Truffle: Fan shells, white truffle butter and lemon - Tuna Foie: Tuna, foie gras, teriyaki sauce and Maldon salt. - Evil Ebi: Prawn, BBQ Osk and chalaquita. We followed the Nigiris with Nikkei Makis that included Antiku, Prawns tempura, negi and seared loin with Nikkei anticucho sauce. And Spicy Crunchy, a maki made out Prawns batayaki, crab pulp, crunchy quinoa and togarashi. And before we decided on the main dishes, we had to try at least one Peruvian Izakaya. This was a great name for it as it means Japanese Tapas. We went for the beautiful Mariscos al Fuego, or Seafood on Fire! it just melted in your mouth and left you yearning for more! An amazingly made mix of seafood sautéed in butter, togarashi and lemon. The main dishes arrived! As a huge fan of Yuzu, I ordered the Niku Kabayaki, a Wagyu slices, kabayaki and yuzu butter. I loved the fact that you could grill your own meat and the sides. OH MY! an onion marmalade and fried peruvian cassava. The rest of the family ordered these amazing dishes: - Salmon Tentsuyu, a salmon confit in lime oil, negi and avocado tempura. - Pato Mochero, Crispy duck leg over wok rice, cecina and shiitake with honey of tumbo - Shiromi a la Brasa, White fish marinated in shoyu with crispy garlic sauce, almonds and Peruvian peppers. - OSK Wok, Wok rice with vegetables and shrimps. We had a great night, everything was highly pleasant to the taste. For me, this culinary fusion is the best I have ever tried. And IMHO, everyone should try this beautiful love child between Peru and Japan.
I tested the trend, And I got even more hungry for it as I was before this meal. Damn, I will even try to make some Nikkei recipes for the blog!! If you are in Lima and you want to try some Nikkei besides Osaka - My friend Micha's Maido - Costanera 700 a restaurant I had the honor to work with years ago - Mesa18 from the Legend Toshiro Konishi Me and my daughter went backpacking through Vietnam last March. We went around, stopping in places like Ho Chi Minh (Saigon), Hoi An, Da Nang, Ha Noi, Halong Bay and Phu Quoc. We explored these amazing places, making new friends and tasting loads of different foods. In Vietnam, It is impossible to really go wrong when it comes to food. Vietnamese people know their stuff, and their food is for sure amazing. Here I made a list of things IMHO are a MUST TRY when you are in in this culinary destination. 1. Bun Cha Ha NoiOr as the locals call it "Obama Bun Cha". I had to laugh so hard when I heard they call it Obama. The story is that during a 3-day-visit to the vietnamese capitol, Ex-President Obama and Anthony Bourdain had a cheap meal in tiny plastic chairs. It was everywhere on Social Media, Everywhere! They both said it was delicious while drinking some local beer and having a great time. I decided to try this fatty grilled pork, served with noodles at the same place he did. But the locals told me the best place to eat them was at Bun Cha Nem Cua Be Dac Kim. Bun Cha Ha Noi is served in different bowls and you have to mix it all in your plate. Rice Noodles, Braised pork slices, Pork meatballs in a delicious sauce, fresh herbs, Chili, garlic and the best: Spring Rolls. You are supposed to add the chili and garlic to the sauce and dip the noodles and herbs before you munch them. It was mouth-watering! Dont be afraid to sit in a plastic chair in the middle of the street, it is totally worth it. Restaurant: "Bun Cha Nem Cua Be Dac Kim" - 1 Hàng Mành - Ha Noi 2. Pho or Soup at the Lunch LadyThe Lunch Lady is almost a Landmark in Saigon. Or at least she should! I heard from several foodies, bloggers and travel eaters (like my pal Nick from Eatacity) that I should get there and try the soup of the day. What I mean with this, is that she has a rotating menu, a different dish every day of the week. Thi Thanh aka. The Lunch Lady, Warmly welcomed us (after a sweaty 2-hour-walk with a baby on a carrier) and we were the last customers of the day. We almost didn't make it... damn heat! But we were there and we got our table served in 2 seconds. Spring rolls, sweet potato and shrimps fritters (Bahn Tom) and my soup: Bun Bo Hue! Bun Bo Hue is a Spicy beef and Pork soup with vermicelli noodles. Full body and loads of taste. The pork sausages reminds me of a bratwurst somehow, and the beef meat was as soft as is gets. It was an explosion of umami in my mouth. Thi Thanh surprised me with her knowledge of german. She was in Germany