Fine Dining In A Bomb Shelter.

Now if you were to taken to an entrance like this, you would not be impressed too. But this was one of the five recommended restaurants in Hamburg given to us by a gourmet. We checked the address to make sure. Yes, the sign says Groninger. We were in the right place.

We stepped in and when our eyes got accustomed to the dark, the interior was just as unimpressive as the main entrance. “Don’t judge the book by its cover” we said and walked into the point of no return.

A whole different world greeted us as we moved deeper into the restaurant. Huge pillars, low ceilings and warm lights gave the whole place a very cozy feeling. We were pleasantly surprised after our low expectation. The restaurant was much larger than its front suggested. The first hall was already packed with diners filling with the room with warm conversations. The chamber was solidly constructed and one of us remarked that this could serve us as a bomb shelter. We liked the idea of dining in the safety of an underground cellar while bombs are dropping overhead. Imaginations can run wild in a totally alien setting. We didn’t know about the food yet but the atmosphere was just great!

The restaurant has its own home brewery producing its unique brand of German beer fresh from the taps served in heavy glasses. Every table seemed to be enjoying that so we ordered the same and was not disappointed.



The restaurant extended very deep in. I was surprised at how far in it went. I walked into sections that are still empty and felt as if I were transported back into time. I can imagined medieval knights clinking glasses and tearing at meats on the long table. I lingered for a while before joining my friends.

The German are famous for their sausage and my well-informed friend told me it is because German sausage must contained a 100% meat by law. Genuine stuff. We called for the house’s special and they placed a wooden stool on our table on which they heaped generous amount of food.

The white stuff you saw in the picture is the famous German sauerkraut which is seasoned cabbage fermented in lactic acid. The crunchy sour cabbage went well with the heavy meats. It helped with the appetite and prevented the feeling of being too satiated with meat. There were several types of sausages and all were excellent. But the thick chunks of roasted pork were really something else. The skin is much thicker and more leathery than the Chinese roasted pork but the thick succulent layers of tender meat layered with fat were out of this world. It was so good that we ordered second helpings. The ham slices were also great. If you looked at the picture carefully, you will see the yellow stuff beneath the meat. Those were the mountain of mashed potatoes. These are all typical German food and a bit heavy for our Asian stomach but they were really good food and went down really well with the home brew beer.

So if you are in Hamburg and you wanted to have a typical German meal in great atmosphere, try the Groninger. You cannot go wrong.

The Unique Flavor of the Giant White Asparagus.

“What would you like to eat in Lubeck?”

“Something typically German.”

“How about something in season?”

“Great!”

“Giant White Asparagus it is then. And we shall have it in the most famous restaurant in Lubeck!”

We stopped in front of the building of the Seaman’s Guild. It housed that famous Schiffer Gesellschaft restaurant and considers itself “the oldest pub in the world”. It is used as a meeting house for seamen from all over the world. Until today, revenues are still used to help needy boatmen and boatment’s widows.

It was dark when we stepped in. Our eyes took some time to accustom to the surrounding. From the solid furniture to the even more solid pillar, beam and ceilings, every thing was dark sturdy oak. Giving it an air of Age and Permanence. The high ceiling added to the grandeur and venerability of this majestic room. Memorabilia from centuries past adorned every corners and replicas of ships that sailed the ancient seas hanged from the ceilings. If not for the waiter/waitresses in white shirts, aprons and a commanding black vest, we would have thought we were transported back in time.

There were quite a lot seats but we were the only guests. I wondered why. We made our order and just before the food came, the whole restaurant was filled in the space of a few minutes. We were just early. Half way through our meal, an old couple not finding any seat wanted to share our table with us. We were happy to oblige but the captain politely informed them that the table had already been booked for the next meal!

I’ve never eaten white asparagus. It was deprived of sunlight during its growing stage to prevent it from turning green. In Germany, it is called spagel and is known as “Konigliches Gemuse” or the Royal Vegetable. White asparagus is milder in taste than in its green counterpart. I had my asparagus steamed or boiled with Hollandaise sauce and thin slices of smoked ham. It is sweet and juicy and a world apart from the tiny green asparagus that we had with oyster sauce. Verdict – loved it! So if you’re in Germany in June, remember to try some white asparagus.

