Berlin, Germany (Weltexpress). When browsing through the worldwideweb in order to find descriptions for the Berlin situated restaurant “Pan Asia” one may find various descriptions of the spot. Some of them use terms as “puristic and modern”(berlin.de) to name its interieur, others describe the location as “the minimalist restaurant near to the Hackesche Höfe” (Berliner Morgenpost). Weltexpress wanted to know it more precisely and went there.
The restaurant
And yes: Both remarks apply. The aim of mdernity is clarification. Visitors can see that already from the outside, because to clarification belongs clarity, clear view on the essentials. The windows are wide, pure and reveal the look into the inside, in the restaurant which is no old fashioned snuggery but a sober factory canteen of the Modern Times. In here, nothing reminds of the 70s goldfish-in-aquarium ambience at a cheap glutamate Chinese. Contrawise the reduced room was filled up with young and modern people from all over the world. Bright “colours” and white with miraculous wine-red contrast dominate the right-angled space with high ceilings, is interrupted by weight-bearing square columns which serve the statics.Basically the walls look bald only interrupted by simple curtains and wine-red wall trimming. In summer the interior continues outwardly on a raised terrace and all colours Green provide a natural mood. The design is “straight” according to own information.
Kitchen and Crew
In the kitchen Steffan Rast is permanently occupied with the cooking for his customers, in the guest space, restaurant leader Christina Kotzakoulakis entertains the clients. Well-being for belly and conk: on the one hand Steffan Rastsets value on the preparation „value on short done times to receive the vitamins of the herbs and vegetable kinds“ (Berlin.de), and, on the other hand, Mrs. Kotzakoulakis discusses really long with us and obviously with pleasure, as if we were good old frequenters. This is charming, especially when she explains that the “PanAsia”-idea stands „for a fresh, healthy and quick kitchen, rich in aroma which is inspired by the Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese kitchen“ and „neither cream nor butter and hardly any animal fat would be in use“.
The menu
Soup is good food, especially when the Easten Berlin wind blows and puts down temperatures to an Siberian level. So we take a hot liquid starter: a “Thai Coconut Palm Soup” with marinated chicken, sugar pods, Shiitake, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, spring leek and Thaibasilikum. The delicacy is named “Tom Khai Gai” and is very good. “Tom Yam Gung” also comes on the table with the hint that the shrimps used here are really white-water shrimps. This is miraculous and tastes well agreeable.
Then, a full load of “Wan Tans” joins us and we enjoy the great paste parcels which are home-baked and vegetarian. While the colleague is still chewing his alga salad (Wakame sea grass with sesame and baked ginger) we look for the main dish.
Sushi has done the race for today and thus we scoff the incredible things like nothing. The New York city Beef scooter lies well on the fork. The coat exists of grilled filet of beef with piquant marinated tuna, in addition spring leek, avocado, Thai Asparagus with green Pepperoni Shiso salsa and a dark special sauce . Great!!! Also Maiki and Nigiri sushi walk in our mouths. With the Sashimi we advise Sashimi Moriawase, the variations with raw fish. The “Pan Asia” offers classics like Thai Chicken Curry and also Specials like Burger with home-baked BBQ sauce and sweet-potato-sticks, Mekong duck and Black Cod, to roasted “Alaska”-Black Cod with Miso, Thai Asparagus, pomegranate-fennel raw vegetarian food and wholemeal natural rice. Nevertheless, the coal fish which might be also confessed as a Sablefish should not be mistaken for cod. His mother-of-pearl-like colour, his firm consistency and his more richly of taste with a high fat salary fascinates and so he is estimated in the good kitchen very much.
A nice little Lemongrass-Creme-Brûlée as well as filled milk rice balls serve us as a dessert on top. We are full and contented. With a culinary elation we say goodbye to the crew of the “Pan Asia”, we leave the backyard in the Rosenthaler street behind and dip into the tourist bustle at the Hackeschen Höfen. We feel: Only flying is better than this!
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PAN ASIA, Rosenthaler Str. 38, 10178 Berlin, phone: +49.(0)30. 27 90 88 11, Email: info@panasia.de, Website: www.panasia.de, Facebook: www.facebook.com/panasiaberlin
Opening hours (Kitchen): Sunday th Thursday 12 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 12-01 p.m.
Advanced booking is advisable.
