Lunch at Lutter and Wegner in Berlin

May 15, 2009

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Some time ago when in Berlin I had lunch at Lutter and Wegner in Weinhaus Huth, near Potsdamer Platz. I love the atmosphere of this cosy little restaurant. Lutter and Wegner has two more restaurants I know of in Berlin, at “Fischerhuette”, at the very picturesque “Schlachtensee” (a lake within the city boundaries) and “Gendarmenmarkt” in the centre of town (but there is another one in Charlottenburg).

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I had ‘gnocchi with mushrooms’ which you can see in the picture above and drank a glass of the house wine, a Riesling from the Rheingau wine region. Needless to say the gnocchi were delicious and the wine was too.

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I sat next to the wall where all kinds of German wines were on display. This is why I show you the pictures below. All the good names of German vintners and wine producers were among them, Diel, Dr. Loosen, Joh. Jos. Pruem to name only a few and many others as you can see.

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Some time later, I learned from a city tour guide, that “Weinhaus Huth” (wine shop) used to be the place where Konrad Adenauer, the first German chancellor after World War II used to buy his wine.

In March 1877 the wine merchant Christian Huth bought the plot of land and built a villa there which housed also his wine business. The present building dates back to 1911/12 and replaced the villa. It consists of s steel-concrete structure so that the weight of the wine bottles could be stored. This structure protected it from the destruction of two major wars.

The building was the last old structure at the Potsdamer Platz and therefore it was called “the last house at Potsdamer Platz”. That was during the time of the cold war and before the wall came down. After 1989 and the reunification of Germany the Potsdamer Platz was again situated at the centre of the city and a building boom started. In 1990 Daimler-Benz AG bought the building. After renovation it was transformed so that again a restaurant could move in again, which is Lutter and Wegner. If you visit Berlin, I highly recommend that you visit “Weinhaus Huth” or any other of the Lutter and Wegner restaurants.

Address:
Lutter and Wegner im Weinhaus Huth
Alte Potsdamer Strasse 5
10785 Berlin
Tel.: +49-30-25294350

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Saint Patrick’s day celebration in Berlin

March 24, 2009

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What a night. It was very cold and windy when I waited in front of the Kilkenny Irish Pub at Hackescher Markt rail station for my friend Uli Tilly, who was late, which in fact did not come as a surprise. When we were studying at Bonn University (many many years ago), Uli was famous for showing up late; usually about one hour behind the agreed time.

Eventually he showed up (prior to that we had an exchange of sms which was quite funny), only 20 minutes late, and saved me from further frost bites. Standing in the cold makes anybody thirsty. We had not seen each other for about two years. This was another reason for a wet reunion. St. Patrick’s day was a good occasion (two days late though).

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Only invitees could join that night. The pub was closed for the general public. Various Irish music bands were performing. That created just the right atmosphere. We started the evening very cheerfully.

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I took a time-out from the fermented grape juice. Guinness, the famous Irish cream ale, was the drink of the night and we had plenty of it. There was also Irish food on offer. Lot’s of potatoes, meat pies, fish and chips, and other Anglo-Saxon delicacies could be devoured.

It seemed that Uli knew everybody at the party. We talked about our families, our jobs, politics, the next elections and the prospects for the future. Men in their early fifties have plenty to talk about, it seemed. The only worrying thing is the old man in the mirror when you go to the bathroom in the morning. I’m just joking. Well, there is no real alternative to ageing. But how to master it gracefully, that’s the challenge.

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Uli (left) in deep discussions

It was early in the morning when we parted company. We could still walk strait so we were no danger to public traffic. Needless to say that we both started work early, honouring the old German saying, that the one who can drink, can work…

Until we meet again my friend.
Cheers

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Berlin in March

March 20, 2009

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The German flag in front of the parliamentary building

It was our family day, but I was far away from the family in Bangkok. My program in Berlin with my Thai visitors ended late. It was a cold night. I walked around the block in circles and found this Italian place, called “Vapiano”. It was a quite fashionable place as the pictures below show. They used a kind of debit card system as we have it in Bangkok. Red was the dominant colour.

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An olive tree in the middle of the place

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Red chandeliers

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And a red light on the table

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Rioja wine

I asked the bar tender what wine she would recommend. She poured me a glass of ‘2003 Baron de Ley Reserva Rioja’. I do no know much about Spanish wine, so I was grateful for the recommendation.

I loved the wine. It was luscious and heavy, full of red fruit flavours, with beautiful length on the palate. What a beautiful Tempranillo.

I also enjoyed the atmosphere of the place, the friendliness of the staff and promised to come back for some more Rioja wine. If you are in Berlin, check out the place, that’s my recommendation.

