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BIBIMBAP, GIMBAP, BINGSU AND CROFFLES — CLASSIC KOREAN DISHES AND TRENDING SWEET TREATS AT MOAMOA

BIBIMBAP, GIMBAP, BINGSU AND CROFFLES — CLASSIC KOREAN DISHES AND TRENDING SWEET TREATS AT MOAMOA

You can find a bibimbap on almost every corner of Berlin – but at this place run by Whisu Yu and Sun Kyoung Ahn, you’ll find some very unusual desserts besides the  Korean classics. Moamoa, located on Breslauer Platz in Friedenau, is both restaurant and cafe. With an aroma of freshly cooked rice and kimchi, the space features a wooden counter behind which almost everything is prepared. In summer, the space expands with outdoor seating. Bingsu ice cream is something you rarely find in Berlin, but it is a traditional dessert in Korea. Based on water and condensed milk, this ice cream has a shaved texture created by a special machine. The bingsu is garnished with a wide range of toppings: matcha powder, red, sweet bean paste, soy bean powder, nuts and/or mango. Croffles, meanwhile, are a somewhat newer trend. Made of croissant dough shaped into a waffle, these treats are served with vanilla ice cream and grated sweet brown cheese. If you prefer savory dishes you can choose between gimbap rolls, Korean soups and bibimbap.

Particular emphasis is placed on traditional cooking and preparation: the owners sought to stick as closely as possible to family recipes, meaning the kimchi and the chilli powder for fermenting the Chinese cabbage and radish are both homemade. For the latter, the pair pick, dry and grind the pods themselves. Moamoa means “to gather” and that is exactly what is done here: gathering and curating culture. So, if you’re in the mood for tradition but also something new, then stop by Moamoa. We advise you to come with a big appetite: you’ll need room for the unusual and delicious desserts! 

Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen

Moamoa, Hauptstr.81, 12159 Berlin–Friedenau; map
Tue–Thu 11h30–19h, Fri–Sun 11h30–21h

@moamoa.berlin

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SFERA — ROOMY CAFE FOR VEGAN BRUNCHES, WEEKDAY LUNCHES AND QUIET COWORKING WITH  COFFEE

SFERA — ROOMY CAFE FOR VEGAN BRUNCHES, WEEKDAY LUNCHES AND QUIET COWORKING WITH  COFFEE

Upon entering Sfera, a bright, inviting cafe greets you. It’s hard to know where to look first. The wooden counter? The honeycomb floor tiles? The wall ornaments? The royal blue chairs? One thing is clear: this is a space you’ll want to stay a while in. It’s only when you go up to order that you realize that there’s even more: through a small corridor, two other rooms open up. More sober in design, they’re no less impressive, with a wall of wine offering a toast to the cafe’s Altbau flair. Owner Jana moved to Berlin in 2017 and worked in a few brunch places (she was head chef at Allan’s Breakfast Club) before she decided to open her own shop on Böhmischer Platz in Neukölln in April 2023. She has developed a purely vegan menu for Sfera, which is housed – funnily enough – in a former butcher’s shop, whose  old mosaic wall remains today. The eat-in menu changes depending on the season but there are always sandwiches to go. My highlights from the current offerings: toasted brioche with fruit, vegan crème fraîche and basil, and the French toast with almond crème, cherries, sage and crumble. Don’t forget the savory dishes, such as the potato salad with smoked tofu and the oyster mushroom ceviche.

Natural wines from Vinofactum and 8greenbottles are available, as is coffee from Passenger. The bread is supplied by one of our all-time favorites, Gorilla Bakery. Incidentally: you might know Sfera from Herrlich Dining. The latter’s founders, Fee and Hannah, are old friends of Jana’s and have catered events in her space (there are plans for pop-ups, kitchen takeovers by chef friends and other get-togethers). Whether it’s a boozy brunch or a weekday lunch, a Sunday gathering or a quiet coworking sesh, this roomy cafe fits the bill on all counts.

Text: Robyn Steffen / Photos: Luna Schaffron

Sfera, Schudomastr.44, 12055 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Mon, Thu & Fri 10–16h, Sat & Sun 10–17h

@sfera.berlin

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GENIAL JAPANESE SHOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE UCKERMARK — YOKO & ANNA’S KOMBINI KIOSK

