Munich: Augustinerbräu the unexpected find @ Landsberger Straat.

Germany is a country known for its beer, football, precision engineering and really tall people.  But there is more to Germany than what meets the eyes.  A rich cultural heritage paired with modern influence has resulted in a diverse European landscape.  In the next few posts, I re-visit the sights and feeds that made me love this systematic country.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A few weeks after my weekend in Berlin,  I was on a plane to Germany again.  This time to Munich, the land of beer and the home of BMW.  After a 45 minute train to the city and another 10 minute ride to the hotel, I was super hungry.  But being so far away from the city square in Munich, means I relied on some handy tools like Siri and Trip Advisor to find my dining place. Eventually,  I decided to go to Augustinerbräu which was not too far away from my hotel.

Its wooden accented beer hall was filled with a boisterous crowd and every table seemed more welcoming than the last as we walked through the hall.  Eventually, my colleague and I settled for a sit some 10 other people at the table.  

For drinks we had none other than the famous Augustiner Lager which I have no picture of.  This is some seriously crisp beer and it was fresh because there were no sulphates.  I did not get stomach ache or itch!  But the drinks were not the reason I was there, it was for the food.  I ordered the Augustiner platter €14.50 while my colleague called the Wurst platter €11.50. No pictures of his because his was essentially a plate of 6 sausages which consisted of 3 pork sausages and 3 white sausages (presumably turkey?) all of which was on my platter too!

2 sausages, a duck thigh, a slice of roast pork and half a pork knuckle served with a side of stewed cabbage, enough said my platter was massive. Looking back, elements on the platter like the duck tight and pork knuckle were cooked perfectly.  The scheiwntaxe was super crisp from its roasting while the duck was mildly gamey with a nice caramelised skin.  Sausages were “OK” but it did not taste as meaty as I expected it to be.  The bummer of them all was the chunky slice of roast pork which was dry. But 3 above average dishes definitely trumped over 1 poor one.  More importantly it was more than just a quantity meal, it was a delicious.   This meal along with the sausage platter could easily feed 3.  I was really hungry but could not even finish my meal.

After the meal, we sat around and chat with the lovely people around the table for awhile.  It was really interesting to have conversations with everyone on the table.  You had a guy that was totally drunk and infatuated with his girlfriend.  Then there was the underage kid with his dad drinking his 3rd stein and not to mention the American couple from the hood that worked in Alaska.   Augustinerbräu is more than just a beer hall.  Its a social scene paired with quality food in an amazing venue.

WenY

Berlin: Currywurst at Curry 36 and Kebabs & Doners at Mustafas!

Germany is a country known for its beer, football, precision engineering and really tall people.  But there is more to Germany than what meets the eyes.  A rich cultural heritage paired with modern influence has resulted in a diverse European landscape.  In the next few posts, I re-visit the sights and feeds that made me love this systematic country.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Street food culture is all over Europe and Berlin has one that is worth talking about.  This is a tale of two kiosks less than 100 feet apart with a cult following and thousands of Facebook check-ins.  Recommended by my colleague’s AirBNB host, I went to the famous Curry 36 and Mustafa Gemüse Kebab.

Curry 36 serves the best Currywurst in Berlin and the hungry crowd enjoying piping hot Currywurst in the subzero weather is a testament to its fame.  So what is a Currywurst you might ask?  

Well, if you are expecting to see real curry, you are going to be disappointed.  Currywurst is essentially Berlin’s answer to making the meaty bratwurst even better; that is by topping them with a curry-infused ketchup and to finish, an extra sprinkle of curry powder with a side of chips.  True curry aficionados would frown at the sight of a Currywurst, but the flavours are actually pretty sublime thanks to the umami from the curried-ketchup that when paired with bratwurst has an undeniable chemistry.  Sure it was not life changing in anyway but its was yummy!

The queue at Mustafas is never shorter than 45 minutes be it day, or night.  

The Kebab:

The doner and kebabs at Mustafa Gemüse Kebab are legendary for a good reason.  Its attention to detail like the perfectly sweet caramelised vegetables inside as well as a finish of crumbled feta is a rarity when kebabs are often a food to go with little love put into it.  Secondly was their ridiculously juicy chicken slices.  If you have had a Doner by the road side stall in Istanbul you would totally understand the unfortunately dry chicken in the doners they serve!!  

Having both Curry 36 and Mustafa Gemüse Kebab so close to each other is a blessing!  If you are out late and want a great bite, I would look no further.  The combination of Currywurst and juicy Doners were sensational. But be warned that the 45 minute wait for a Doner is a bloody vibe killer.  Add the subzero temperature and its starts to sound ridiculous.  Fortunately, there is usually no queue at Curry 36 due to the quick turnover.  So why not enjoy a Currywurst while standing in line?  It sure distracts the mind from the cold and queue!  Would I recommend Mustafas despite the wait?  Well it really depends on how you view food!  If you queue in anticipation of a poached chicken, grilled to finished, drizzled with truffle oil, and finished with a sea-urchin infused aioli, then stay far.  It is far from fine dining but I know a good kebab when I see one ;)! So yes I would return to Mustafas!

WenY

Berlin: A Century of Gastro Pub @ Zur Letzten Instanz, Berlin

Germany is a country known for its beer, football, precision engineering and really tall people.  But there is more to Germany than what meets the eyes.  A rich cultural heritage paired with modern influence has resulted in a diverse European landscape.  In the next few posts, I re-visit the sights and feeds that made me love this systematic country.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________After yesterday’s less than perfect dinner I was looking forward to lunch.  Fortunately my mate  Charmaine had some research done.  Today’s lunch was at a Berlin pub called Zur Letzten Instanz.  For over a century, this restaurant has attracted demanding eaters and some even said the likes of Charlie Chaplin have visited this classic diner.  But is the age of the restaurant a testament to the quality of food it serves?  I guess its something I was here to find out.

Grilled Pork Knuckle, red cabbage, and potato dumplings

I had a bit of this and if there was something I wanted to have at Hackethal the night before, it was this.  A gloriously crisped pork knuckle that just leaves you craving for more.  Every bite was crunchy and with the stewed cabbage, it was a sensational pork dish.  For the beer lovers, look forward to the crispy -salty crackling as it is the best I have had.

Homemade Meatball, sautéed vegetables and fried potatoes

This dish was my random shot at trying to be different.  It brings me away from the typical German stereotype of sausages and pork knuckles.  And for me, it was a gamble that paid off.  Who would have thought that the Germans did meatball that rivals those of the Swedes?! The meatball was flavoured sensationally and having the sweet sautéed vegetables as a pairing kept the sodium levels contained.  And for carbohydrates, I could have not been more pleased with the potatoes presented before me.  It was superb!

Veal liver, shallots, caramelised apple, sautéed vegetables

The thought of a liver main course would send shudders through the nerves of most.  But with my colleague ever so keen with the “I’ll have whatever you recommend”  move, a meal of liver came without anyone on the table even noticing.  Surprise surprise, the veal’s liver was super meaty with no stench whatsoever.  In fact, it tastes like a braised steak!  Very delicious especially when you have the sweetness of the apples!

The century old gastropub Zur Letzten Instanz is almost a no-brainer if you are in Berlin looking for a quality grub. The food is good, its interior rustic and even its service was decent for a busy gastropub.  All dishes really hit the sweet spot for me but if I had to choose what I found most impressive on the table, it would be the Pork Knuckle and the Veal Liver.  Why not the dish of meatball you might ask?  Well one of the meatball dishes came without any vegetables and it was then I realise it was really salty!  Definitely a memorable meal.

WenY