Restaurant:
VAPIANO
Mittelstr. 51-52
10117 BerlinTel.: +49-30-50154100

Baron de Ley
Rioja
2003 Reserva
13.5 %
www.barondeley.com

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Wine all over the place – a glimpse at Berlin wine shops

September 19, 2008

The wine industry receives confusing signals these days. In Germany and the EU the ban of advertisement for alcohol and alcoholic drinks is in the making. In some media the devastating effects of such regulations are already being discussed. There were also voices in favour of a ban supporting the current regulatory trend which attempts to further restrict our basic human freedoms and violating our rights.

After the bad news, the good one: In recent news the advent of wine distribution through Amazon was hinted at. The start of wine marketing through such a potent internet channel could not be a more distant twin of the current ascetic (fun and joy hating) trend described above, first hitting smokers and now (maybe) the wine lovers. However, history suggests that human freedoms can be curtailed for a short while only. Ultimately we will break free from such patronizing behaviour of the state, because we are all voters and tax payers and as we say in German, ‘where there is a will, there is a way’ (Wo ein Wille ist, da ist ein Weg).

I bring you good news from Berlin. The other day I strolled through the streets near Nollendorf Platz, and discovered to my great surprise a rather large number of wine shops in a rather small area. I randomly took pictures which I present to you below.

Most of the wine shops are specialised, usually carrying wines from one or more regions or a selection of countries. Above a Rioja specialist, below a shop selling mainly French wines.

Some shops try to offer a wider selection, despite being “small”.

Others, as above in Goltz street, offer broad choices.

I even found an Australian wine shop with remarkable decoration.

Others offer Italian wines combined with other shopping and relaxation capabilities.

‘European and overseas wines’, is what the writing says; wow that’s amobitious.

But there are not only very specialised wine shops to be found but also very specialised restaurants. I do not refer to the Habibi Falafel, the Iranian, the Italian, the Turkish, Indian and Spanish restaurants. I found two eating places which were quite special. Many years ago I have dined in a Tibetan restaurant once in Kathmandu. Never before I have seen a Massai restaurant, even when I travelled through Tanzania and Kenia, there were no such eatery in sight. Berlin got it all.

What would you eat in a Buddha House? Answer: Tibetan, Napali and Thai cuisine. Bon appetit.

My tip: visit Berlin, it is such a fabulous place to explore and to discover.

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Berlin – Auerbachs Bookshop

June 26, 2008

Auerbachs Bookshop from the outside

A very good friend of mine made me aware of this little marvel of a bookshop. Its owner, Gabriele Seeboden, is a very friendly and helpful person. But the shop does not only offer books, also a rather interesting selection of fine wines is on offer, all from small, family-owned vineyards and wineries. Gabriele’s passion is book and wines, that’s for sure. The clients love her for the excellence of the service; they also love the flair of the bookshop.

Gabriele Seeboden with a customer in front of the wine rack

This year the bookshop celebrates its 125 anniversary. It was opened by Richard Auerbach in 1882. Gabriele Seeboden is the third successor of Mr. Auerbach. It is not easy these days for such small ventures to economically survive. This was one of the reasons to add a product which goes well with books and reading. Wine is the natural choice, I would say. Wine tasting are also organised at the bookshop from time to time. Give it a go and visit when in Berlin. You will not find such combination anywhere else.

Address:
Auerbachs Buchhandlung
Albrechtstr. 10
12165 Berlin
(near Rathaus Steglitz underground station)
Te.: +49-30-7913125

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Restaurants in Germany – “Alte Fischerhütte” at Schlachtensee, Berlin

June 17, 2008

During my time in Berlin I had the opportunity to dine at “Alte Fischerhütte” at Schlachtensee in Berlin, a beautiful located restaurant at the shores of a small lake very popular with citizen for all kinds of leisure activities.

The restaurant is under the management of Lutter and Wegner, formerly the oldest wine merchant house in Berlin and today a chain restaurant owned by a corporation (http://berlineating.blogspot.com/2008/04/lutter-wegner.html).

Lutter and Wegner possesses various restaurants and wine shops around the city of Berlin but also outlets in Munich for example.

The “Alte Fischerhütte” offers many facilities. It is great to sit on mild spring and/or summer evenings on the beautiful outside terrace and enjoy the gorgeous surroundings.

The elegant dining facilities are magnificient, so is the wine list and the food.

Because of the rather formal character of the occasion, I could not take photographs of the food on offer.

We (a group of about 50 persons) were served a set dinner consisting of a three course meal: an entrée – green asparagus soup with scrimps – a main course – veal steak with asparagus, sauce Hollandaise and potatoes – and a dessert – fresh strawberries with vanilla ice cream. The quality of the food was excellent, and the month of May is asparagus season, nothing better on offer than this delicious vegetable.