many years ago and she can have a fluent conversation. The ladies closed the stand and we kept talking about food and Germany (i eat very slow) What a great afternoon. Street Food: "Lunch Lady" Saigon 23 Hoang Sa St., District 1 - Ho Chi Mihn 3. Cao LauWe were staying at a Homestay next to the beach, And the lovely hostess told me to try the restaurant Sen at the beach. I took Pepa and my towel and went for a swim and after some hours enjoying the sun and some local beer, we were ready for food. And after reading a bit online, Cao Lau was the one to try. I was really amazed by this regional dish from the town of Hoi An. It reminded me on "Tallarin Saltado" from Peru. Pork sauteed with chili and onions, served on special chewy rice noodles and some fresh mint and coriander with it. I am a sucker for Tallarin Saltado, so this one became instantly my favorite dish of the trip. This special noodles can only be made in Hoi An, they are like Soba noodles, but they are not made out of buckwheat but reis. The rice has to be stone ground and mixed with ash and water. The ash is made with firewood from the Cham Islands. The noodles are cut and then cooked three times with firewood. The water to cook the noodles is also very special because it only comes from specific wells in Hội An. This is why Cao Lau is a dish that can only be prepared in Hội An. Restaurant: "Nha Hang Sen" - 12 Lạc Long Quân, Cửa Đại - Hoi An 4. Vietnamese BBQTo cover more areas in the island of Phu Quoc, I rented a scooter. Everytime I passed next to the BBQs on the streets of the island I got soooo hungry. I asked the people working at the resort we were staying where was the best place to eat this. They told me that they go all together to celebrate birthdays or special occasions at the "No Name" BBQ place. So I had to try it, What a great name! You could choose the ingredients next to the grill and make your own mix. I chose a whole squid, okra, pork ribs and some other small things. After a short while, All came to the table and it was amazing! the taste and freshness of the ingredients left you licking your fingers. I had to order more food as Pepa was eating it all. The warmth, music and atmosphere was like eating in a backyard with friends while listening people having fun and watching the dogs wander around. I wish I was more hungry to try more things, but the heat was killing me those days. Restaurant: "No Name BBQ" - Ông Lang, Cửa Dương - Phu Quoc 6. Hot PotHot Pot has been a favorite of mine for a long time. There was this tiny restaurant in Oslo I used to go all the time. While walking through the night markets I saw some fishtanks with live seafood, and I thought it was just for buying, for an aquarium maybe? But I was so wrong! I met a great family at the resort and we took our scooters to the night market. We were starving and found a place at the market that was filled with locals. Hot Pot was a great choice for 3 adults and 3 kids. You choose the living fish and seafood and they bring it to the table with a hot pot filled with broth. You add the food and 5 minutes later is ready to eat. The kids wanted shrimps, so we got this gigantic ones and they were in heaven! The hot pot was great and it was more than us could eat. I really like eating very hot dishes when is hot outside, it cools me down in a way. I totally recommend trying a hot pot when you are in Vietnam! Night Market: "Night Market Phu Quoc" - Khu 1, Dương Đông - Phu Quoc 7. Sugar Cane JuiceSugar cane juice or Nuoc Mia or just Mia is served EVERYWHERE in Vietnam. It is a yellow semi-sweet, tropical refreshing drink that is perfect for the HOT HOT days and nights. The sugarcane produces a really musty, tropical flavor. The froth is irresistible. Stands selling Mia are everywhere They have a machine to grind the sugar cane. The sugar cane gets pressed through a few times until there is no liquid left. The sugar cane carcasses are left in a pile in front of the machine. Stand: "Nouc Mia", Everywhere in Vietnam 8. Market FoodI know sometimes Asian markets don't look like a place to eat food. They look dark and dirty and probably the best place to get food poisoning. But you HAVE TO eat at a market in Vietnam! There is a few tricks to it: - Eat food that has been fried or boiled - See if the ice was made by a machine (cold beverages) do not drink anything containing self made ice. - Clean your chopsticks and spoons with desinfectant - See when they open your beer/drinks - If you are still afraid, avoid fresh leaves of lettuce and soy sprouts We both had food at the market and we were not sick at all. I had a delicious soup and spring rolls with a local beer, it was terrific, we went around to see what else to try. (OMG my hair was SHORT!) I found a lotus seeds drink (AWESOMEEEEE!) very refreshing and it has Anti-aging properties. And on my way out of the Ben Thanh Market, I found a Lady selling Mang Cut or Purple Mangosteen, it is a bit pricey (4 units for the price of a meal) but definitely a delicious fruit. Market: "Ben Thanh" - Đường Lê Lợi, Bến Thành, District 1 - Hồ Chí Minh, 9. Vietnamese Contemporary Haute Cuisine I was very curious about the "contemporary" Vietnamese Food. I was looking for a high end restaurant to try the most delicate version of their food fused with non-vietnamese ingredients. In the island of Phu Quoc, next to my Resort was the best restaurant on the island: Mango Bay. A beautiful restaurant by the beach where you can enjoy dinner while watching the sunset. After a whole day at the beach with our new friends: Ina & Lisa from Germany, we headed to Mango Bay. We had seafood tempura, chicken wings, spicy watermelon Squid salad, bun cha, stuffed squid, vietnamese pancakes in between others. The sunset was beautiful, the location and food was just dreamy and romantic. The price was higher than a regular meal, but the amount of food was incredible. I don't think any of us were able to finish the dishes. Restaurant: "Mango Resort & Restaurant" - Cửa Dương - Phu Quoc 10. A place where just locals eatGet out of your comfort zone! I walked through many places in Vietnam that didn't seem like it was a restaurant or a sanitary place to eat. Though all this places where PACKED with locals. Very close to my hotel was a street that is know for their great restaurants called "De Tham". I walked many times through that street before I dared to get in a restaurant and eat the food. It was a restaurant where they repaired scooters, filled with old parts, oil cans, screws and more. Every night it was filled with locals eating in plastic chairs drinking beer and singing karaoke. We went inside, And I ordered Banh pho xao bo, a Stir-fried rice noodles with beef made with Mì quảng Noodles (the rice cousin of a pappardelle), a side of Garlic Morning Glory and to go WAY out of my comfort zone: Hot Tamarind Chicken Feet. The food was outstanding, as well as the service. It was by far the best Chicken feet I ever had. Dont get scared of trying a restaurant in Vietnam that doesnt look like a european restaurant, I am pretty sure you will have an amazing dinner and feel like a local sipping noodles while listening some vietnamese karaoke. Restaurant: "Qua An 26" - 28 Đề Thám, District 1, Hồ Chí Minh Extra Tip: Kem CuonAnd as a final tip, for those hot night walks through the streets, Try the Ice Cream rolls! Check for the stands that make them with real fruits instead of syrups. I ordered a Mango Chocolate one. And here is how they make them: Stand: "Kem Cuon", Everywhere in Vietnam Have you been to Vietnam? Have you try any of these? Any tips for my next trip there?
Even though it is summer, we have some rainy days here in Berlin. And that makes me even more hungry. I needed to go out for a bite! So I called my twinster Sophia (from INSEARCHOF) to have breakfast. I have been following the Instagram Account from Keyser Soze since I moved to Berlin, and even though it is in Mitte, (not far away from my office) I never made it there. I Found this place when I clicked on a hashtag about of one my favorite movies: The Usual Suspects. Keyser Söze was the main character and antagonist on that film. Who doesn't love Kevin Spacey on that roll? If you haven't seen that 1995 film, take the night off and watch it! Lately, all breakfast places I have been going are gluten and lactose free, organic, vegan, blah blah. That is what it's trendy in Berlin at the moment. But as 90s the name Keyser Soze is, so it's their menu. Delicious traditional bread, fresh squeezed orange juice and huge platters of everything, from Brie to Nutella. We were hungry, or at least our eyes were bigger than our stomachs. We order the 3-eggs scrambled eggs with bacon, orange juice and the MAXI breakfast: Emmental Cheese, Brie, Quark, Salami, Serrano Ham, Turkey Ham, Nutella, Marmelade, Vanilla Joghurt, Butter, Bread and Fruits.
