Category Archives: Germany

Henne Alt-Berliner Wirtshaus, Berlin

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There aren’t many historic restaurants or pubs in Berlin that are as old as Henne Alt-Berliner Wirtshaus (translation: old Berlin inn or pub) in the happening Kreuzberg neighborhood. What wasn’t destroyed in WWII was probably demolished in the former East Berlin to make room for housing and public buildings. I couldn’t find an exact date when it opened, but many sources state it’s been open for a hundred years or more. So the Nazis probably visited it in the 1930s and 40s. And the Berlin Wall was built right in front of it. That’s a lot of history.

Henne’s specialty is chicken, organic and milk-fed, served in half-chicken portions. I’m pretty sure it’s broasted (cooked under pressure) because it’s cooked to order but only takes about 30 to 45 minutes (roasting would take longer). However it’s cooked, it comes to your table piping hot with dark brown, crispy skin and juicy, tender and delicious meat. Some of the best chicken that I’ve ever had. Popular side dishes are the excellent potato salad and cabbage salad. If you don’t feel like chicken there are other German classics on the menu such as wurst. Beer on tap is the excellent Schultheiss.

Henne, Berlin, chicken

The decor is classic cozy pub, with beautiful decorative wood, old tables and chairs (with plaid tablecloths), vintage lamps, and many pictures and paintings on the walls. When I was there in October on a Tuesday night at 9pm it was pretty quiet, but it’s usually very popular so reservations are recommended.

Henne, Berlin, interior

Henne
Leuschnerdamm 25, 10999 Berlin, Germany
Phone +49 30 6147 ext. 730
Hours Tues-Sat 7:00pm – 12:00am, Sunday 5:00pm – 10:00pm

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Trader Vic’s, Hotel Bayerischer Hof, Munich

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The Trader Vic’s in Munich, which opened in 1971 in time for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, has long been on my list of must-see classic Polynesian / tiki temples. Tiki’s heyday was fading in the 1970s but the Oakland-based Trader Vic’s chain was still opening restaurants in the classic Polynesian Pop style – richly decorated with bamboo, tapa cloth, lanterns, and tikis. For example, in 1972 the Emeryville, California, location opened and in 1976 the Atlanta restaurant opened (both still operational). On my recent visit to Germany I finally had my chance to visit this Holy Grail of Trader Vic’s!

Trader Vic’s is a subterranean space in the swanky, historic Hotel Bayerischer Hof (originally opened in 1841). I was excited to see their hours carved in the doorway: 5:00pm until 3:00am every day! In comparison, the Trader Vic’s near me closes at about 10pm.

tikis at the end of the bar

On entering I was awestruck with the stunning decor! The restaurant is packed with beautiful tikis and carved wood panels, lamps of every type (fish floats, fish traps, puffer fish, and many other types), ceilings and walls covered with bamboo, tapa cloth, reed matting and Polynesian artifacts, and lovely rattan chairs with koa wood tables. Having seen most of the Trader Vic’s in the U.S. that existed since the late 90s (plus London) I would say that this easily ranks at the top for decor and atmosphere, with the departed original Chicago and Beverly Hills locations and the still open London and Atlanta rounding out my top five.

I started with their house specialty cocktail, the Munich sour, which is basically a whiskey sour except with the excellent Asbach Uralt German brandy instead of whiskey. I also tried some of my favorite Trader Vic’s cocktails (on repeat visits to the bar) but was not terribly impressed with the drink execution. They tasted OK, but not as good as the drinks when they are made precisely and correctly, as they were at Beverly Hills’ original bar when it was open (or when made at home from the original recipes).

Munich Sour

I did not get a chance to dine at Trader Vic’s Munich on my visit, but they did allow me to explore the restaurants many dining rooms and take some pictures. Every room was impressive but none of my photos of the dining rooms came out very good (the pictures posted here are all from the bar and lounge). They have two of the signature Trader Vic’s Chinese wood burning ovens in the restaurant (usually you are wise to order a meat entree that is prepared in the ovens).

Trader Vic’s
Promenadeplatz 2-6, 80333 Munich, Germany
Tel: 089 2120995
Open Mon-Sun 5pm–12am (or later in the bar)

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Hofbraühaus, Munich, Germany

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I recently spent some time in Germany and Scotland, so I’ll be blogging in the next few posts about some of the historic restaurants and bars I visited on my latest trip.

Munich’s Hofbraühaus brewery and beer hall dates all the way back to 1589, when it was built to supply duke Wilhelm V and his family with better beer than they were used to getting in Munich. The beer hall was relocated in 1606 and again around 1800, to be torn down and rebuilt in 1896. A portion of that building survived bombings in WWII and was fully rebuilt in 1958, which is the current Hofbraühaus.

 

photo by cooltownstudios.com

photo by cooltownstudios.com

 

The main hall, Schwemme, is a large room with many wooden tables (some are original from 1896) and is usually filled with a happy, boisterous crowd enjoying music by a Bavarian oompah band. There is also a smaller dining room, the Bräustüberl, upstairs on the second floor along with a large festival hall, and an outdoor beer garden.

 

 

The beer comes in three varieties at the Hofbraühaus: dark, original (helles), both served in one liter mugs (or maß), and weisse (wheat), served in half-liter glasses. The waitresses can carry up to ten or twelve full liter mugs at one time! The beer is super fresh and delicious!

 

 

I ordered a traditional crispy roasted pork knuckle with a potato dumpling and a pretzel. Hearty and tasty!

 

 

The Hofbraühaus is a must-visit when in Munich!

 

Hofbraühaus
Platzl 9, 80331 Munich, Germany
Tel: 089 290136100
Open: Mon-Sun 9am–11:30pm

 

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