As an aperitif we had a ‘Lutter and Wegner Riesling sparkling wine, extra dry’. Two wines, a white and a red, were on offer with the meal. The white consisted of a ‘2006 Schloss Vollrads dry Riesling’ from the Rheingau and the red was a ‘2006 Jean Stodden, Pinot Noir’ from the Ahr. Both producers have a long tradition in producing excellent wines, Schloss Vollrads for its Rieslings (www.schloss-vollrads.de) and Jean Stodden for its Pinot Noir (www.stodden.de). The wines matched the food extremely well. I loved the crispness of the Riesling, its intensive citrus notes, the well balanced acids and the beautiful finish. The Pinot Noir (13% vol, residual sugar 2.3 g/l) was also an excellent wine with an aroma of cherries and red berries, great structure and a long finish. I stayed with this wines longer than I should have, I guess. What a great selection that was.

The dinner was utterly enjoyable. I was able to take a quick shot of the Riesling in my glass. Isn’t it beautiful, this fresh, light colour promises just the best German Riesling has to offer. I let any other Riesling wine “get warm along the roadside”, as we say, for the German stuff (ok, its exaggerated, I know. I might make an exception for some Alsation and some Austrian Rieslings). It was a splendid evening and I highly recommend a visit to “Alte Fischerhütte”.

Address:
Alte Fischerhütte am Schlachtensee
Fischerhüttenstrasse 136
D-14136 Berlin
Te.: +49-30-80498310

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Kayzer Soza – bar cum resto in Berlin

June 8, 2008

I love Berlin; it’s a great city with so much on offer. My friend Rainer Heufers took me to a rustic place in Tucholsky street, near the synagogue, called “Kayzer Soza”, named after the mythic film figure. Rainer knows Berlin very well since he lived there for a couple of years.

The inside of “Kayzer Soza”

Berlin is a cosmopolitan city again with a growing Jewish community. Just across the street from the restaurant was a bagel bakery.

“Kayzer Soza” was buzzing with people, mostly young, happy people with lots of time on their hands. Many were seated on the pavement of the sidewalk where we could not find space so we went inside. There it was rather empty at this early time, but that was about to change soon.

We ordered a hearty meal consisting of a strange selection of dishes: Suebian cheese noodles, a Mediterranean salad, olives, and a bottle of ‘Primitivo’, a ‘2006 Terre di Montelusa’ from Italy. We just felt like that after a long day meeting. The wine intrigued me because he comes from Brindisi in Apulia (Puglia) and I never knowingly drank a wine from there. It was a robust country wine. I guess the bottle did not cost more than 3 to 4 EURO. My last ‘Zinfandel’, as the ‘Primitivo’ is known in the US, I tasted more than 10 years ago during a winery tour in California.

When I opened the menu a poem jumped into my eyes. Freely translated it said the following:

“Good wine makes good blood.
Good blood makes good deeds and
good deeds lead mankind to heaven”.

It is said to originate from the Veneto, the lovely Italian wine region.

Suebian cheese noodles

The salad

A simple wine but matching the occasion

My friend Rainer tugging in

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Habel Wine Culture

March 20, 2008

The other day in Berlin a shower drove me into the next available shelter and fortunately it was a wine bar: ‘Habel Weinkultur’, where I always wanted to visit (www.wein-habel.de).

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The place is huge with various rooms and bars. It is also a place with tradition. Habel attempts to revive the old tradition of Prussia’s wine tasting. Originally it was located at Unter den Linden 30 were it was opened in 1779!

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The elegant dining and tasting rooms of Habel Weinkultur

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I was the only customer at 15:00 h in the afternoon but I was lucky again, they served customers.

The wine list was beautiful, however, a single person can only drink wine ‘glass wise’ and not by the bottle. I have to come again, I thought, with a friend to sample some of these wines. The food menu looked also very inviting. A good place to visit in Berlin.

I settled for a Riesling of course, this time I choose a Riesling from the Rheingau, one of the best German wine regions, a ‘2005 Riesling Schloss Vollrads’ (4.70 €/0.2 ltr.), a dry wine with a lush bouquet of apples (not a citrus bomb), fruity, well balanced acids, fresh with a nice finish.

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When I studied the wine list I found that it contained many wines from Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Spain, Chile, Argentina and South Africa but only one single wine from Australia (a Penfolds BIN 2 Shiraz Mourvédre).

Of course with a wine from Penfolds you cannot go wrong but apart from the corporates there are zillions of excellent wines from small wineries and vineyards which would deserve to be sampled by the German wine lovers.

Address:
Habel Weinkultur
Luisenstrasse 19
10117 Berlin
Ph.: +49-30-28098484

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