It was a huge amount of food. What started as a breakfast, had to turn into brunch and into lunch. Outside was raining cats an dogs while we were watching the people walk in the rain listening to a very soothing playlist trying to finish all this food. This place was exactly what I expected after seeing their instagram for months. And with awesome company and a great talk, was even more enjoyable. This 90s flair Café is definitely a place to give a try while you are in Mitte. And by checking other people's orders, the lunch menu looks very yummy as well. America has the Olsen Twins, and Berlin Food scene has the Power Twins Sophia & Maria. From collaborating with Mit Vergnuegen to This is Jane Wayne and much more! But we were all wondering: When are they going to start something on their own? And after months of planning and thinking, together with Kai, IN SEARCH OF was born. But IN SEARCH OF is more than a food blog, but lifestyle, travel, Fashion, Fitness, you name it! When my partner in crime Ailine, told me about the event, I was like woooohhhooo! Death by Burrito with the twins.. best thing to do on a sunny saturday afternoon in Berlin. We went for some shopping first and walked our way to the PopUp Restaurant. We got way too early, but that meant: more dränks! We were very excited about This Mexican Asian Streetfood fusion. The menu this day was brought to us by Berlin's streetfood legend Truong Phuong aka Monsieur Dope (District Mot),Diana Quach (DQ, UrbanHunger) and Roberto Delucio (Kantine Kohlmann) And I have to say, from now on I will make only wonton nachos! they were delicious! As the hunger was huge after shopping, we ordered everything on the menu, besides the corn. And it was indeed enough food for us 2. Our favorites were The Sriracha Wings and The Peking Duck Carnitas, though all the food was very good! Check out their Facebook Page for further events. But as you see in this poster, the next event is this weekend with Gourment Vegan followed by Caribbean Food the 16th of April, Oyster Bar (yummieeee!) the 23rd-24th April and ending with an Open Air on May 1st!
Dont miss it and add them to your Calendar! Ahoi! After posts like: favorite coffee spots in Helsinki and Favorite Coffee Spots in Stockholm, I realized I was totally forgetting the best places to get your caffeine kick in Oslo. When you live there you kind of forget that Oslo is one of the best cities for coffee, worldwide. As I had to go to Oslo for a project last weekend, I asked one of my BFFs Ingri to take a coffee tour around Oslo with me. She is a coffee connoisseur, one of the people behind Kaffikaze, co-founder of The Mile High Aeropress Club, 2nd in the World Aeropress Championship 2012, and the author of the Oslo Coffee Guide article in the latest Brygg Magazine, so I could probably not have picked a better co-pilot for this. We visited old and new coffee shops in several districts and tried a different kind of brew in each place. The verdict? The Oslo coffee scene is thriving and growing! Keep on reading to follow our journey. 1. Hendrix IbsenOur first stop was Hendrix Ibsen. This store is fairly new in Oslo. I remember when they opened last summer. It is located right outside of Mathallen. The owner from this place is guilty of some of the best places to have coffee in Berlin as well, like: Oslo Kaffeebar and Kaschk. For our first coffee we decided on their Nitro Coffee on tap. it’s the only nitro brew in Oslo as far as we know. It was made with a chilled drip brew of Don Amado, a Honduran washed yellow Catuai from Kaffa. And may I say WOW! I have never had coffee that tasted like this. It was cold and minerally refreshing. I can imagine how it would taste mixed with booze, defo delicious! In addition to the classic espresso based menu you can get hand brewed coffee, a great beer selection, and vinyl! For some months now they’ve been hosting music, cultural and food events as well. You can keep up to date on events following their facebook page. This is one of the few multi roaster coffee spots in town. Beans for sale are often from Berlin based roasters like Five Elephant and The Barn, but also great Norwegian roasters like Kaffa, Lippe, Tim Wendelboe, and even Fuglen Tokyo. They also serve a few things to eat, and for all of you glutenfree people, they have gluten free muesli! Ingri also recommends you to try: Nitro coffee with Porter, a 50/50 blend 2. Tim WendelboeOur second stop, was Tim Wendelboe, a "must" when you are in Oslo. This place and its owner are an entity in the coffee world. The little coffee shop/ roastery/barista school is located in the very hip district Grüneløkka. It is beautiful decorated with scandinavian vintage furniture and has the coffee roaster is in the middle of the store. The front of the counter is made with wood from the ceiling that was there when he took over the shop in 2007. They brew all their coffees on Aeropress, but I have to say that it was the summer coffee drinks that got me hooked. As I haven’t been there for the past 9 months, I was surprised by the new china they are using. My favorite norwegian brand Figgjo did a collaboration with Tim called Figgjo Oslo, beautiful, simple & elegant cups designed to highlight aroma in different ways based on the shape of the cup. We had a washed Geisha Honduras at Tim Wendelboe brewed on an