MAY 6, 2009
It’s a bit of a shlep to this relatively small corner resto, tucked away on the corner of Greifenhagener and Kuglerstrasse, a few blocks north of U Schönhauser Allee. But walking is a big part of city life, and one that I relish each time I return for a vacation from the land of motorized travel….
I was also experiencing withdrawals from my hometown haunt, Chopstick Express, so I was hoping for a good chili fix.
Alas, while Sichuan-style dishes apparently can be ordered off the menu – i.e. one knows the name of the dish in Chinese or German (which is a double loss for me, as I only know the fairly bad English translation) – the main attraction are a variety of dumplings, steamed or pan-fried, which are prepared fresh daily.
A cucumber salad appetizer could not transport me to the culinary high I so crave, and the specially prepared ma po tofu was galaxies away from “my” hometown dish. A kim-chi-ish appetizer of napa cabbage delivered on the sour & salty front, and the sliced beef was served with a sauce that had hints of peanut in it.
At 5.50 € / 20 and 10.- € / 40 dumplings, this is a very good deal for larger groups of friends, and a VERY tasty one at that. Don’t mistake the soy bottles for what they appear to be – it’s a dark vinegar (much tastier than the sodium bomb, anyway).
It’s a bit of a kicker to find the entry to the restrooms, as both the wall and the door are painted on with a pastoral landscape – after a few beers (and for your first trip to the loo) it can be a bit confusing.
On my way out I saw a dish reminiscent of the awesomeness that is “Diced chicken w/hot peppers”, and pleaded the owner to prepare this dish for our next outing. Fingers crossed!
FYI, all dumplings are also available frozen for take-out, which makes a delish finger food option for the lazy party host.
As for my chili quest, I’m back to square one ‘-(
wok show / greifenhagener str. 31 / p’berg / 030 4391 1857
July 17, 2009 at 7:05 am |
Delighted to have discovered you – Since moving to Berlin 5 months ago I’m slowly eating my way through the city one bite at a time! I’m adding you to my blog roll under Berlin blogs! Nice to meet you!
Toma, aka The Antiques Diva
July 17, 2009 at 4:35 pm |
thanks mucho! my readership could use some expansion ‘-)
(so does my archive of english posts… working on it, tho)