Berlin, Berlin.
Contributed by Jens Hoffmann.
One of my (world) favourite hotels is the Hotel Adlon Kempinski, a living legend in the heart of Berlin, Germany.
Located next to the famous Brandenburg Gate the Adlon has always fascinated guests from everywhere.
Its the perfect address in style and sophistication. The hotel was build 1907 by Lorenz Adlon, the Berlin bulider was in close relation with the “The Kaiser” who cleared the way for Adlon’s purchase of the Palais.
The Adlon hosted celebrities like Charlie Chaplin, Josephine Baker, Louise Brooks and Marlene Dietrich and later on the “Comedian Harmonists”.
It managed to survive two World Wars only to be accidently burnt to the ground by drunken Soviet soldiers in 1945. The hotel continued to operate throughout World War II, although parts were converted to a military field hospital during the final days of the Battle for Berlin. The hotel survived the war without any major damage, having avoided the bombs and shelling that had leveled the city
With the reunification of Germany (1990), the site was bought by a West German investment firm. A building loosely inspired by the original was designed 1997 the president of the Federal Republic of Germany opened the new Hotel Adlon, rebuilt on the same location as the original hotel. It operates as Hotel Adlon Kempinski Berlin, part of the Kempinski chain.
We love this place. The Adlon Hotel has a rich history. The Hotel was rebuilt in 1964, torn down and finally rebuilt in its current state in 1997. In addition to providing the backdrop for the bulk of the Liam Neeson film “Unknown”.
The Adlon is a place, has been the inspiration for a lot of cinematic hotels and continues to host politians, actors and wannabees.
Its the perfect luxury experience.
One of my favourite restaurants in Berlin is the “Sra Bua” by Tim Raue. The restaurant by Chef de Cuisine Tim Raue is located in the groundfloor of Hotel.
The dining room is just cool. Tables are generously spaced, set with good quality linen tablecloths. The kitchen is well staffed. We tried during the whole Ruam Gan menu.
Eight small courses of thai infuenced menus, including Sashimi, soup, curry, Salmon, Meat and a lovely desert. Everything was perfect, the vegetables on the menu came from local gardens. The wine list has coverages from France, Germany, Italy and Spain with some rare wines as well.
This worked well with the food, the textural contrast of the different kind of foods was delicious effective and everything tasted very fresh.
The food was attractively presented, the Sra Bua is a restaurant that can produce genuinely top class dishes, and the control of balancing flavors was impressive. Yummy.
A few more resto tips in Berlin:
#1: Volt in Kreuzberg:
On the day of our visit, Restaurant Volt was serving a five-course diner before.
Nice Amuse-gueule, black pudding ravioli with pumpkin and pickled radish. Seared scallops with pearl barley risotto and porcini mushroom, German Ribeye steak with leeks, malt and aronia berries, Apricot, almond and thyme.
Each course that arrived at our tables was prepared with exceptional precision and attention to detail, showcasing the chef’s delicate touch and talent for photogenic plating. The flavours were distinct and identifiable, and nearly every dish was fabulous – the pearl barley risotto was a touch too salty for my liking, but that’s really a minor blemish to an otherwise wonderful dinner.
If you looking for a nice dinner venue with an atypical interior, great food and lovely service Restaurant Volt has to be in that shortlist.
#2: LABANCA, a bit of “stylish bella Italia” in Berlin-City.
The new restaurant by Chef de Cuisine Jörg Behrend is located in the groundfloor of Hotel de Rome. The dining room is just cool. Tables are generously spaced, set with good quality linen tablecloths. The kitchen is well staffed. We tried during the opening the whole menu, eight small courses of tasting menus, including vitello tonnato, Watermelon with thunfish, caprese, Gnocci with Parma ham, Saltimbocc with spinacah, seebass. Everything was perfect, most of the vegetables on the menu came from local gardens.
The wine list has coverages from France, Germany, Italy and Spain in particular, with some rare wines as well. We tried Chardonnay by Alois Lageder South-Tyrol and a lovely Riesling from Anthony Hammond, Rheingau.
This worked well with the food, the textural contrast of the different kind of foods was delicious effective and everything tasted very fresh.
The food was attractively presented and also the Barbecue meat had a pleasant meaty taste, but the itself had a slight chewiness of texture, which I was not expecting. The vegetables had excellent flavour.
The seabass with artichokes, was an unusual dish, tasty and well balanced.
Dessert came in three stages. Classic Pannacotta, Tirami Su and a lovely chocolate bar.
A restaurant that can produce genuinely top class dishes, and the control of balancing flavors was impressive. Yummy.
Easy go out in Berlin:
Potsdamer Strasse, one of the busiest streets in Berlin has long been known for its abundance of streetwalkers, sordid sex shops and strip clubs. But in recent years, art galleries have gravitated to this district, abutting a namesake park. And in the last few years, stylish restaurants, cafes and bars have followed. The sex shops are still here, though fading.
Now the Potsdamer Strasse crowd has evolved into a hodgepodge of artists, hipsters and the occasional woman sporting stilettoes, fishnet stockings and a come-hither glance.
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