Aeropress. Ingri thought it was the best geisha she has had out of all the geishas she has tried that are not from the famous farm Hacienda La Esmeralda in Panama. It had a very floral aroma and a bright citrus like acidity. Jasmine, honey and lemon, mmm. Ingri encourages to also try: Cappuccino al freddo from the iced coffee summer menu. 3. Supreme RoastworksThe third stop of the tour was Supreme Roastworks. This place not only has the coolest name and logo, but was my favorite spot while living in Oslo. I was there so often, that I even carved my name in one of their tables... but shhhhh! Once I tried their delicious lattes I was hooked, and spent most of my days working from one of their green hipster tables listening to great records. Lucky for us, Odd-Steinar was working that day. He is the current world champion of black coffee brewing. He competes every year and has competed in Barista, Brewers Cup and Aeropress. He won the World Brewers Cup last year using a natural processed Ethiopian coffee with super delicious water from the Norwegian fjords. The coffee we ordered from him was Kamwangi AA, a washed SL 28 & SL 34 from Kenya, brewed on Chemex. We also got to taste his secret competition coffee brewed on V60, a very sweet and amazing brew! We wish we knew which coffee it was! You can have breakfast at Supreme, where there offer ranges from muesli to sandwiches with sourdough bread to an amazing banana bread cake. They have some gluten free stuff as well! Ingri says: Don’t miss the V60’s by current World Brewers Cup Champion Odd-Steinar Tøllefsen 4. JavaAnd moving to the beautiful district of St. Hanshaugen just across the park: Java, home of the Java-Babes. I don't think there is a coffee place in Oslo with so many smiles and gorgeous baristas. I used to be a regular here as they are just next to the Gutta på Haugen delicatessen shop. At this point of the tour we met our good friend and fellow coffee lover Helena. Java is almost her second living room. Ingri decided for a cappuccino, made with Crescendo, an espresso blend consisting of washed central American coffee, Esmeralda geisha and washed Ethiopian coffee roasted by Kaffa. This place not only has great coffee, but the best croissant in town. I haven’t tried it, but my foodie ex boyfriend swears to it! On Fridays they have a dinner concept where one of their baristas or a guest chef cooks up a pretty spectalular dinner. Follow their social media for teasers about the friday dinner of the week. Their pour over menu always includes woodneck and chemex brews, and most of the time they will have Esmeralda geisha on there. Java is also the home of the top three baristas from the Oslo championship last year, and it will be exciting to hear how it goes this week when they defend their honor and go for the golden ticket to the World Barista Championship. Ingri says you shouldn’t miss: Friday dinner accompanied by wines from Moestue Grape Selections. From 5-ish pm. 5. RoleurNEXT STOP GIRLS!!!! This place very new to me, as they opened when I was living in Berlin. Rouleur is barely one year old and only 2 blocks away from Java. At first you will think it is a bicycle store or just a bar, but it is a bar and cafe obviously owned by rouleurs (A rouleur is a type of racing cyclist considered a good all-rounder. In road bicycle racing different courses favour different types of rider depending on a range of environmental conditions such as terrain, climate and distance.) Through their interior design, big windows and benches we felt right at home. They have beautiful decorations in bronze, a foxy bar and retro lamps. And at the back area they were showing the last bike race on a projector. We ordered the Lippe espresso nr 4, a blend of washed Rwanda and Guatemala. It was brewed on a fully manual and beautiful espresso machine called Strietman. First the machine was preheated and then brewing water was added and pressed through the basket of coffee with manual force. They even have one of these machines for sale, although it looks more like a pretty interior detail on their wall shelf. Ingri and Line soon discovered the interesting bar menu and the huge range of handsome men, so they decided to order a drink and enjoy the view. They have many different kinds of events going on like release albums and cycling stuff... check theirFacebook Page to be up to date. Ingri thinks you may also fancy: 5 tap beers from Dronebrygg and Japanese tea from Tōku 6. FuglenWe moved closer to Central Oslo to make a stop at Fuglen (translates to The Bird), a more than 50 year old coffee spot. It is also a vintage Scandinavian design shop and a cocktail bar. Everything outside of the bar area can be bought (besides the Fuglen poster I really want). It is all decorated with vintage interior ranging from old teak coffee tables and leather sofas, to beautiful vases and lamps. If you want to feel like an old school writer, their relaxed and loungy atmosphere will help you with that! And once the sun goes down, you can start ordering cocktails, beer and wine. We went for an Ethiopian kalita brew to get something light and juicy after the espresso at Rouleur. The coffee was from Hunkute, a washed heirloom coffee roasted in Tokyo by Fuglen’s own roastery. They have two coffee bars worldwide. One in Oslo, and one in Tokyo where the they also have the Fuglen Roastery. My friend Charlotte Schreiber was just there and I am waiting to hear what she thinks of that Fuglen. The latest project from the crew behind Fuglen is a newly opened shop in Tokyo for vintage Scandinavian design, called “Norwegian Icons”. In Oslo they’ve recently opened “Vingen Bar” (translates to The Wing Bar), where they also serve lunch dishes like Eggs Benedict. Ingri suggests you to try: Japanese green tea that they import themselves, or all the delicious cocktails developed by one of Norway’s best bartenders. 