Cafe Review – Freckles

Four years ago, when I moved to Berlin with my gluten aversion, I had quite a hard time when it came to my food based experiences.  Especially when traversing the city with my friends of an afternoon, sitting down in one of the many cafe’s the city has and then having to watch them eat delicious looking gluten filled cakes, feeling punished by life.  Fortunately though, the last few years have seen a vast improvement in the availability of gluten free food here and in cafes especially.  It is even getting to the point now where every corner of the city has a cafe with gluten free cakes to go to, which, to be honest is both a blessing and seriously bad news for my waist line.

So, in steps Freckles, a small and old-timey warm feeling kind of place in western Kruezberg, with a rather good selection of supported allergies written on their board.

I do so love a geometric based logo warning system.  The only downside is that they are more focused upon Vegan food than Gluten Free food, meaning that they may not always have a cake but they should have something sweet and nice available to eat.  On the day I visited though, they had some rather good looking chocolate cake.

Yes, it was as rich and good as it looks.  I have since returned and have been met without a cake option, although on that occasion they had a cherry and marzipan dessert which was equally as delicious.

Each of the tables in the back has one of these old style lanterns and there is a giant window in the corner, giving a nice “thankfully we’re inside in this warmth and not out there” in the winter months.

As mentioned, the place is a little on the small side with around 5 tables, so I’d suggest getting there a little earlier to grab a seat inside.

In conclusion, I’d definitely recommend a visit, even if it is a little out of your way and may be a gamble as to what you’ll be able to eat.

Freckles

Nostitzstraße 33

10965 Berlin

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Restaurant Review – Vego Foodworld

There are a few gluten free places in Berlin that I have had on my “To Visit” list for some time, with Vego Foodworld in Prenzlauer Berg being on there for longer than most.  The reason behind this is a slight mystery to me as it is not far from where I live, serves fries and gluten free burgers for an average price.  I’d be odd not to visit right?  So, after some inner soul searching, the only thought that comes to mind is that the place offers a combination of Vegan and Gluten Free.  Now, this is something which happens fairly often in the world (although I’m still not sure why) and, unfortunately, it conjures a rather bland image in my head.  With so much missing from a glutenfrei diet, taking more options away to make it Vegan can only be a bad thing right?

So, a few weeks ago, back in the days of darkest winter and thanks mostly to a vegetarian friend (finding places we can both eat in is quite limiting) I ended up in Vego Foodworld one afternoon.  I arrived, took a brief look through their menu and became a little un-nerved, I’m not a fan of a restaurant which offers gluten free food but does not clearly mark said gluten free items on its menu.

But, thanks to a very helpful staff member, I was soon informed that they have a few different options from the burger list, all served on a gluten free bun.  Happiness indeed.  I hesitated for a moment at the glory of having options and then plumped for a Sumatra burger.

Yes, you are correct, it does look delicious.  Now, it was at this point that I decided to confront my earlier referenced “you’re taking too much away and there’ll be nothing left but bland” beliefs.  They were dumb, ill founded and a bit silly in hindsight.  Especially after I tasted the burger, blandness and lacking did not enter into my mind, tasty and happiness did.

It is also worth pointing out that the fries were made from actual real, out of the earth, potatoes.  If you do not live in Berlin, this may seem like an odd statement to make, are not all fries made from potatoes?  If you do live here though, you’ll know that the vast majority of places only offer the “frozen reformed potato product” variety of fries, it is something of a nightmare, but thankfully not in Vego, here you can enjoy your crispy tasty fries rather than let out whimpers of despair with each bite.

The place itself is a little lacking in character and very functional in appearance, but it doesn’t distract from the food and there are a few nice touches around.

In conclusion, if you were like me and associate Vegan Gluten Free food with blandness and have had no desire to visit, then stand up, slap yourself in the face, walk right up to a mirror and wag a finger at yourself with a disapproving look.  You’re being silly, go and visit Vego Foodworld now and stuff yourself with burgers.  You know you want to.

