Two days in town. Days when I didn’t feel much like eating.
My stomach must have been left in the airbus. But by day three, signs of
normality were returning, and since we’d eaten the cupboards pretty bare, why
.. of course .. let’s find a restaurant.
On our little wander the previous day we’d spotted several,
with an eastern or Italian air, but our closest local was just a couple of
hundred metres away, in a street incomprehensibly called the Gartenstrasse.
Couldn’t see anything like a garden anywhere. But, even stranger, the next
street is the Bergstrasse, and there assuredly has never been a mountain here.
The restaurant, in the same vein, was named Alpenstück! But
it specialised in Swabian and south Austrian dishes, so I suppose therein lies
the reason!
We didn’t suppose we’d find pernod in Mitte, so we had our
aperitif (imported – after much searching -- from Gesundbrunnen), with feet up,
at home, and then we sallied forth into the crisp evening. Wouldn’t it be nice
to find a ‘default’ restaurant right next to the apartment?
Well, I think we have.
Alpenstück is a freshly white and wood room. They have lovely
linen napkins, but only some tables have cloths. We didn’t get one. Our table
was plastic. The service is brisk and friendly. We booked for 6.30 pm, and
arrived to find an almost empty room; but I noticed plenty ‘reserviert’ tickets
on the clothed tables. Real? Oh, yes. Before we left, the joint was jumping
merrily with a jolly clientele of all types.
The menu is a very limited one (I hope it changes from time
to time), but a very enjoyable one. We both started with schwäbische ravioli: a
nice bit of veal in a soft pastry case, unfortunately (for me) accompanied by
the eternal green salad which blights my eating out. Since it had a tasty sweet
dressing I ate it. But I would rather have had some schwäbische green gemüse.
I got my gemüse in the second course, which modestly called
itself a Kalbstafelspitz. It was the best bit of boiled meat I have eaten in
years: falling to pieces, meltingy tasty, and served with little veggies boiled
in broth. THIS is what I want to eat in Germany. Even if it’s theoretically
Austrian. It was absolutely delicious.
Paulie had enough space for a gigantic Äpfelstrudel, not at
all like Nana used to make, while I finished my vase of beer and pirouetted out
on a wee schnapps.
A perfect, perfect Berlin meal. cost: 80 euros for two.
Alpenstück, consider yourself default.
PS I forgot to mention, how could I?, the staggeringly good
home-baked bread. The same folk have a bakery just across the road. Look no
further for the staff of life. Its by royal appointment to us!
Hello from Chris Weber. I hope you remember me from St Paul days, and my visit to NZ, fellow operetta fan.
ReplyDeleteWe are spending time in Berlin too and would love to see you again. contact me at cweber0428@hotmail.com
Best to you.