I’m in Germany for the next couple of months and whenever I’m here, I find myself craving spicy food. Germans are not known for their spice tolerance, and even though there are a ton of Southeast Asian immigrants and restaurants here, it can be difficult to find one that serves dishes that are actually spicy (at least to my palate). I was browsing Google for new restaurants in my neighborhood and I noticed that many of the reviews for Taleh Thai mentioned that the food was SPICY, so I thought I would give it a go!
Stopped in for dinner last night and enjoyed some steamed chicken dumplings and red curry with snake beans, tiny eggplants and beef. When I placed my order, I asked the waiter for extra spicy and that I was American, not German, so please not to hold back! He chuckled at that and kindly brought me a dish of extra chiles to add to my curry if I found it not spicy enough. However, IT WAS SPICY!!! Not choking and reaching for a glass of milk spicy, but definitely hot enough to get my mouth tingling. And not just spicy, really flavorful and well balanced to boot. A lot of Thai places in NYC make their curries far too sweet, which I hate. This one was just right - hint of sweet, hint of sour, LOTS of heat.
I’ll definitely be back to check out more of their menu. I was lucky to get a table - most were reserved starting at 6:30 or 7, and I think they only seated me because I came in around 5:30pm and knew they could get me in and out quickly since I was dining alone. Definitely check them out if you are in Berlin and looking for spice!
Thanks! Glad that you can ease your spicy thirst. I think when you are dining alone, you have more chance to get into place that needs formal reservation.
I know, I miss @linguafood! Her Berlin recommendations have never steered me wrong.
BTW, I know I’ll probably get thrown out of the country for saying this, but I’m not a big Spargel fan. I don’t mind it, but I don’t get excited about it, especially the fat white stalks that are so beloved here. I’ve never understood the obsession, but it always makes me smile. A few years ago I did a production of Kurt Weill’s Die Dreigroschenoper in English, and in the scene where Mack the Knife is trying to break out of prison, they ask him what he wants for his last meal and he replies “Asparagus!” It isn’t funny AT ALL to an American audience, and none of my cast mates spoke German or had ever spent any time here during Spargelzeit, so I had to explain to them why I always giggled at that particular line.
Sorry I’ve been MIA for so long… life can get in the way sometimes.
@biondanonima: glad to hear you’re back in my hometown, and that you’ve found some spicy Thai food. If the weather allows & you’re not averse to making a trip to the west, you absolutely must check out Thaiwiese @Preussenpark.
I probably have mentioned it here before, b/c I spend nearly every Saturday or Sunday afternoon there eating my way through the delights the local Thai community prepares – for 5 Euro/plate at that.
Serious cocktails, too, and massages if that’s yer thing.
I plan on being in Berlin again for May & June – will you still be there? Might be fun to meet up…no mandatory spargel dinner necessary, I promise '-)
The fist pounding works. Happy to see you here again, however briefly.
Biondanonima, I have some Berlin food news/scene mag clippings if you have some time for light reading. The same thing I sent LF, btw. File size is quite big but I can resize the screenshots. If you are on a laptop the big files are better for zooming in.
You have probably mentioned it (being not really a fan of asparagus). I think many Amerikanern don’t like European asparagus because they are not used to the taste. Also, they don’t now how this veg is so revered here no wonder your colleagues and audience didn’t find it funny and didn’t get it.
Enjoy your time in town and tell us about your (food) adventures if you have the time (though, you are probably there for work).
Nice to hear from you @linguafood! I will definitely get over to Thaiwiese soon - in fact, it’s supposed to be nice out tomorrow. Might be time for a long bike ride and some good eats!
I am planning to be in Europe until mid-May but possibly not in Berlin - doing some traveling at the end of my trip. Keep me posted on your plans, though, and if we are here at the same time, we’ll do Thaiwiese together!
Sweet to see your post and be reminded of meeting you at the Thaiwiese park in Berlin. I just love Berlin, but the best I can do most of the time is vicarious pleasure through you and some others there.
About spice heat in Germany, I agree that mildness prevails almost always, but I do recall a few sausages from when I was living in Mainz that my German friend aptly characterized: “Es brennt zweimal.” (Hot going in and going out.)