Vego Foodworld
Lychener Straße 63
10437 Berlin
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March 2013 Update

Here’s a collection of new places and tips received over the past few months.  I have not personally verified most of these so take extra care before visiting :

• Pappa e Ciccia – Schwedter Straße 18, 10435 Berlin - They have lot’s of Antipasti and main courses that don’t contain gluten (vegetables, salads etc.)  Any Pasta , except the homemade, can be ordered gluten free (made out of corn flour, buckwheat flour or/and rice flour).
• Freckles – Nostitzstr. 33, 10965 Berlin – They usually have gluten free cakes available.  Review to follow soon.
• Due Forni – Schönhause Alle 12, 10119 Berlin – Had a tip that they offer gluten free pasta, although when I have visited and inquired they no clue what gluten is.  This my vary dependent upon the staff so let me know if you have eaten here.
• Creperie Bretonne – Reichenberger Str. 30, 10999 Berlin – 100% Gluten Free galettes available, these are clearly marked on their menu.
• Dirty South – Krossener Str. 18, 10245 Berlin – Plenty of Gluten Free food available, although check that they are open before visiting, I have been twice to find them closed when their advertised times say they should be open.
• Lotus Cafe – They have some gluten free options listed on their menu (gluten free bread with soups, etc).
• Wienerwald – Lehniner Platz 2, 10709 Berlin and Hermannstr. 106, 12051 Berlin – They have an allergy info flyer detailing what is in their food – Link
• Vitalia Reformhaus – Schönhauser Allee 78-80, 10439 Berlin – Tip that they have been serving Gluten Free DS Ice Cream cones direct to eat!
• Viasko – Erkelenzdamm 49, 10999 Berlin – Tip that they usually have at least 1 starter and main dish on their menu, clearly marked as gluten free.
• Goldhahn und Sampson - Dunckerstraße 9, 10437 Berlin – They are selling Kikkoman Tamari soy sauce, which is far lighter than the Lima brand.

Tips are always appreciated and very helpful, if you know of anywhere not listed on the site please let me know via email.

Restaurant Review – Cielo di Berlino

The only downside to having a gluten free pizza place in your city is if said gluten free pizza place is the only one in said city.  So whilst I still enjoy the delights of Simela, my pizza based life was certainly lacking a little originality.  Thankfully there are other people in the world who understand this problem and one of them decided to start offering gluten-less pizzas here in Berlin, happiness and joy!  Cielo di Berlino itself is a kind of a little place, situated in what appears to be an old Berliner Kneipe (a pub of sorts, usually situated on a corner) a little south of Yorkstrasse.

Their bases are made from buckwheat and yes, you did read that correctly, they also offer lactose free cheese on the pizza!

The interior is in keeping with the history of the place, you have a few small wooden tables with flowers and such on them and the clientele is varied.  On the night I visited there was a nice mix of young couples, the odd tourist and an old couple who seemed to of been coming to the place for the last 40 years.

The menu itself is nice and simple and fairly standard, pick your pizza type and then add on two euros for the glutenfrei version (note, it’s only available in small).

Then, you should expect to wait a while.  This isn’t a big restaurant with a giant kitchen staff, neither is it an exercise in stale pre-prepared goods, rather each pizza is made fresh by hand by (on my visit) a single guy behind the counter.  This is a definitely a good thing, but if the place is busy, you will need to be patient.

So, when the pizza arrived, I was rather hungry and excited.  Now, the only downside to this whole experience is that I was not blown away by the pizza itself, the toppings were only ok and the whole thing was a little over seasoned, but not enough to be a problem.  The base, however, was rather good, thin and crispy and definitely better than the base at Simela.

As the gluten free pizza is only available in small, I was quite happy to see on their menu that they had some desserts available!

Plus, only €1.70!  I quickly ordered one.

It was rather delicious and rich, the perfect gluten free dessert.

In conclusion, I would recommend Cielo di Berlino, whilst the pizza is not as quite good as those at Simela, you have to remember that it is also half the price and that they offer gluten free desserts (plus, the odd other dish which is gluten free).  Add to this that the place has a little more character and soul to it and it makes up for it.

Cielo di Berlino

Monumentenstraße 31

10829 Berlin

Phone : +49 30 78001738

Nearest Transport : Yorkstrasse

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Product Review – Rewe Sandwich Bread

For some reason, when I saw that Rewe were offering their own brand of gluten free products, I wasn’t expecting greatness.  I hoped, as always, that it would surprise me and be good, although I expected disappointment.  But, I may have been burned too many times by buying a new variety of glutenfrei bread, taking it home and discovering it was lacking in many ways, so I thought, what the heck, lets buy some and give it a try!

Now, if this review was a hollywood romantic comedy about falling in love with bread, I’d be saying ‘well, after I tried it I had a huge surprise! it’s actually amazing’, but alas, this is the real world where disappointment exists and the end result was somewhat terrible.

As you can probably tell from the picture, it’s solid, dry, has an air of staleness and is very prone to crumble into dust.  Plus, the slices themselves are rather tiny.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I love the fact that Rewe is accommodating us gluten afflicted, they ARE making an effort and their range is pretty good.  I just wish it was something better and not more of the same.

In conclusion, I cannot recommend it.