7. Norð & NattWe ended our tour at Norð, located at the newest hippest district, Tøyen. Norð isn’t just this one coffee bar. It's a handful of coffee bars, but also a roastery, a bakery, a restaurant and a bar. All of them in Oslo. We ordered a filter coffee which was San Jeronimo, a washed caturra & catuai from Costa Rica, roasted by Norð. Our caffeine levels were off the charts at this point. We had also worked up an appetite for food, so we ordered some from the bistro menu, and drinks as well. I got the gluten free burger and Ingri got the beef stew with estragon. The portions were huge and it was really tasty! A perfect ending to a great day of touring the city for the best coffee. I cant wait to be in Oslo and try their restaurant menu... After your coffee, Ingri suggests: Try the seasonal dinner option from the bistro menu, the cocktail Dill Communication (it has sour cream!) or the Bærliner Weisse berry beer from Dronebrygg. I hope you enjoyed the tour and if you are in oslo you give this places a try. Let me know if you liked them or you discover some other places worth checking.
I am still wondering what is the connection between coffee bars in Oslo, cocktails and wine... but I guess that is just a norwegian thing! I have been to many Michelin-starred restaurants, But I noticed they were all in the nordics. 3 star Maaemo, Ylajali and Kontrast in Oslo, Noma in Copenhagen (sadly no blogpost), Ask and Chef and Sommelier in Helsinki, Kadeau in Bornholm in between others, but somehow I totally missed German Michelin-starred restaurants, So I decided to start with VAU here in Berlin. This small pink fassade camouflages in a narrow street next to Gendarmenmarkt and Berlin's Concert Hall, and entering through a courtyard, you can find Vau. A beautiful place with place for about 60 people. Nicely adorned with cooper plates and wooden accessories. The light is dim and gives the place a golden look. In 1997, they were granted with their precious Michelin star... 17 years and still they are still holding it. The head Chef, Kolja Kleeberg, is one of a kind. He is an actor, singer, storyteller, entertainer, and cook. A very rare combination, but shows how creative he is, inside and outside the kitchen. Sadly he was on vacation the day I was there, but you can find him in the kitchen and around the restaurant when he is there. I didnt see any wine pairing menu, but well, I can't drink more than a glass a week at the moment, so I was recommended a Tobias Knewitz Sauvignon blanc instead of the Riesling I was going for...10 extra points for sommelier as it was delicious!! I went for the "Composition Menu". It is a more traditional menu than the "Improvisation Menu"... But I was excited about the truffles and the Valrhona chocolate and mango dessert. In every Nordic Michelin-starred restaurant I have been, the food is brought by one of the chefs or sommelier, there was no difference with this restaurant. The first dish was an explosion of seafood and spices served with a "salad" on the side (the combination of the tomato sauce and lentils and the fresh foams was a perfect match) Loved the detail of serving it on a Weck Glass. The second dish was the béchamel potatoes with truffles I was waiting for and they were perfect. And slowly I started noticing the difference between German kitchen and Nordic kitchen: The dishes here are heavier and less airy but that doesn't mean the aren't delicious as hell. The Turbot with eel, was once again a very strong dish, though the chervil root purée made a perfect contrast to it. This was a huge portion and I was starting to get worried about how much food I would be able to eat. All the different roots in the dish were delicious. Thanks Norway to make me love roots! A palate cleanser of the day was the Oyster with just pearls, a smooth and yet appetizing dish. It cleared my taste buds for what was coming: A dish made of different ways of making black feather chicken: Celery puree with crispy chicken breast, a roll with slow cooked and caramelized chicken, coq au vin, a traditional french christmas sausage with chicken liver, truffle & onion and a juicy chicken wing. This was a very french dish, exquisite and rich in flavor. The second palate cleanser was amazing and mouthwatering. The sorbet was perfect and the cheesecake cream was a dream! I should try this at home, definitely! And then The Valrhona bonanza started: White Valrhona chocolate ice cream over a mousse Au Valrhona chocolate with Valrhona chocolate cake with mango and passion fruit sauce. Salty Caramel sauce with a twig of Valrhona chocolate and Valrhona chocolate sprinkles. Lots of "Valrhona" on this dish :) Dinner was divine, and I totally recommend people to try this out. Be prepared to have a German-French fusion with loads of flavor.
