Misc. Hamburg Eats & Drinks

Currywurst at Edelcurry in Neustadt.

Accompanied by cabbage salad + local Fritz cola at Edel Curry in Neustadt.

More Fritz, this time a lemonade + ginger and lemon tea at De Zmarten Panther in St. Pauli.

Mushroom omelette at De Zmarten Panther in St. Pauli.

Panini, side salad and Orangina at Cafe Knuth in Altona

Fried eggs at Cafe Knuth in Altona.

Small breakfast plate of cheese, cold cuts, butter, and jam at Café Knuth in Altona.

Complementary starter of cacık, acılı ezme, and bread at Öz Urfa in St. Georg.

İskender kebap at Öz Urfa in St. Georg. 

Döner teller at Öz Urfa in St. Georg.

Complementary Turkish, post-dinner tea at Öz Urfa in St. Georg.

German snacks aka at Nagel in St. Georg (we are so classy!)

Addresses

Edelcurry
Große Bleichen, Neustadt

Cheap and decent quality wurst. Large selection of bubbles as accompaniment. Recommended.

de zmarten panther
Marktstraße 3, St. Pauli
Standard but decent café fare. Dirt cheap.

Cafe Knuth
Große Rainstraße 2, Altona

Nice atmosphere and very standard café food.

Öz Urfa

Moorstraßenbrücke 2, St. Georg

Excellent Turkish fare (B, the former Ankara-inhabitant approved!) in simple surroundings. Open pretty much 24/7. Prices are above most other Turkish options but certainly worth it. Highly recommended.

Nagel
Kirchenallee 57, St. Georg

Very mixed clientele and good beer selection. Recommended.

Le Lion - Bar de Paris

Blood & Sand feat. Laphroig 10-year single malt, Carpano Antica Formula and Guignolet de Dijon black cherry liqueur.

Tanqueray Malacca martini with olives on the side.

Trident (aquavit, Cynar and dry sherry) and 20th Century.

Prof. Langnickel (PX Sherry, Guignolet de Dijon, and Morand Kirschbrand) and charcuteri étagère

Le Lion - Bar de Paris
Rathausstraße 3
Altstadt, Hamburg

Notes:
B is a bit of cocktail geek, and when I had announced that I was planning to go to Hamburg for thesis field studies, he was quick to tag along - and make a reservation for us at Le Lion. The bar, which is placed centrally in Hamburg, is regarded as among the most progressive in Europe, headed by Jörg Meyer. Once you enter the bar you however get the impression that this is a classic bar in every sense with lush interiors, old school tunes, and golden hues aplenty. I started off with a Le Lion classic, their twist on (my favorite cocktail) Blood & Sand, here made with 10-year Laphroig. A good drink for sure, and while I am a huge fan of smokey foods and beverages - generally, thing that scratches a bit in my mouth - I felt that the drink did not perfectly manage to tie together the initial smoky taste with the deep, sweet ending. B on the other hand was happy to get to try the limited edition Tanqueray Malacca. He was not overwhelmed (really, while we might be drinking a lot of cocktails, we are by no means experts) but did enjoy it very much and was happy to get to try it - and further I loved the presentation. Next up for me was another classic, 20th century, which turned out to be a pleasant experience. B was a bit more adventurous and asked for something featuring amaro, the result being a Trident including equal parts aquavit, Cynar and dry sherry, leaving me with a very pleased man.

By now the place was getting crowded (with a very mature clientele, inhaling large amounts of G&Ts), and as we had previously heard of a closed section upstairs we kindly asked whether there would be any room for us. Apparently we had not misbehaved so far and were quickly escorted into an elevator taking us a few floors up. By then I had gotten slightly hungry (or at least my tipsy brain was telling me so), so we ordered some snacks, and received a beautiful étagère of pork in different forms (cured and salami - the dried kind this time) and brie de Meaux, which perfectly hit the spot. I once again returned to the menu for inspiration and opted for Prof. Langnickel, featuring Pedro Ximenez sherry, Guignolet and cherry brandy - very indulgent and obviously very sweet, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. B went with a classic, a Manhattan made with Noah's Mill and Carpano, and was again very pleased.

We had a gorgeous experience at Le Lion. Perfectly crafted cocktails, attentive and very knowledgable service and an inclusive and cosy atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Note - Søren Krogh Sørensen has previously worked at Le Lion (and PDT in NYC for that matter) and exercises his cocktail magic in Ourselves Alone in Copenhagen - do make sure to pay him a visit (and if you're feeling adventurous, ask for a Dillinger - you will not regret it!)

