Berlin, Germany (Gastrosofie). Sweet? Sour? Or would you prefer spicy? There is something for every taste at „Neni“. The restaurant in the „25 Hours Hotel Bikini Berlin“ high above the rooftops of the City-West offers guests the whole variety of Israeli cuisine, with its diverse ingredients, with its diverse influences. This is also reflected in the new menu, since this May.
A reason to celebrate, a reason to toast. At least that’s what owner Haya Molcho thought. And to mark the occasion, she recently invited various media representatives and presented a whole range of culinary highlights. The kitchen and the friendly staff did a very good job, and the guests were extremely satisfied.
The first delicacy is already ready to eat on the table: Humus with wonderfully spicy olives. It immediately whets the appetite for more. For example, the grilled wild-caught prawns. Enriched with cucumber, yoghurt, dill and horseradish, refreshing, light and digestible. Ideal for the impending heat in the coming weeks. Also impeccable was „Nuriel’s favourite falafel“ with tahina, i.e. sesame paste, and zhug, Yemeni spicy sauce. The falafel were perfectly cooked, wonderfully crispy on the outside, soft and juicy inside.
We continue in a Mediterranean-levantine way with „Haya’s Chraime“. Fillets of loup de mer, with matbucha, a kind of tomato salsa with a hint of mint. Accompanied by preserved lemon, chilli and toasted sourdough bread. Light spiciness and slight acidity make this fish dish a summery delight. Meat fans should get their money’s worth with the „Neni kebab“: Handmade beef and lamb kebab, very colourfully arranged in a white-red sauce of tahina, chilli, pine nuts, brown butter and lemon. A hint of sweetness pairs with a piquant tanginess, again an exciting interplay of flavours.
Neni’s bread salad“ proves to be a suitable accompaniment to both dishes. A successful composition of mixed tomatoes, peppers, Kalamata olives, capers and feta cheese with pita croutons. It is not an off-the-peg salad, which is why it is also on the menu as a main course.
At Neni, creativity is important, and this also applies to the desserts. Pieces of cheesecake cavort on an etagere, while „Ilan’s yoghurt panna cotta“ shines above them on another plate. Snow-white, with colourful spots, namely oranges, kumquats, pomegranate and pistachios. The real highlight is on the „third floor“. Who suspects that behind the term „Sesame – a Neni classic“ something very complex is hidden. Namely, homemade muscovado ice cream with roasted white sesame, halva, date syrup and caramelized pecans.
The ice cream’s strange name comes from the muscovado sugar. It has not been refined, is slightly moist and has the colour of brown chocolate. The natural molasses content provides strong aromatic notes of caramel and malt. Frozen, for once not Italian, but oriental. A very unusual ice cream treat.
And if you find yourself longing for the dishes at Neni once you get home, you should pick up Haya’s new cookbook, which the owner also presented on this occasion: „Coming Home: My Family Recipes“. Haya has to cater to the various culinary preferences of her four sons at home. Hence the name „Neni“. These are the first letters of the first names of Nuriel, Elior, Nadiv and Ilan Molcho.
Neni
Address: Budapester Straße 40, 10787 Berlin
Contact: Phone: +49 30 120221200 E-Mail. neni.bikini@25hours-hotel.com
Web: neniberlin.de
Remark
The above article was translated from German by Christoph Merten.
