At Charlotte

June 15, 2017June 15, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

Just like a well-kept secret, Charlotte is hidden. Walk into the beautifully tiled patio in the heart of Wroclaw, and you suddenly appear in the most Parisian bistro. Charlotte serves home-made eclairs, macaroons and fruit tarts, but not only. With an impressive selection of signature jams and French wines, Charlotte is Wroclaw’s go-to spot for both, breakfast and late lunch. Don’t forget to grab a brioche or a crispy loaf of bread, baked earlier in the morning.

ul. Świętego Antoniego 2/4 / Wroclaw

All photos by Edward Kanarecki.

New Year’s Berliner

January 3, 2017 | Design & Culture by Ed

We are three days into 2017 and it feels like a perfect time for sharing New Year’s resolutions. But this blog isn’t about everyday tips for existence, so I honestly don’t want to write about the unreal new me. I guess reading about losing weight and taking self-care moments is inspirational only during those first free (okay, four) days of the year, so I think additional trashing of the internet with this type of vagueness is a waste of time. I’m entering 2017 with hopes, and I hope this year won’t be so turbulent as the last one – both on global scale and in my personal life. But 2017 is also the year of the rooster: so we should all expect big changes coming, for good and bad.

Right, I’m stopping here with all this reflectiveness. I’ve spent my New Year’s Eve in one of the most beautiful (in every meaning of this word) cities in the entire world – Berlin. Although nearly everything was closed and I just had to spend those few hours on wireless spa lounging, I’ve checked out a few of my Berliner favourites. The Store, which sells everything from Vetements to vintage Interview magazines, always strikes me with its incredible retail concept. For lunch, I tried out the neighboring Cecconi’s: an Italian restaurant kept in a typically ‘SoHO’ style interior. A lot of big-city fuss, dozens of stylish people, yet the food seemed plain (I ate their classical pizza, and beef carpaccio, which had far too much of mayonnaise on it). The next day took me to Qua Phe, a Mitte district mecca. I was 100% sure I won’t be dissapointed. Delicious pork buns, spicy salad, traditional Vietnamese coffee and ginger mochi. I can brunch here literally everyday.

The Store – Torstraße 1 / Cecconi’s – Torstraße 1 / Qua Phe – Max-Bee-Straße 37

The Store

In Mitte

Patrick Hellmann Schlosshotel

Qua Phe

All photos by Edward Kanarecki

Panama in Berlin

October 23, 2016October 24, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Why here? Everything about Panama makes it the hottest restaurant of the moment, or even… a cult place. Hidden on Potsdamer Straße (a stone throw from Andreas Murkudis), the two-story space has been designed by Karoline Butzert and Nora Witzigmann. It breathes with contemporary art, and the artistic contributions, like Julius von Bismarck’s photographs or bone-shaped neon by Kerim Seiler, lets you feel like in an art gallery.

What to eat? The idea behind Panama’s menu is to share your food with others. That’s why it’s recommended to order about 5 different dishes per person, to discover the restaurant’s unique cuisine. From German saltwater shrimp with blueberries to potato from fire served with Iberico ham and herring, Panama offers a wide range of varying tastes and ingredient compositions. Don’t forget to try ‘Panama’ empanadas with sesame ponzu!

The atmosphere is… somewhere between extraordinary and casual. Although it’s a perfect spot for an evening with friends, every visit to Panama ends up as an experience. Panama is never empty, and you must be truly lucky if you catch a table at seven, without booking in advance.

Potsdamer Straße 91 / Berlin

Some photos are by Edward Kanarecki, others via the restaurant’s site.

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

Bistrot Giacomo

February 11, 2016February 11, 2016 | Design & Culture by Ed

Bistrot Giacomo is Milan‘s best kept secret if talking of a soigné-mannered bistro / restaurant. The place is fully booked every evening – and not just because of romantically chic interior. The wooden shelves, which are literally heaved up with antique books; the burgundy sofas and cushions; walls with huge, old mirrors; the floors covered with tiles. All of that defines a classical Milanese restaurant where Italians (note: we were the only “tourists” in the restaurant that day) eat their taglione pasta with fried artichokes and pomegranate dressing, beef tartare and home-made buns with dried tomatoes. It’s not only a place where you will feel like an Italian and drool over your meal – it’s also the place, where you are likely to meet somebody from the Milan-based fashion industry. I’ve met with Alessandro Dell’AcQua, the creative director behind N21 and Rochas, the second time in this city – specifically, firstly at his show last autumn, and here!

Via Pasquale Sottocorno 6 / Milan