Robert Hampton

Another visitor! Stay a while… stay forever!

30th September 2015

Frühstück, Mittag- und Abendessen
Posted by at 9.05pm | No responses | Out and About

For past travel blogs, I have done a chronological account describing what I got up to. It was exhaustive – practically every minute of last year’s Berlin trip is accounted for – and exhausting to write. This time I’ve decided to try a different approach by writing a series of posts, each themed around a particular aspect of my visit.

First topic is one close to my heart (and stomach): food! If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen some of these pictures already.

I was fortunate to have Boris with me as a guide. No wandering around looking for somewhere suitable to eat, as happened when I was in Berlin alone. Boris knew the places to eat and as a result I enjoyed some delicious meals.

We had breakfast in Schweinske, a chain of restaurants found across north west Germany. From the breakfast options, I opted for Die große Sause, a delicious offering of bacon, eggs, ham and cheese, alongside bread rolls with jam and honey. It was delicious, so much so that I had the same thing again the next day.

Breakfast

Boris opted for a more unconventional (to British eyes) breakfast. Raw mince and onion sitting on top of a bread roll. I forgot to take a photo, but imagine an uncooked hamburger sitting on top of its bun. I did try a small piece, although Boris sneakily didn’t tell me what it was until afterwards. When I objected, he pointed out that I will happily eat black pudding, which is basically congealed pig’s blood. Of course, the difference is that black pudding is lovely, but in the interests of friendship, I did not pursue the argument further.

Next, to the Brauhaus Joh. Albrecht for lunch on Friday. Time for some schnitzel! Again, delicious, especially when washed down with a couple of large glasses of local beer.

Schnitzel!

On Friday evening we’d all gone in our separate directions. I was hungry and I needed to eat in a hurry before meeting up with everyone again. In the city centre, on Jungfernstieg, I found Jim Block, another place Boris recommended. It’s fast food, but a cut above the usual offering – it’s served on an actual plate for one thing. I guess it’s Hamburg’s answer to Wimpy? Still, it’s better than just going to McDonalds, and there was something pleasing about eating a hamburger in Hamburg.

Jim Block Burger

You’ll notice I have adopted the European habit of putting mayonnaise on chips. Some English people think this is a strange combination, but they are simply incorrect.

Saturday night was Boris’s birthday celebration and a big group of us descended on Olympisches Feuer, a small Greek restaurant and taverna in the Sternschanze district. I opted for the mixed grill, which might as well have been called the Vegetarian’s Nightmare. A selection of meats, with chips, salad garnish and tzatziki sauce. It was amazingly good.

Olympisches Feuer mixed grill

Of course, no trip to Germany would be complete without a hefty portion of currywurst! This was Sunday lunch, and a third visit to Schweinske. I’ve said it before, but it’s amazing how a combination of sausage, ketchup and curry powder can be so appealing. I don’t think I’ve been this satisfied by an enormous sausage for quite some time.

Currywurst

After the currywurst, I was introduced to the German dessert Rote Grütze, a gorgeous fruity mix of berries and cream which I enjoyed very much.

Rote Grütze

In conclusion: Hamburg, your food provision is excellent. There wasn’t one disappointing meal in the whole three days I was there. Can we open a branch of Schweinske in Liverpool please?

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