Website

Product Review – Semper Glutenfrei Pasta

One of the larger pains from being one of the gluten afflicted is that most ready meals are out of your reach, they often contain some form of wheat, mostly as it’s a cheap way of packing out cheap food.  In some ways, it’s a benefit not being able to eat such things, it leads us to eat fresher and healthier food, even if we have the slight downside of mostly cooking it ourselves.  But, there are those occasions when you simply do not have any free time, you’re in a rush and need something quick and easy.  Thankfully, there are some gluten free ready meals, of a sort, available and I received a couple of them through the post (along with a small red hedgehog cheese grater) from the Swedish brand Semper.

The first I tried is the Fusilli Funghi.

I was a little concerned with the small packet, ideas of a single serving vary from person to person, plus with the amount of water the instructions required, it looked a little odd in the pan.

But, as with all ready meals, some faith is required that the end product will appear.  Thankfully, the water soon thickened and this is what popped out at the end (with a little cheese based assistance).

All in all, it was good enough, especially as I had to put no effort into making it atall.  I’d forgotten such a simple pleasure.

The second packet was a Penne Carbonara.

I had much the same thoughts, but was a little excited to see the word ‘Bacon’ on the packet.

The little brown squares are said bacon.  It could of been worse.

The end result was pleasing enough, again, with the ‘no effort’ part enhancing the whole experience.

In conclusion, they are quick, easy, taste as good as you’d expect any ready meal to taste.  But as they’re about the only gluten free version of a pasta ready meal, I’d definitely buy a few to stick in your cupboard.

A side note though, I have yet to spot them for sale in Berlin, so your only option may be online purchase.  If you have spotted them, please comment on this review so others can find them too.

Website

Restaurant Review – Fresh Eatery

UPDATE 19/01/13 – It looks like the Fresh Eatery is not gluten free atall, there are reports that people are having a reaction and that the vegetables are cooked in the same water as the wheat noodles.  Unfortunately, another symptom of the lack of gluten awareness in Germany.

DO NOT EAT HERE!

I’ve walked past the Fresh Eatery in Mitte quite a few times (The Barn next door makes some rather fine coffee), but have never ventured in.  I had assumed it was like most places here, in that they do not have any gluten free food listed, the staff are likely to be uninformed and there is no chance that I would risk eating there.  But, this time, I came armed with a tip that they do infact cater to those of us living without gluten, so in I popped and inquired.

Whilst waiting in the queue I was steeling myself to be disappointed, one, as there was no mention of gluten on any menu anywhere, just lots of dishes which could contain hidden gluten and two, that the place had the air of a chain restaurant.  But, after asking the staff, they pointed out that they have a little piece of paper sellotaped to the back of the refrigerator,  listing which of their dishes have gluten and which do not, happiness!  Although why this is hidden, and not printed out somewhere for all to see, is beyond me.

The place itself isn’t your highest class of restaurant, I wouldn’t go expecting to have a big, freshly prepared from scratch sumptuous meal, it’s definitely more the type of place you would go for lunch to get something good and healthy whilst not spending too much money.

The kitchen/counter area is quite tiny but full of aluminium containers of food keeping warm to the left and little plastic containers of toppings to the right.  Good in that you can see what is actually being put on your plate.  I plumped for a sweet potato, chicken and rice combo.

I was quite surprised by the freshness of the food, what with it not being prepared to order, although I guess I shouldn’t of been as it is called the fresh eatery.  Overall it was quite good, cheap and filling.  Perfect for a quick meal when out and about in Mitte.

The only downside about the whole place is the seating is not exactly comfortable and the easyjet orange tends to assault the eyes and brain.  Although neither will put me off going back again.

In conclusion, I wouldn’t run out and go there this instant, but I would keep it on a list for when you need to get some good and quick food whilst out in the city.  If you’re visiting Berlin, I’d recommend visiting the area nearby, there are plenty of nice little galleries down Auguststrasse.

Fresh Eatery

Auguststraße 58
10119 Berlin
030 22198047

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Product Review – Schär Backstuben Express Fein

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ll know that I’ve never been impressed with the gluten free bread offerings here in Germany.  Generally they’re all sturdy lumps of bread with a stale consistency, which, upon entering your mouth, crumble into a powdery dust.  But, thankfully, things are changing, even if a little on the slow side.  A while ago I came across a new offering from Schär on the shelves of my local reformhaus (it’s hard to miss as it comes in it’s own giant balloon like package) and promptly purchased some with the notion that it would be the same as all the previous offerings.  Passable, but not great (my positivity that it’s worth buying new breads, as they may actually be good, mixed in with my negativity that all gluten free bread here is generally bad).

