Regional German Cuisine
Berlin, Germany
Cuisine Style: German
Average Price: $$$
Overall Rating: 5/5
Dined in: May 2012
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Sous Chef:
Dirk Aulig
East Berlin; as I grew up in the 1980s was a part of the “Evil Empire,” the DDR or the Deutsche Demokratische Republik. I saw pictures my father showed me of the wall, and a few illegal pictures he took of Hitler’s Bunker when he went on a tour of the Eastern side. Then in 1989 that all changed as the wall was torn down. When I visited in 2012, the Hilton Hotel where I stayed is today located in Berlin's City center, but back then it was the East. Seeing Checkpoint Charlie and other sights from a tourist perspective versus the soldiers was a great thrill for me. At the Hilton, in the Restaurant Mark Brandenburg where you can enjoy regional German cuisine with locally sourced products, great German beer, and world wine list.
Menu:
- Apéritif
- Beer Flight
- Business Lunch
- Starters
- Main Courses
- Our Favorites
- Menu Recommendations
- Sweets
The Restaurant Mark Brandenburg overlooks the historic Gendarmenmarkt where the seasonal variations and fresh produce are sourced from as well as the Brandenburg markets. If you reserve the Domeck room to host your next business meeting or family which seats 30 Guests, you will have great views of the market as well. The restaurant itself seats an additional 100 diners with a sustainable menu specializing in the preparation of simple, fresh dishes with a modern twist. The menu changes three times a year to showcase the seasonal, locally sourced produce as well.
They also have unique items offered on the menu such as ostrich, honey from local beekeepers in Berlin, veal tongue, pork cheeks, and calf liver to name a few. Some of there local craft beers include Hopfen-Weisse, Bohemian pilsner, Wiener Lager, IPA, Imperial IPA, and Stouts. I enjoyed the Maisel & Friends to start before switching to some German wine, a Rheingau region Riesling from Weinhaus Fritz Allendorf. A cuvée from Schönburger Meiner which is an uncompromisingly dry-built wine with mash fermentation and wood barrel removal, which is why its aroma is very secretive-looking according to the winemaker.
Germany has 13 Anbaugebeit wine regions, to which Rheingua near Frankfurt is the smallest. It is located on the Rhine river, and the -gau suffix denotes that it was once a county of the Frankish Empire. The classic Rheingau wine is a dry Riesling with pronounced acidity and aromas of citrus fruits and smoke-tinged minerality – typically more "masculine" than its equivalent from the Mosel.
The restaurant has a fantastic ambiance, very rich in texture with wood walled panels and columns, large windows with wonderful city views, and a great bar. From the hotel, you walk down old carpeted and wood designed staircase straight out of a 19th century novel to the main dining room, where you are greeted, and sat. The main entrance from the street is on the opposite side of the stairs. If the upscale and classy ambiance, white table clothes, and the well-dressed wait staff was the selling point to the experience, then I could not wait to try the food. This seemed like the type of place great for foodies like me, or a place for people to come and enjoy intimate dates if they wished.
I started with some Berlin Potato Soup, which is a blend of parsnips, potato, and cream, garnished with beetroot, mustard pickles, and lye bread croutons. There was a nice hint of nutmeg to the soup adding another layer of flavor with the overall wonderful textures that were surprising, and well accepted. I was expecting a typical style potato soup that I had more times than could be counted back in America, but this was fantastic.
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| Berlin Potato Soup |
The main entree course was a steak tartar with fried egg, veal check carpaccio and seasonal salad plate that had my mouth watering, going perfectly with the Riesling.
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| Steak tartar, veal check carpaccio |
Dessert:
I was completely full and could not get dessert, however, they had a few options of interest from there the dessert tray which contained several favorites that change daily such as a cold cucumber-granny smith apple soup.
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
Germany:
Other Noteworthy German Articles & Restaurants:
A Taste of Berlin Relaxed hangout serving German grub in Brandon, Florida
Josty Bistro Eatery serving German regional cuisine at the Potsdamer Platz Sony Center in Berlin, Germany
Old Castle Restaurant German specialties at a world-style tavern in Ruskin, Florida
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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10
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10
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0
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Food quality
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10
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9
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1
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Plate presentation
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9
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9
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0
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Customer service
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10
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9
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1
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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9
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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49
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46
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3
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Total percentage Before Bonus
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0.938775510204082
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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2
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0.0408163265306122
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Total percentage with a bonus for the final star rating
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0.979591836734694
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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5
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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5 of 5 Stars:
95% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience
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Wine List:
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Wine rating:
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7 of 10
Old World selections:
Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain
New World selections:
Argentina, Australia, California, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa
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Corkage fee’s:
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This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge
$25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Conservative dining
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Cuisine style:
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German
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Farm to Fork, Gluten Free, Grass Fed, Local, Pescatarian, Sustainable, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Business casual or Conservative attire
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Modern, Lounge, Business parties, Great bar, Classy, Upscale, and a Neighborhood gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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Valet
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Nonsmoking restaurant
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Patio or terrace:
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No
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥¥
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Restaurant Mark Brandenburg:
Hilton Berlin
Mohrenstrasse 30, 10117
Berlin, Germany
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+49-30-20230 0
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Online reservations
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Email Contact:
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Serving hours:
Central European Daylight Time
(GMT or UTC + 2:00)
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Mon-Fri
12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Sat-Sun
5:00 pm - 11:00 pm
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Social Media
&
Accolades:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Rustic New American Fare
St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
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Contemporary, African-French Tasting Journey
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
Haute Gastronomique French restaurant & bistro
Bordeaux, France
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Other Pictures:
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| Street entrance |
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| Dining room |
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| Table setting |
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| Bread starter |
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| Steak tartar |
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
