After a fabulous weekend of wine and Ankerklause dancing what better way to wrap up a Sunday evening than with a heart to heart over platefuls of yum and goblets of wine. On this occasion we happened to be in Mitte after catching some culture at a short film festival and wandered into the Alte Schönhauser Straße, frequented usually for overpriced retail therapy or silly snogs at the Pony Bar. The welcoming beacon of Italian hospitality glowed at us from its corner across the street and as we stepped through the door the warm atmosphere and good smells wafting around confirmed this would be a more than pleasant evening.
Trendy atmosphere and good food
Seated in a cozy corner next to the open kitchen, we were positively surprised at the buzzing atmosphere late on a Sunday evening. We were probably lucky to even get a table. We immediately opted for a classic antipasti sharing platter and a bottle of rouge to accompany us as we pored over the short quality-not-quality menu. The menu is short and sweet, with a selection of classic pastas and salads. The changing daily menu features meatier dishes also based on pasta. On other days they may have mussels, soups, gnocchi, based on good, quality and seasonal ingredients. The friendly, beaming service was a treat, efficient and advisory and happy to cater to my gluten-free fussiness, running back and forth to the kitchen to confirm rearrangements.
Italian antipasti and meats
The antipasti platter was a pretty selection of simple pecorino and salami, with plenty of olives to calm our rumbling stomachs so late in the day. We opted for a fabulously smooth Pinot Noir named Chat Sauvage – savage cat – which somehow captured the mood perfectly and lured our taste buds toward the next course. The daily menu included a duck ragout which neither of us could resist. Usually served on a bed of tagliatelle, mine was more of a simple stew with a side salad. The meat itself was lightly shredded and embalmed in a tomatoey, perfectly balanced sauce somehow bolognaisey but the deeper, melt-in-the-mouth duck meat simply divine. Paired with the sauvage Pinot Noir simply fabulous!
Now I am not so often tempted by dessert but enjoying the evening so much – and even after 10.30pm the restaurant still lively – we decided to celebrate the evening with a Tartufo ice cream creation. The hugely generous truffle chocolate ice cream was powdered in cocoa and dressed in a deep chocolate sauce, sprinkled with pomegranate seeds and topped with a physalis. The best dessert I’ve had the pleasure of indulging in for months!
Perfect Italian evening, for Mädchen and Jungs alike, dates and good friends, decently priced, a long-time favorite in Mitte!
Where to Go
Alte Schönhauser Straße 12
10119 Berlin
+49 30 40041787