So, when I actually tried some, I was pleasantly surprised.  It’s soft, fairly fresh and doesn’t crumble too much.  On my personal scale of ‘Compressed Sand’ to ‘Are you sure this isn’t gluten bread?’, it’s up there, around the 8.5 out of 10 mark, and it’s definitly the best glutenfrei bread I’ve had here.  The only grumble I have is that you do not get many slices, but it’s not the end of the world.

In conclusion, yes, buy it, although expect to be mostly satisfied rather than amazed.

Website

Cafe Review – Ohlàlà V Tartes Shop

Ahh, the Berlin brunch, how I do love it.  Well, apart from the having to check each dish for gluten with (a probably clueless) staff and then wait for them to check with the kitchen.  Generally, resulting in there being a few dishes that are gluten free and many that are not (usually enough to keep the belly rumbles at bay though).  So when I heard that there was to be a 100%, completely Gluten Free brunch in Berlin, I almost popped with excitement.  Alas, timing was not in my favour and it took me a good few weeks to make it to one.

The place itself is located a little north from Boxhagenerplatz, near to the Samariterstraße U5 stop and not too far down the street from Funk You.  Meaning that the area is fast becoming the best place to go to eat out gluten free (checkout the nearby Dirty South, who are gluten free friendly also).

Inside Ohlàlà, things are a little small but certainly not cramped, as in, it doesn’t feel like your sat on the lap of the person next to you, like some other places here.   Infact, it gives more of a homely, comfortable air that lends itself to being more sociable with your fellow diners.  Alas, the end result is that there are a limited number of tables, so I would highly recommend reserving one via email a few days in advance (see their facebook page for details).

The spread itself is pretty good, plenty of warm and cold food.  Both salads and fried goodies.

The little bowls were delicious mini soups and the stars in the top left were small fried delights of potato.  Happiness.

My second favourite were the gluten free waffles in the middle here.  With a little jam they were rather yummy, lovely and crunchy, just as I like them.

All in all, I was quite happy with the food.  Although, with being non-vegan and non-vegetarian I was a little worried about the selection, being limited to gluten free food is bad enough without further limiting the options.  But in the end, it wasn’t noticeable as there was plenty of tasty food to eat and it certainly didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything.  The sheer joy at being able to eat EVERYTHING available was pleasure enough.

Now, the detectives among you may of noticed that I referred to my second favourite food on offer.  Meaning that there must be a first favourite, well, you are correct, it was the chocolate mousse.

Tiny.  Absolutely delicious.  Square.  And with nuts.  What more could you want?  (plus, the tiny spoons to eat the mousse with were rather fun)

Now, a little about my previous experience with Ohlàlà.  I had heard that they offered glutenfrei tartes some time ago (infact, I had expected there to be some at this brunch) and had visited a couple of times to sample.  But on each occasion I was told that there was nothing gluten free on offer, there simply are not enough gluten free diners passing by to warrant it.  It’s a shame, but understandable.  Since then, they have added something to their menu :

Gluten Free Waffles!  It’s not a full meal, but I’ll happily take it.

In conclusion, go, you can be at a brunch, eat anything you want without a care in the world.  There are few things better for a gluten sufferer.   Plus, go as often as possible, there are few pplaces in the city that offer this kind of service for us, go and support them, give them as much money as possible and hope that their gluten free options only expand.

Ohlàlà V Tartes Shop

Mainzer Strasse 18

Friedrichshain

10247 Berlin

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Open :

Tuesday to Friday 12-19h
Saturday 11 – 18h
Sunday 14- 19h

Cafe Review – Goodies – Take 2

There are few things I love more than being surprised.  Especially being one of the gluten afflicted, finding new food that I can eat just happens so infrequently.  So, the other week, as I was happily minding my own business on the streets of Friedrichshain, a sudden desire for creamy tasty chocolate based coffee hit me.  Thankfully I was close to goodies, a very good coffee place and one of my favourites in Berlin, happiness indeed.  As mentioned in my review from 2010, there should be no gluten free food to be had there, so I was not expecting to be able to eat anything.  But, as I’m an eternal optimist I always sniff around the cake displays, in the hope of seeing something without gluten.  Usually fruitless, but look, look what they had!

Made by the glorious Veganz aswell!  I almost popped I was so surprised.

Ahh, good coffee and unexpected cake to eat.  It’s days like that which lessen the pain of living without gluten.

UPDATE 20/09/12 – It looks like they don’t always have a gluten free cake available, please check before going to be sure.

Goodies

Warschauerstr. 69

10243 Berlin