Xantener Eck was the site of my first German meal upon arriving in Berlin during my latest trip…read more Though it was a comp'd business meal, this place is a decent introduction to German cuisine for first-time and been-away-awhile-but-back-for-the-good-stuff tourists. They were able to accommodate our group of ~15 and had a fair number of patrons were having dinner as well.
Though dishes were pre-ordered I glanced at their American/British menu and made a mental note that they serve steaks here, cooked to your choice of "English," "Medium," or "Well done." I'm not sure what our order was called on the menu, but I'll refer to it as their "banquet menu plate," which was basically a two-course meal with a selection of different cuts of meat. The majority was pretty much good ol' German pork sausage, each one known from a particular region of the country. The starter salad tasted good and reminded me of the vinegar-y dressings typical to German salads (they skimped ingredients on mine though compared to all my neighbors' bowls). The main plate's largest sausage was Berlin's signature Currywurst drenched in sauce. Overall, the presence of so much meat to potato ratio would be a bit heavy for some, but it was nice to sample everything. As for my included beverage, I was excited about finally having a beer from a German tap and ordered Weissbier. To my disappointment, whoever filled my glass put the wrong stuff. I was served Helles in a Weissbier glass...wrong on so many levels and shocking for a place that should, out of anything in the world, get beer right. At least any beer is better than none, and I still chugged it.
So in summary:
Good food
Questionable service
Tip: They have free postcards for customers at the bar. They're plain, but if you want to make your friends jealous and prove you enjoyed a German beer, grab a couple and send them out!
