NEW YORKERS have hot dog stands, Parisians have crêperies, but street food in Berlin is all about imbisse — a word that encompasses everything from sidewalk stalls that sell currywurst (sliced sausage smothered with curry powder and ketchup) to holes in the wall that serve Turkish döner kebabs (thick pita sandwiches stuffed with shaved meat, salad and yogurt sauce).
They’re great if you’re in a rush or need to save some beer money (the price rarely exceeds 3 euros, or less than $4 at $1.28 to the euro), but don’t expect a culinary revelation. The taste usually ranges from salty to saltier.
But lately, Berlin’s fast-food scene has gone foodie. Imbisse (the singular form of the word is imbiss) with an epicurean twist are popping up all over this city, Western Europe’s most affordable capital, bringing fancy fast food to the masses.
One of the best is the W Imbiss (Kastanienallee 49; 49-30-48-49-26-57; www.agentur103.de) on the stylish edge of Mitte and Prenzlauer Berg, whose logo resembles the golden arches turned upside down. If you’re lucky, Gordon W., as its Canadian chef and owner calls himself, will be in the tiny open kitchen, wearing his signature fez and manning the tandoor.
Four euros will get you a delicious and filling nan-bread pizza, topped with fresh ingredients like pesto, fresh arugula, sun-dried tomatoes and pine nuts. Six and a half euros buys one of the popular rice bowls, piled high with marinated tandoori salmon, leafy greens and Japanese-style dressing. Besides being cheap, everything is made to order, so expect long waits — though no one in this tiki-inspired joint seems to mind.
Nearby is WKD Lebensmittel in Mitte (Rochstrasse 2; 49-30-2759-6130), a small storefront that sells fresh produce, organic cheeses and German wines. A chalkboard lists the daily specials, many of them typical of southern Germany like roasted pork (7.50 euros) and liver dumpling soup (3.50 euros). Setting the casual vibe is Gerhard Wick, one of the three owners, who can often be found socializing with his über-trendy customers on the simple wooden tables.
“It’s definitely not a restaurant,” Mr. Wick said, preferring to describe his year-old space as part mini-grocery store, part imbiss. He went on to explain that the ingredients came directly from regional producers, allowing him to sell slow food at near fast-food prices.
That’s also partly true at the FoodBall (Neue Schönhauser Strasse 11; 49-30-24-62-88-92), a new food stand inside the Camper shoe store, also in Mitte. As the name suggests, everything is shaped like a soccer ball, whether it’s the savory organic rice balls stuffed with wild mushrooms, chickpeas or free-range chicken, or the dessert balls made from dates or carob. For a playful lunch, order its version of a Happy Meal: a trio of rice balls and a choice of coffee or tea (6.99 euros).
Like Berlin itself, imbisse are absorbing new cultural flavors. A few blocks away is Dolores (Rosa Luxemburg Strasse 7; 49-30-28-09-95-97; www.dolores-online.de), a colorful and modern spot that serves made-to-order burritos and quesadillas, starting at 3.55 euros. When it opened, it was Berlin’s first burrito imbiss, and at lunchtime it’s packed with a young crowd.
The German owners, Philipp Krahé and Grischa Coenen, lived and worked in London before opening Dolores two years ago. “It’s been much more of a success than we thought,” Mr. Krahé said. “All we knew, when we opened, is that there is a large American community that lives in Berlin, and we were counting on them as customers.”
Being around the corner from a McDonald’s, one of the few in Mitte, doesn’t give him concern. “Sometimes they take so long to make a Filet-O-Fish,” Mr. Krahé said. “Our burritos only take a minute.”
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