I realized I need to explore more the haute cuisine in Germany, because it is a world difference between it and the nordics. Maaaan now I need a Valrhona Chocolate!! You know those kinds of places that turned up to be your regular spot without noticing it?
Well, this happened to me with Transit. Every time I want to meet people for lunch or afterwork, I end up there. It is very close to my office, in the Rosenthaler straße and the Underground is just 1 minute away. When I first visited this place with my dear friend Ailine, I was really amused by the concept: You can order many different kinds of small bowls, each for 3€. I felt like I was ordering tapas, but Asian tapas. All of them well made and they had loads of gluten free alternatives. They have some large bowls if you aren't in the mood to share or if you are very hungry. Either way, I like sharing and this place is perfect for that What I like the most about this place, is the freshness of the ingredients and that all meats are cook perfectly. They have some nice wines and some awesome milkshakes to make your meal even better. Since then I have been there many different times, from welcoming my friend Matt to Berlin to dinner lunch with my client and friend Rayk. And never dissapointed! I would totally recommend you grabbing a bite at Transit if you are in Berlin. In Peru, Chicha is a kind of music or a purple corn lemonade. In Berlin, is one of the best peruvian restaurants in Europe. The newly open Chicha restaurant in Kreuzköln is already in my "faves list", not only because I can eat my favorite snack in the world, but the food and cocktails are amazing and well done. The menu starts with different kinds of ceviche, oysters and causa, though ceviche doesn't take over it. I ordered "Yuquitas" and Ailine got the "Chicha Ceviche" than in my opinion is the most traditional ceviche I had outside of Peru. The Yuquitas are mashed Cassava filled with cheese and deep-fried served with Hauncaina sauce. The portions are huge in this place. So be prepared to eat a lot. Dare and try the Beef Heart or instead of wine get a pisco cocktail. The service was great and the people working there are very friendly.
Be sure to make a reservation. They were pretty full even for a Wednesday. Otherwise, you can do like we did: Sit in the bar and try some cocktails until you get a table. When I think about turkish food in germany, the first thing that pops up in my mind is: Kebab, Döner or lahmacun. But when I heard there was a new place in town with turkish BBQ I had no idea what it expected us. Last Friday I drove for Dinner to Kreuzberg with one of my dearest friends, Food Blogger and Photographer, Ailine. We decided to try out this new place we heard about. FES was beautiful decorated: Brick walls, chalkboards and loads of "Fez" hanging on the walls. The guys working there were so warm and friendly, we felt almost at home. Each table had its own grill. We checked the menu and went for the Humus, Pimentos and aubergines for the side orders. And for the meat? well we got 500 grs of mixed meat: Chicken tighs, chicken breast, leg of lamb, lamb saddle, black angus beef and lamb chop. The idea is: BBQ your own meat! I was super hungry and has so much to talk (as always) that Ailine took care of the grilling. We couldn't finish the whole meal, way too much for two girls. We enjoyed an Ayran (turkish buttermilk) and some rose wine, and we had a blast. It was glutenfree, with seating options - With grill - outside, good prices and friendly service. What else can you ask? We totally recommend it, and will go back very soon! |
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June 2021
AuthorsI am Andrea, or as my friends call me, Jinx. I am a foodie living in Berlin, eating my way through life. Here are my recipes, cooking events, dining experiences and more... |