Brückenstrasse in Mitte is a special place. Loud, busy and fabulously dirty, this street between KitKat and the Chinese Embassy packs in the maximum number of snack bars until turning into something of a no-man’s land as you go towards Alexanderplatz. It’s amidst the busyness that you’ll find this insider tip: Erbil. Sharing its name with the capital of the autonomous region of Kurdistan in Iraq, this restaurant serves – that’s right – Iraqi-Kurdish cuisine. How does it taste? In short: really, really nice. It’s nourishing, warm and aromatic. Erbil’s speciality is home-baked tandoori bread, flat slabs of wheat dough that come fresh from the oven. They’re served either with dips or as a wrap. The sandwich version (laffa) comes with makali (fried vegetables) and lots of fresh herbs or lamb – both are tasty. Those who prefer to avoid wheat can try the bryani, a golden rice dish with sultanas and salad. Add to it a sauce of your choice (I recommend Tapsi – tomato and aubergine) or, if desired, lamb. The latter is tender and comes in just the right amount. If you eat in, you can treat yourself to a vegetable soup on the house –an example of the warmth of the people who run the restaurant. This friendliness makes up for the waiting times you can encounter – a consequence of the freshly prepared dishes and the crowds, especially at lunchtime. The separate lunch menu is well worth sampling.
Text: Hilka Dirks / Photos: Rebecca Schatz
Erbil, Brückenstr.2, 10179 Berlin–Mitte; map
Daily 11–23h
@erbilfreshfood
