Spatenhaus an der Oper, Munich.

the quite famous Spatenhaus an der Oper beer restaurant overlooks the opera on the Max-Joseph Platz. it’s an upscale beerhall and has the German classics.. such as white sausages, pork knuckles, goulash, potato dumplings and apple strudel. we came here to shelter from a crazy rainstorm.. so we only ordered a few snacks and drinks.

potato dumplings in gravy. like boiled carb-y balls of mashed potatos mixed with flour.. (theres no filling, for those who think of dumplings in the asian sense.) this was not a favorite of mine. it’s flavorless and very starchy..

another apple streudel. this one had cinnamon and raisins.

it tasted.. old fashioned? the cream was delicous, not very sweet, with a great velvety texture.

osteria italiana, munich.

osteria italiana, the oldest italian restaurant in munich.

… also unfortunately known as “hitler’s favorite restaurant.”

great food and friendly service! the manager helped translate the italian/german menu to english,  and gave some entree recommendations that were well appreciated.

arugula and artichoke salad with parmigano.

clear tomato soup, again! we saw it on menus and ordered it twice in the same city- it must be a popular preparation here. my new favorite kind of tomato soup.

rosemary roasted chicken with fingerling potatoes.  juicy chicken, buttery fragrant rosemary, crispy skin. you really cant go wrong with this order.

linguine bolognese. a classic. the pasta was cooked chewy al dente, really great texture. the sauce was full of flavor, with a tangy sweet tomato base.

veal sausage orecchiette.

dessert. semifreddo.

raspberry sorbet.

xx

zur letzten instanz, berlin.

“the last instance.” the oldest restaurant in berlin, dating from 1525.

napolean and beethoven have both dined here before, on the hearty, traditional german fare and beers.

goulash stew/soup. salty, heavy, very meaty.

blood sausage entree. this was good, but the flavor was a bit strong for me, so i was only able to eat one of the sausages. the potatoes and fried chips were a good accompaniment. flash fried herbs also added more flavors to the rich dish.

pork belly entree. crispy, rich, fatty and delicious.

pork leg. it was as big as my head. ginormous. every dish we ordered was hearty and definitely for the meat lover.

poppyseed cake. unique, different from anything i’ve ever tried before. it was a sort of baked poppyseed custard on top of a round of biscuit/cake.

apple tart with ice cream.

germany has so much history, and sO much food!

xx

APFEL STRUDEL.

germany was full of apple strudels. i went on a quest to try every one i came across.. at breakfast, tea, cafes, dessert, and late night snacks at beer halls

the BEST one, imo, was from Hofbrauhaus Munich.. a famous biergarten/bierhall. the service was slow because they were uber busy..the biergarden seats 1700 people- sO,  it took 45 minutes to be served our apple strudel.

here it is!

apples, cubed, soft and not too sweet, piled high. outer layer was thin and crispy, lots of powdered sugar. the sweet sauce was not overbearing, and was completely gone when we finished the streudel.

sO yummy.

xx

 

buffet kull bar, munich.

dinner at buffet kull bar in munich.

steamed artichoke with balsamic and sour cream dipping sauces.

starter of smoked salmon and crab tartar. seaweed salad and wasabi sauce. this was really good.

amazing. clear tomato soup, with fresh basil ravioli. my favorite dish of the night.

veal.

skirt steak.

filet mignon and scalloped potatoes.

woerner’s bakery + cafe, munich.

we walked into this conditorei, looking for black forest cake. we didn’t find it, but the cakes and tarts here were pretty amazing!

..we liked it so much, that we came back two more times. for breakfast and for afternoon cakes. X) it also helped that it was close to our hotel, and open early.

apricot tart. the crust was crunchy and sweet, the fruit was tart and sweet. yummy. not too sweet. ( good for breakfast.. ya, i would)

raspberry tart. the inside of the tart crust was covered in a thin layer of chocolate. adds a crunchy texture and a good balance to the sour raspberries.

strawberry tartlet.

apple… pie..? thinly sliced apples layered high in the crust.

everything here was sO good… sigh.

xx

Brandenburger Hof Hotel, Berlin

Brandenburger Hof Hotel, Berlin.

an SLH group boutique hotel. we tried to check out boutique hotels during this trip.. some were just okay, not impressive at all. but this one was worth writing about. we stayed here for three nights. it was clean and well thought out, great attention to small details and comfort.

there’s in room wifi for a charge, and a buisness center with free internet use. must stay connected!!

the front entry. there was a doorman on watch 24/7. love the doggy statue.. it makes any place feel more welcoming.

the hotel is square shaped, it surrounds a small green courtyard, with a indoor outdoor area for dining. lots of natural light, beautiful use of space. it makes you want to sit down to a leisurely breakfast or tea.

our room! i believe it was a deluxe king room. with bay windows, green trees outside and green carpet. XL bed.. its actually two twins that separate or join depending on the guests’ needs. the furniture is all modern and clean.. minimal.

tv and writing desk. pleaSe excuse our mess! there’s different pieces of artwork in every room.

double sink restroom, shower/tub combo.  a fresh flower in the vase every day. good sized toiletries.

what makes this hotel stand out is the little things. like our daily in room afternoon treat! marshmallow mice, (sO cute, but not so yummy), chocolates… and there was a donut the first day… wonder what happened to them the next two days. at turndown, a little card with a different poem or quote is placed on your pillow each night.. inspiration to rest your head to.

the view from breakfast.  lots of sun, lots of green.. relaxing and luxe.

even though i normally don’t wake early enough to have time..  i LOVE breakfast. :)

*there’s a michelin star fine dining restaurant in the hotel as well, but we didn’t have time to try it this time..

would def recommend this hotel.

xx

Burgermeister, Berlin.

streetside burgers in berlin.

sO, this burger joint stands in what used to be a public restroom, under the train tracks! NOT a pretty thought.

there are 3 high tables with bars that you can balance on to eat your meal when your number is called.. otherwise the sidewalk it is.

the hamburger. not bad at all. i don’t think i even put it down before i finished it. its got the works: onion, lettuce, tomato, juicy beef patty. no cheese for me.

heres a shot of our “table,” or corner of a table.. theres a guy sitting in front of me quietly eating his chili burger.

b n his jalapeno + cheesy fries.. i had the wedge cut fries with curry and ranch dipping sauces (but you order sauces separate!)

YUM, but it was pretty greasy. we walked it off the next day.

zum schwarzen stern. frankfurt.

lunch at zum schwarzen stern, frankfurt, germany.

seasonal dish of smoked salmon and potato cakes. served with salad and dill.

veal meatballs with rice and steamed veggies.

meat plate entree with chicken, pork knuckle and sausages.

on this trip i tried each areas traditional dessert. this was the first apple streusel i had in germany.

it had a super thin pastry, and was a little heavy on the sauce.

many more to come!