GENIAL JAPANESE SHOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE UCKERMARK — YOKO & ANNA’S KOMBINI KIOSK

Come to the gate of Großen Garten at the weekend and you will find Anna and Yoko manning the Kombini Kiosk. They spend their time brewing fresh coffee behind the wooden counter they built themselves and sitting in the sun with friends. You’ll be greeted with a hearty “Irashaimase”(welcome!). Twin sisters Anna and Yoko were born to German-Japanese parents and grew up in Berlin. When they talk about their childhood, they recall memories of the summer holidays they spent with their grandmother in Japan: the food, the hand stitched pyjamas and the time spent in the garden. It’s a childhood that led Anna to become textile designer and Yoko a florist and gardener. The Kiosk was started as a way to share the pair’s love of everyday Japanese objects. “We sell what we love” is the motto and, we must say: we love it too. There’s the porcelain chopstick holders in all different shapes from gyozas and radishes to edamame beans. Or the colorful Koinobiris – traditional carp flags that flutter enthusiastically even in a light breeze. In addition to those items (which, by the way, make excellent souvenirs or gifts), there are drinks and snacks as you’d expect from a kiosk: coffee, cake and Japanese specialities like homemade onigiris, yuzu lemonades and sake. The twins plan to offer workshops to share their expertise and interests, including regional, seasonal flower arranging, making “Uchiwa” (Japanese paper fans), painting and sake tastings. We can’t wait for that, and until then we’ll be sampling the hospitality, nice conversations and fun objects at the Kombini Kiosk. Oh, and if you do make the journey we highly recommend a visit to Parg for lunch and/or dinner.

Text & Photos: Robyn Steffen

Kombini Kiosk at Grossen Garten, Dorfmitte 11, 17268 Gerswalde; map
Sat 13–18h, Sun 12–18h

@kombini.kiosk

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SUNDOWNER ON FRIDAYS: DRINKS, MUSIC & WEEKEND VIBES AT CEE CEE CAFE

SUNDOWNER ON FRIDAYS: DRINKS, MUSIC & WEEKEND VIBES AT CEE CEE CAFE

How about winding down the week on a quiet corner, with relaxing vibes and a refreshing beverage of your choice? If that’s your idea of the perfect Friday night too, come on by, because from now on Fridays are Aperitivo Time at Cee Cee Cafe. Maybe you’ve heard: We’ve opened a pop-up cafe, around for the next few months somewhere between Checkpoint Charlie and the Jewish Museum. It’s not on your route home exactly, but it’s a wonderfully tranquil and sunny corner right in the middle of it all. Our barista team serves specialty coffee and matcha from Matchasome during the day, and bubbly, sparkling and chilled beverages in the evening. With and without – that is to say: recently non-alcoholic drinks from the Mindful Drinking Club complement the selection when the aperitivo o’clock starts. So best come right at 17h – music is provided. Small snacks for before (or after) dinner are also available. So, all that’s missing for the best balmy summer evening is you.

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Chloe Galea & Sophie Doering

Cee Cee Cafe, Besselstr.13, 10969 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
Mon–Fri 8h30–17h, Sat & Sun 10–16h

@ceecee.cafe.berlin

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WHERE TO BRUNCH THIS WEEKEND: JAPANESE BITES AT CEE CEE CAFE

WHERE TO BRUNCH THIS WEEKEND: JAPANESE BITES AT CEE CEE CAFE

Some readers may already know that we have started our very own Cee Cee (pop-up) Cafe in an extremely central neighborhood just a stone’s throw from the Jewish Museum. We will be hosting a rotating weekend-only brunch series and we’re excited to announce our first menu. Brought to you by a team of expat foodies from Japan living in Berlin, the cafe will be showcasing Japanese dishes with a delicious Western twist. Our current sweet and savory brunch specials include a Kakuni Burger with melt-in-your-mouth juicy Japanese braised pork belly, karashi-mustard mayo sauce and a side of edamame. Or, for a summery and light option, there’s a soba salad with cold Japanese buckwheat noodles on top of leafy greens tossed in aromatic homemade sesame oil dressing. Then there’s the vegan onigiri combo which includes rice balls, pickles and a bowl of cold summer miso soup that’s a perfect dish for warm days. If you like to start your day with something sweet, we recommend the toasted matcha cake bread with matcha cream and seasonal berries and, for those who like their brunch a bit boozy, some not-so-classic drinks. There’s the Yuzullini (think Bellini but with yuzu-honey), and homemade lemonade that might remind you of a popular Japanese milk-based soft drink known as Calpico. If you are looking for a brunch that serves up fresh flavors, this is your chance!

Text: Sven Hausherr / Photos: Robyn Steffen & Sophie Doering

Cee Cee Cafe, Besselstr.13, 10969 Berlin–Kreuzberg; map
Mon–Fri 8h30–17h, Sat & Sun 10–16h

Japanese brunch, Sat & Sun 10h30–16h (kitchen closes at 15h30) until 02.07.2023

@ceecee.cafe

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