Sensual Heaven at the Edge of the Spoon.

We were too full for a proper dessert though the captain tried to tempt us with Crème Brulee and Tiramisu. We asked for something light and he gave us the above perfection.

A little sweet. A little sour. A little creamy. Cold, smooth and fruity. When I spooned them into my mouth, it made me wanted to close my eyes and went mmm…. When I sucked on one of the plums and its juiciness awakened my tongue, it felt like something… something… sensual. I opened my eyes, my friends were gawking at me. The neighbour table too. Oops! This dish should come with a warning - enjoyed it in privacy.

Lobscouse – The Food of Tough Men.

As promised in the last post on Rauch’s Old Commercial Room, I’ll be talking about what tough men eat. Firstly, pardon the above picture – so keen were we to tug into the food that I forgot to take a shot in its original perfection.

But first let me introduce you to Wiener Schnitzel (the middle plate) which is a thin slice of veal coated in crispy breadcrumbs and fried. In English, it is known as Viennese cutlet and is a traditional Vienna dish. Squeezed a few drops of lemon on it and eat it like that or dab it with cranberry sauce. The crunchy crumbs and tender veal gave a good mouthfeel and as you masticate, brought out a pleasant meaty flavor. It was good though I would have preferred it a bit saltier to better really bring out the meaty flavor. For “like fresh meat loves salt” tragic Cordelia said. And because King Lear did not understand the meaning, he lost his kingdom and his beloved daughter. I sprinkled more salt.

When they told us they are going to serve food for tough men (which of course we were and are), I imagined great chunky lumps of bloodied meat or huge blades of ribs that you held with your hands and tore with your teeth. Ha! Barbarian macho. But what is this bloody pinkish goo with two obscene looking eggs staring at us? A few sad looking pickles and the awesome deep purple bleeding beetroot did nothing to enhance its visual appeal. Tentatively, I flicked a tiny bit from its edge and raised it to my mouth ready to screw up my face. The beer ready, standing by to wash it all down. And….

The sticky mash melted over my tongue. And my Goodness! It is unbelievable! And totally unexpected - the best corned beef I’ve ever tasted. Nothing even came close. While the corned beef is the dominant taste, there are subtleties behind it. Other flavor that I could not quite picked out. What a sensation! I normally hate gooey stuff but not if it is as rich in taste as this. For this, I’ll lick it off the fork.

And to think it used to be called “meal for a rough customer” because they were popular for seamen. Legend has it that when there were nothing left in the kitchen to cook, the chef just threw everything in with corned beef and mashed it all up. Behold! A new dish was created. The sailors loved it. Which reminded me of a saying – “Necessity is the mother of invention” or we are all victims of the cook’s mistakes (in this case, a deliberate and happy one).

Just so you do not think this ghost only eats Western food, next I’ll be writing about “The Dirty Duck of Bali”. Check it out.

Rauch’s Old Commercial Room opposite St. Michaelis Church

A wise ghost once told me “Good dining is not just about food. It is An Experience.” While good food itself is worth the hunt, the right atmosphere with good company makes the occasion unforgettable. Thus, where the ambience is memorable, we savor it as much as the food. Ambience doesn’t have to be classy or posh, I’ve my fair share of roadside eateries. I remembered well that sunny afternoon when we hopped off the bike after rounding half of Phuket. On wooden benches under a makeshift hut and swaying coconut palms with white sandy beach and blue open sea on one side and the highway on the other, grinning shirtless boys barbequed our seafood on wires over charcoal. Those moments are deeply etched for they are magical.

When I stepped in the Old Commercial Room, I can smell the history. It is one of the oldest addresses for Hanseatic cuisine. Mementos covered every wall and every open space, each with a story of its own. Founded in 1795 by an English ship owner, it is decorated in the style of an English pub with lots of mahogany and brass. It is like stepping into a functioning museum. I wished I had the time and space (couldn’t be looking over diners’ shoulders) to take it all in. We got a seat by the window from where we can see the majestic St. Michaelis church with its copper covered bell tower where at the 82 meter high viewing platform, you can see the whole of Hamburg.

