Friday, September 12, 2008

Berlin " Yummy yummy I've got veggies in my tummy"



As a food lover, a part of my trip has to contain that passion of mine of finding new ingredients I can't find at my local organic markets, and obviously enjoy good food. In my case, when I say good food I mean fresh, vegetarian, preferred organic that fits my budget. In recent years I haven't done those food researches I'm doing right before I'm flying somewhere and therefore found myself being forced to eat at places that didn't serve my kind of food. But believe it or not, I found my way in Berlin, among its massive sausages industry and creamy unfamiliar mashes. There is something reassuring in finding fresh quality food ahead. Now I'm not talking about fancy gourmet quality food, as I simply enjoy a bunch of seasoned vegetables lying happily on my plate.
Give me any fresh veggie and I'm a happy camper! :) I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the organic German veggies I found in my big colorful salads everyday. They were so vibrant and fresh that the colors just shown through. I've never seen a lettuce in such bright green before. Do I sound deranged while talking about vegetables? Perhaps. But I realized that is how I should always eat them. That is how they're supposed to look, taste and smell. And sadly enough I'm not used to this kind of fresh products back at home.

If you plan on visiting Berlin any time soon, here is a short list of some nice food places where I found my desired simple and comforting vegetarian food:
Seerose - a very cute buffet and salad bar, where I only chose the cold combination with salads and whole grains, as the warm dishes looked a bit heavy on the creamy side (though I think it was all vegan). Mehringdamm 47. Open Mon-Sat 8.00-24.00, Sun 12.00-22.00
Einhorn Mommsenstrasse - a delicious buffet of warm dishes and cold interesting salads. Mommsenstr 2.
Weilands Wellfood - organic and health food restaurant. Not all the menu is vegetarian but everything is organic, fresh and well made. I got a hugeee fresh looking salad along with spelt penne in carrot sauce. Very interesting. Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1, the second one in Platz vor dem Neuen Tor 5.
There are loads of other bio supermarkets and organic stores with prepared food such as Fresh N Friends Foodstore and Gorilla chain.

I also managed to find a few interesting stuff in many of those bio organic stores they have there (lucky them!). I finally put my hands upon a nice looking walnut oil! It's not that rare, but at least where I come from, it couldn't be found ANYWHERE. And my summer salads pleaded for a fresh drizzle of that nutty flavor that surprises your taste buds in every bite. I love it.
A much heavier product I found is a basket full of the loveliest kinds of pumpkin I have ever seen! Cute aliens look alike. I suspect they're more for decoration rather than for cooking as it appears a month before Halloween. But still, gorgeous crops! No matter it took half of the place in my baggage, it was a nice surprise for my mom who agreed I was crazy and LOVED it.
I almost forgot about the delicious doughnuts... (Below the donuts lady)

3 comments:

aimee said...

i wish i had your healthy approach to food! those donuts sure look yummy :)

Scatterbrain Tal said...

Don't think I'm always that aware to what I eat. I love all kind of food just like any other normal person. salty snacks and chocolate are always a must. haha
I just happen to love veggies like mad.
The donuts there were craaazy. all day long, thousands of stores everywhere. very tempting...
At least I feel like I did something 'right'. I ate my donuts while watching the live opera outside their opera house. :)

please sir said...

The best part about traveling is the food - yum!