Ufer

Pretty flowers, 2 x riesling feinherb and a shaky camera (sorry!)

Plums marinated in red wine, bay leaf and cloves, wrapped in bacon and grilled + hard, shaved cheese and marinated olives.

Classic flammkuchen with sour cream, bacon and onions.

A very German charcuteri assortment including two kinds of soft salami, roastbeef, rilette, wholegrain mustard and lard.

Ufer

Bismarckstraße 151

Eimsbüttel, Hamburg

Notes:

Prior to a night out dedicated to cocktails at Le Lion, B and I decided to go out for a cheap, quick, and casual bite. Ufer provided a lovely setting, being a bit of mix between a café, restaurant and wine bar. We decided to order a bit of everything to share and were quickly started off with two glasses of riesling (0,2l seems to be German standard - dangerous...), some incredibly juicy, bacon-wrapped and grilled plums, a bit of hard cheese (shaved too thinly - a lot of it fell apart between our fingers) and some very average black olives that at least had had the chance to soak some olive oil and spices. Thereafter came the showstopper of the evening, a flammkuchen. Perfectly thin and crisp but with just the right amount of tangy sour cream, smoky bacon and tangy onions to provide a great deal of pleasure in our mouths. The charcuteri board paled a bit in comparison but we both found the German theme rather interesting, almost exotic, with components such as soft salamis (much like a Danish salami really) and lard (really, lard?). All in all, a lovely meal without too much fuss. Service was attentive, the venue rather cosy, and our bill added up to 45 euro-ish for the food and four supersized glasses of wine. Recommended - but don't leave without trying the flammkuchen!

Brook

Off to a good start; crémant de Bourgogne rosé, warm and fluffy rolls and tomato tapenade.

Amuse bouche; a take on traditional Hamburg labskaus, which is corned beef accompanied by gherkin, anchovy, and a fried quail egg.

2nd course (somehow I forgot to snap the 1st!); creamy lemongrass and pea soup with grilled prawns and cress.

3rd course: Fried filet of zander with a Cajun-inspired risotto with chorizo, mushrooms and paprika and a few sugar snap peas.

4th course: Duck breast with sides of spicy cauliflower, sautéed mushrooms, Italian crespelle filled with root vegetable mash and a hearty duck glace.

5th course: Chocolate and mocha variation - including white chocolate parfait, chocolate cake, nougat mousse and espresso jelly.

Brook

Bei den Mühren 91

Altstadt, Hamburg

Notes:
On a brisk Saturday night B and I headed for Brook, which seems to have become an institution among the Hamburg locals. And for good reason - a five-course dinner including accompanying wines, San Pellegrino, and coffee will set you back just 52,5 euro per head. Michelin has also found this to be quite a decent value proposition and has awarded the restaurant with a bib. We decided to go for the whole package, but also to start out with a beautiful glass of crémant de Bourgogne. It was onn the sweeter side for sure, but a pleasant start to our dinner that went well with the amuse, which was a take on a typical Hamburg labskaus. I am not sure exactly how fond I was of the concept of corned beef, gherkin and anchovy but it surely was interesting. The first course, which I somehow forgot to snap a picture of, was grilled salmon, wrapped around sage and served with a Nicoise gremolata featuring potatoes, olives, and tomatos. In our glass, a crisp, mineral riesling from Rings, which accompanied the first three courses. And from here I think I will let the pictures speak their own language. As you can tell, Brook serves tasty and pleasing food with little twists that sometimes seem very 00's. No big surprises, just plain comforting fare, which provided a perfect setting for an evening in good company. Service was extremely competent, the atmosphere was lively and cosy, and clientele mainly local - and for a comforting dinner at a reasonable price tag in Hamburg I feel fairly sure that Brook cannot be beat! Highly recommended.

Hotel de L'Europe

Lush interior and a classic Amsterdam view. 

An alternative étagère.

Finger sandwiches with gouda/tomato, smoked salmon/cucumber, and smoked ham/arugula.

Miniature pastries.

Warm scones, fig and abricot preserves, and whipped butter.

Seven Sons Congratulating.