I was surprised to learn that Jackie Chan had eaten here. I was even more impressed that past diners included Helmut Schmidt, Willy Brandt, The Beatles, Tom Jones, Bon Jovi, Sting, George Clooney, Don King, Clint Eastwood, Paul Hogan, Sean Connery, Joan Collins, Charles Bronson, Charlie Sheen, John Denver, Kate Hudson, Nana Mouskouri, Jerry Lee Lewis, Neil Diamond, Franz Beckenbauer, Elke Sommer, Fats Domino among many, many other celebrities. Wow!

The Indian waiter was very professional and friendly and when we asked him to recommend some typical German food, he did not hesitate. He somehow mistaken me for a food writer and when I asked him for information, he gave me a complete photostat menu! Unfortunately it was in German and in our haste to catch the city tour bus, I forgot to ask him to mark down what we have eaten. Anyway, I have some of the details. This post is more about how the ambience can affect one’s appreciation of a restaurant.

The next post I will write about their most famous dish translated as “the food of tough men”.Please check out its website: www.oldcommercialroom.de and see more photos of St. Michealis Church and Jackie Chan memento under my profile.

A Walk Along Lake Aussenalster

The boats are docked for the evening. Across the calm water, the Atlantic Hotel stands majectically on the other shore.

I saw these ducks swimming in formation. How unafraid they are. Where I came from, they have good reasons to be fearful. But it is difficult to blame the hungry. This however is ideal, there is no reason to fear and there is no reason to hunt. Do the lucky inhabitants of this land know how much this peaceful scene means to some?

We have no leisurely dusk. From a hot afternoon to the rapidly approaching night, there is hardly anything in between. From a searing sun to a pitch dark night that brings out the feeding mosquitoes are just fleeting minutes that drown faster than a sinking ship. A walk for us is almost always in sweat. I love my land because I was born there and I love its imperfection too but at times I wish my land was different. Like the leisure of a creeping dusk and a walk in cool crisp air.

It was after nine p.m. There is still light. It was summer. It was still cool. You know, this is very difficult to explain to my country men if they had never been up North.

Swans on a lake. Our most romantic vision. Our dreams of beauty and grace. Can't think of our equivalent. The peacock? Too showy.

When swans go to sleep, what is their dreams?

In many ways Lake Aussenalter seems like a dream for someone like me. Yet, I know I don't belong or can be happy here for long. But I was happy to be there. And happy to take it back with me. I will probably never be back there again. That's okay for I never leave. I never leave any beautiful places I had been.

Paolino - By The Setting Sun of Lake Aussenalster

On a cool evening after a light rain had just wetted the ground, we stepped into Paolino, an Italian restaurant in Hamburg built on a platform that jutted into Lake Aussenalster. A slightly chilly summer breeze blew fresh scent of the lake which invigorated me after a long working day. We paused in the front of the restaurant taking in the reflection of the setting sun on gently ripping waves as white swans and sailing boats glided by. I felt a tug. Why do beautiful faraway places always reminded one of home or loved ones? I did not know about the food yet but I gave it a perfect 10 for atmosphere.



Inside the restaurant, we chose a table by the window overlooking the water at the majestic Hotel Atlantic with green roof. When I turned and saw a painting on an adjacent wall, it brought a smile. It was as if I was the one been painted that number of years ago for there I was sitting in that exact position. We ordered an Italian red wine recommended by the friendly stout Italian waiter who spoke little English but who understood perfectly what we wanted. The texture of the plain spaghetti with just olive oil was excellent. The lightly flavored succulent lamp chop was the best I have ever eaten. It has no need for mint sauce to overcome any strong taste for it was just mild enough to give it its characteristic flavor. The cooking was so good that I’ve tasted tougher steamed chicken. As I was enjoying the food, a rotund man with flowing white hair stepped out from the kitchen. He surveyed the diners. I gave him a nod in compliment which he returned. He must be that chef that owned this restaurant. There are many pictures of him with celebrities (I presume) hanging on the walls.So if you are in Hamburg, please visit that restaurant and write to me about your experience.