The Store Berlin

April 28, 2016April 28, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

The Store is an ever-changing space created to inspire, create, work and enjoy – and most of all, to shake-up the stereotype of how a fashion retail place should look like. Located in the über-cool Soho Haus Berlin hotel, The Store makes you feel like at home, with its beautifully curated furniture (from chic Pierre Jeanneret seats to Mathieu Matégot heart shaped-patio set) and a connoisseur-level book selection, coming straight from London’s cult Idea Books. Moreover, The Store is Berlin‘s hottest fashion destination right now, with heaving hangers of Vetements, The Row and Loewe. The shelf with classic vinyls and a lovely corner with freshly-cut flowers is at the entrance, while the bar, which serves organic salads and other seasonal goods, will keep you here for a longer time… so just sit on one of the velvet armchairs, take a sip of your coffee and try on these Vetements boots with a cigarette-lighter heel!

Torstraße 1 / Berlin

There is a Comme des Garçons display of autumn-winter 2016 collection right now, too!

Zenkichi Berlin

April 25, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

There is a widespread affiliation that if a restaurant serves Japanese cuisine, then it should have sushi in its menu. However, Zenkichi restaurant in Berlin is an exception, as they call themselves a Japanese brasserie – so, there is a focus on variety of Japanese dishes, which is often missed in other “Japanese” restaurants. Zenkichi experience starts at the very entrance to the place – it’s literally a bamboo maze, and every table is hidden in traditional, slightly lighted mini-rooms, with blinds which are put down by the waitress. In other words, I was quite sure that this is what you feel in this type of place in Japan – intimacy, tranquility, peace. This foreshadowed only the good, and indeed, my intuition was right.

The food, served like art, was unbelievably… I don’t how to describe this level of deliciousness. Their seasonal small plates, which are popular among Tokyoites, are recommended to share, while emphasis is put on Omakase (chef’s tasting menu) – it changes every season to showcase the best fish and vegetables available in the market. During my last visit to Zenkichi, I ordered three dishes – sashimi of fish of the day (salmon, scallop and yellow tail tuna), thinly sliced organic beef tataki served with soy sauce and the one and only hiyashi tsukimi udon – my favourite. This one is quite sophisticated, though – udon noodles in bonito dashi broth, with wakawe seaweed, a soft organic egg (!) and wasabi. Served chilled. Heaven, noting that I’m a number one fan of Japanese pasta!

Drinks are as important as food at Zenkichi, with its rich assortment of rice wine and Japanese whisky. The menu of sake is long, and Zenkichi specializes in junmai, so the pure-rice ones. The free-of-additives sake is initially served cold, however Zenkichi believes that the warmth of the drinker’s hands makes the taste “blossom”, like a cherry tree. Myth? Nope. I totally agree with them, after trying myself.

If you’re in Berlin, and you are obsessed with Japanese cuisine just like me (but want to try something more than sushi, though) – Zenkichi is the place for you. A must, if you ask me!

Johannisstraße 20 / Berlin

November in Berlin

November 12, 2015November 12, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Berlin always charges me up with creativity. That’s why, I can honestly recommend a trip to this diverse and extraordinary city to anyone who wants to spend his or her time in a, as they say, hype way. Here is my November mini-guide to the city’s most interesting shops and restaurants.

ORA – Kreuzberg – A former pharmacy is situated on the peaceful Oranienplatz, which one day became the most beautiful restaurant of the German capital – ORA. With the original cabinets de curiosities, wooden shelves and marble counters from the past, the restaurant serves lovely carrotscakes and casual, yet nutritious lunches. The romantic interior makes this restaurant not only a place to “EAT AT”, but also to “BE IN”.

Oranienplatz 14

Voo Store – Kreuzberg – Voo is a concept store hidden in a former locksmith shop patio with perfectly selected clothes (Marques Almeida, A.P.C., Our Legacy, Gosha Rubchinskiy pack), awesome shoes (Raf Simons X Adidas rules) and lovely stationery (the notebooks! the pottery!). Here, you can relax and read niche magazines while drinking drip coffee from their Companion Coffee place.

Oranienstraße 24

Kreuzberg wouldn’t be such a bold and colourful district without its well supplied flower-shops.

Fête De La Boutique – Mitte – Owners Feli and Teresa have created a cozy atmosphere in their place. Self-designed contemporary furniture accompanies niche French, German and Scandinavian brands like Bruuns Bazaar, American Retro or Minimum. From fashion to home decor to jewelry and books, Fete De La Boutique makes you feel nearly like at home.

Mulackstraße 11

Unico – Mitte – Unico selects its jewellery straight from the studios of the most talented and contemporary designers from Buneos Aires. Their small, eclectic space located in the heart of Mitte is a place where a perfect Christmas gift can be found.

Alte Schönhauser Straße 50

Qua Phe – Mitte – Qua Phe is leading the Asian cuisine game in Berlin, and specifically the Vietnamese one. Great selection of finger food from Vietnam like banh bao or bahn gio is here, and you can eat it in a off-duty atmosphere of wooden tables, Asian stools and raw, metallic elements. Qua Phe is also known as a Vietnamese coffee shop – if you are visiting this place, don’t forget to taste their coffee drips with one of their signature desserts, ginger moshi! This gluey, sweet treat reminds me of toffee, but not quite…

Max-Beer Straße 37

Qua Phe

August 18, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

Qua Phe is leading the Asian cuisine game in Berlin, and specifically the Vietnamese one. Great selection of finger food from Vietnam like banh bao or bahn gio is here, and you can eat it in a great atmosphere of wooden tables, Asian stools and raw, metallic elements. However, real Berliners come to Qua Phe as to a Vietnamese coffee shop – if you are visiting this place, don’t forget to taste their coffee drips with one of their signature desserts – ginger moshi! This gluey, sweet treat reminds me of toffee, but not quite…

Max-Beer Straße 37 / Berlin

Paper & Tea

August 16, 2015August 17, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

“You drink coffee I drink tea, my dear”

Paper & Tea is a speciality tea company founded in Berlin. The brand is inspired by tea’s legacy throughout the ages as an agent of communication, creativity and culture. At P&T, the are committed to an ongoing exploration of the world’s finest teas. “We are constantly taste-testing new crops and special varieties to add to our offering. We carry only whole-leaf, hand processed and single-garden tea of the highest grade“. In their Mitte store, you can taste teas, consult your choice with specialists and learn a lot about various tea types. And as their summer sale started, I couldn’t resist buying mostly EVERYTHING!

I absolutely recommend you to try out: Kumano from Mie in Japan (fresh, fruity, grassy), Sakura Garden(also from Mie), In The Mood for Love from Yunnan in China (floral, jasmine, subtly smoky) and Spring Blush from Margaret’s Hope Estate in India (apricot, white peach and wildflower honey).

Alte Schönhauser Straße 50 / Berlin