Born and raised in a Jewish Moroccan family in Israel, Yuval Belhans has been busy since arriving in Berlin in 2015, running kitchens and even creating the menu for Kitten Deli. Here’s one more of his projects: Kiddush, a supper club inspired by traditional Jewish Friday night dinners. Serving up challah and unforgettable sabich sandwiches, events are being held at cantine collective La Vie en toast in Neukolln every Friday for the rest of summer. For our visit, we were seated outside on a long white cloth table directly under a linden tree, an open grill glowing behind us. No doubt: this is how alfresco dining should be. Accompanying the homemade challah bread – still warm from the oven – was tahini, harissa and s’chug (Middle Eastern hot sauce with peppers, garlic and coriander) and a selection of Yuval’s hearty salads. The challah stuffed with ground beef was one of the most flavorful bites I’ve had in a while, topped with S’chug to cut the richness. Utterly perfect.

The arrival of the main dishes – Moroccan chicken, fresh-line seabass, charred cabbage and stuffed vine leaves – caused guests to erupt into chatter as they figured out who would get the first bite. Diners sitting at our shared table went from polite conversation at the beginning to swapping dishes with strangers by the end of the night. It felt like a real family dinner, with simple, flavorful dishes. A new Friday-night tradition? We think so.

Text: Kate Foran / Photos: Kiddush & Café Bravo

Kiddush at La Vie en toast, Harzer Str.39, 12059 Berlin–Neukölln; map

Next dinner 12.08.2022 – tickets can be booked here

@kiddushberlin

A good mood is guaranteed at Treat, not least because of the big gold smiley emblazoned on the front of the Neukölln wine shop. The logo also features on Treat’s glasses, in which they serve the likes of low intervention and biodynamic orange wine from the Czech Republic and Portuguese Pet Nats (see our article from 2020). Now owner Julia Böning has a new “treat” in store: she’s invited the team from Feed the Pony to cook for a series of weekend dinner nights. In the kitchen is Hannah, who worked at nearby Palsta and Brasserie Lamazère, while up front is Marty, who brings expert knowledge and lots of passion (Maja, the third in the group, is currently on parental leave). The trio share a passion for seasonal, regional ingredients of the finest quality. Dinner is served on small plates and bowls, with home-baked dark rye bread and whipped creamy butter on the side. The refreshing summer tomato salad comes with a dressing of rhubarb and elderberry, while the vichyssoise soup is given a green makeover with crunchy peas and fish from Stechlinsee – easily the best dish of the evening.

That said, the fermented potato waffles with crème fraîche and unripe gooseberries are a fun, surprising standout. For dessert you’ll find a slimline spin on Topfenknödel served with slivers of almond on top. From a culinary standpoint it’s all great, but it’s the partnership between Treat and Feed the Pony that’s where the magic happens. Treat customers had long been requesting a food menu to go with their wine – a wish that has now been fulfilled. Whether you class it as food with wine or wine with food doesn’t matter – both have equal billing here. The Treat team are there to guide you through the evening’s wine list: discovering Portuguese mousse sparkling wine was a highlight of the evening, as was the “Aparte Amber Orange” with its funky flavors. In short, the food and drink wowed us – as did the personable team’s incredible knowledge and expertise. We went home with grins as wide as the smiley on the window.

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Nina Trippel & Julia Böning

Treat Berlin, Okerstr.35, 12049 Berlin–Neukölln; map
Feed the Pony Fridays & Saturdays from 18h; you can request a table by email

@treatberlin
@feed_thepony