Hotel de L'Europe
Nieuwe Doelenstraat 2-14
1012 CP Amsterdam

Notes:
Before my departure back to Copenhagen, JC and I managed to squeeze in an opulent afternoon tea in the newly renovated Hotel de L'Europe, placed right in central Amsterdam. We went for the basic option, priced at 32 euros, including a choice of tea from American Harney & Sons. I went with an herbal lavender infusion, while JC opted for the more beautifully presented Seven Sons Congratulating, where a red jasmin flowers unfolds once the hot water is poured over. Both lovely choices. Soon we were presented an alternative étagère in form a cage, presenting three layers of delicacies. We started out with classic finger sandwiches. The smoked salmon was very rich and obviously of very high quality but the other choices of smoked ham and gouda/tomato failed to impress - in fact we left the majority behind (probably because we already knew what was ahead of us). Next up (and not on the étagère) we had warm scones of the plain and raisin variety. They were served along with little jars of abricot and fig preserves as well as whipped butter. Honestly, the texture was too crumbly for me, and they were hard to cut and eat without falling apart, which also made us leave a large portion of these behind. The taste was fine though. On a brighter note, the little patisseries on the second layer were a much better experience with the fruit tartlets as the clear standouts. On the top floor we found a marzipan fruit cake of which we had a slice - we were getting rather stuffed at this point. All in all, we did not have an overwhelming experience at Hotel de L'Europe. The place lives up to its presumed image of delivering classic high tea fare in opulent surrounding, but in total I missed something that stood out, while I am sorry to say that the service in the lounge was not sufficiently trained. For this price I think there are much better ways to spend your hard-earned money in Amsterdam.

De Ysbreeker

Lunch menu.

Celeriac and pumpkin soup with pumpkin seed oil.

Bitterballen with mustard.

De Ysbreeker
Weesperzijde 23
1091 EC Amsterdam

Notes:
On a cold Saturday afternoon in Amsterdam we were a couple of people heading for De Ysbreeker for a long-due catch up, and we ended up staying in the café for an entire five hours. We started off with lunch, where I had a lovely soup of celeriac and pumpkin. We continued with fresh mint tea and then a few glasses of wine and bitterballen (a Dutch food item, a sort of croquette with pieces of meat to be dipped in mustard). The café is quite large but continues to be rather full throughout the day. Prices are fair and the menu rather extensive. Recommended.

Café Modern



Amuses bouches - olives, white anchovies in vinegar and smoky almonds.



Cod tartare with buttermilk dressing, fried oyster, baby zucchini, and cucumber with black lumpfish roe.

Poultry broth with celeriac and buttery profiteroles.

Fried polenta seasoned with lemon peel topped with grilled cuttlefish, mussels, braised leek and mussel foam.

Pork loin topped with anchovy butter and sides of braised chanterelles and endive, potato purée, and pea shoots.

Churros with chocolate sauce on top of white chocolate mousse and apple dice.

Café Modern
Meidoornweg 2
1031 GG Amsterdam

Notes:
Going to Café Modern includes a bit of an excursion if coming from central Amsterdam. The restaurant is situated in quiet residential area in Northern Amsterdam, a ten minute walk from the ferry that will take you over the river from Amsterdam's central station. The atmosphere in the restaurant is also quite relaxed, even unpretentious. The large room is well-lit, tables are standing close, and the noise level is also rather high. Nonetheless, the restaurant proposes an excellent value proposition, serving five elaborated courses for just 40 euro.

We started off with a glass of rosé sekt and plate of appetizers including some very rich, white anchovies, tender and bitter black olives, and smoky almonds. Great start. First course was a cod tartare with buttermilk dressing. Atop the tartare there was a deep-fried oyster, and the dish was further garnished with baby squash, radish as well as cucumber topped with black lumpfish roe. The fried oyster and crunchy vegetables provided a great contrast to the cod tartare but I found the roe to be a bit unnecessary. In any case, this was a very tasty and refreshing dish.

Next up was a clear broth made from poultry, to which celeriac and breast meat had been added. Finally, the soup was garnished with little profiteroles, which quickly soaked up the hearty liquids. Nothing too exciting but a fine, little intermezzo. 
Thereafter, we were served a dish of perfectly grilled cuttlefish and mussels in addition to a slice of fried polenta, which had been fed a good amount of lemon zest. The dish was tied together by a foam of mussel and left us with an impression of just having eaten a slice of the sea.

The last savory course was perfectly red and juicy loin of veal, paired with braised endive (not a favorite of mine, but this provided just the right amount of bitterness to complement the other components) and chanterelles as well as potato purée and an intense veal jus. Not too much fuss, just utterly tasty.

The dessert was also quite pleasing to the palate (I am a huge fan of richer desserts, I should mention!). Mini churros topped with bitter chocolate sauce, set atop a good layer of sweet, white chocolate mousse and little dice of tart apple. A perfect end to a lovely meal.

Highly recommended.