Eierschale Dahlem

It is July and the heat in the city has been extreme, recently reaching 38 degrees C (100 F) in the shade on a few days. We have been eating a lot of cold plates at home consisting of antipasti and salads along with a bit of grilled meat. Most restaurants do not have air-conditioning here because the normal weather of the region does not warrant it. I would guess that this summer has some owners wondering about the wisdom of this concept. Not too long ago we decided to begin exploring the beer gardens of Berlin.

The name Eierschale (Eggshell) has a rather storied history in the city. It was the name of a jazz club on Breitenbachplatz from 1955-1972. While I was in Berlin in the Fall of 1989, I had a couple of drinks and enjoyed a live jazz band from Chicago in another Eierschale on the Kudamm, short for Kurfürstendamm and the most famous avenue of West Berlin. The Wall was falling and this city was hopping. In 2010 there are two restaurants in Berlin using the name Eierschale and one is located in the district of Dahlem and appropriately named Eierschale Dahlem. It has a pleasant beer garden with an extensive menu and my wife and I enjoyed our experience there.

Considering the name of the establishment you might expect plenty of egg dishes on the menu and this proved to be true. There were several different breakfasts and omelets that one could order until 4 PM and we both decided on one of these. After twelve years in New Orleans my wife developed a love for fresh shrimp. The Omelette Garnelen was super-sized to include the size of the shrimps. I ordered an English Breakfast which was two fried eggs with four strips of bacon on a bed of breakfast beans with a tasty sauce. A generous portion of various fresh fruits was also included. We shared a basket of fresh breads with butter and marmalade. My wife ordered an Apfelsaftschorle (apple juice and mineral water) and, because someone had to drink a beer in a beer garden, I went for a tall wheat variety. After her best effort my girl raised the white flag on her omelet and I just couldn't leave those shrimps behind. After all of that it felt a little warmer outside. Fortunately our VW has a really good air-conditioner.