If you’re stuck in a Neukölln-Kreuzberg rut, it’s time to get out of your comfort zone and brave the way out west. Between the Kudamm and Hohenzollernplatz, the fine dining restaurant Honca sits on a quiet corner enclosed by romantic bistros and boutiques. Inside, Anatolian accents mingle into an elegant dining area where copper pans line the wall. Here, typical Turkish ingredients resurface in novel ways: Scallops, caramelized in sage butter, are paired with a salad of crumbled Çökelek cheese, fresh parsley, and cherry tomatoes. Fat slices of rosy duck with sumac sauce arrive atop a bed of sweet parsnip puree with dots of kumquat jelly. For dessert, a twist on Hösmerim (a Turkish favorite with a cheesecake consistency) is switched up with glossy plums and toasted almonds. But it’s the surprising pairing that makes it: a creamy swirl of Turkish “white cheese” ice cream that ticks all the boxes: sweet, savory, satisfying. (Text: Victoria Pease / Photo: Anne Freitag)
Honca, Ludwigkirchplatz 12, 10719 Berlin-Wilmersdorf; map
Tue-Fri 17-23h, Sat-Sun 13-23h
