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Rediscovery of a classic Berliner Weisse Aperitifs at The Grand
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Tuesday til Saturday 18h - open end
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The Grand
Hirtenstraße 4
10178 Berlin-Mitte
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Sometimes it's the smallest doors that hide the biggest surprises. The entrance to The Grand on Hirtenstraße in the Scheunenviertel is modest. A grey canopy, a red carpet with golden letters. But inside hides a gastro and event location that skilfully combines Berlin history and modern gastronomy - as on the new Aperitivo menu.
In keeping with summer, bar chef Peppo has created a selection of easy-drinking aperitifs that perfect the quietly emerging trend of using Berliner Weiße in cocktails. The idea is "to get away from the cardboard-sweet red or green Berliner Weiße", says restaurant manager Matthias Martens. With what he considers the most authentic Berliner Weiße from Berliner Berg, cocktail classics are thus redefined.
We take a seat on the terrace. While the interior of The Grand exudes the shabby-chic charm I love, the terrace is a little oasis of calm in the middle of the Scheunenviertel for dinner or drinks between scuffed walls, Chesterfield sofas and gramophones.
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We are here for the new aperitif menu. So we start with The Grand Weisse, the in-house version of an Aperol Spritz. Bella Italia meets Berlin in a glass, an Aperol Spritz as it should be, but with a special note. Not as fancy, however, as the Cuba Weisse, which gets a wonderful fruitiness from 3-year-old Havana Club, orange syrup and mint leaves.
Because it's so nice and Dj Don Rogall is getting ready to play his Friday set, we taste two more variations. The Milano Weisse is a variation of the Campari Orange. Visually indistinguishable from the Aperol Weisse, it nevertheless entices Campari fans with the usual bitter notes that complement the Weisse's acidity well. I enjoy a Manhattan Weisse. With red vermouth, blended Scotch whisky, the herbal liqueur Benedictine D.O.C. and rosemary syrup, the drink is as flavourful as it is strong.
So it's lucky that we still get to taste a few culinary highlights of The Grand. Boef tartare with quail egg, stuffing-free fois gras as a terrine and roasted, and a lobster bisque provide a classic treat befitting the historic location. The tomahawk steak that follows with its rich accompaniments, especially recommended the Perigeux sauce, prepares us well for the finale of the evening: A visit to Peppo at The Grand Bar.
After it has become dark outside, we end the evening in the stylish bar reminiscent of the golden 20s and enjoy the diversity of this place that is so unassuming from the outside.
