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.

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.