Our first meal in Germany was by far the best.
We were staying in Schoenberg and absolutely starving after our flight. Goldener Stern was one of the top results near us so we figured we'd give it a try. To this day, I can still taste everything.
We sat outside and got right to ordering. We went for the liver dumpling soup and white sausage and pretzel starters, and the Leberknödel and Schweinebraten entrees. We also got a few rounds of .5L beers.
The soup was ridiculous. The liver dumpling is literally liver ground up into a matzah-like ball. It was incredible, absolutely tasty and so flavorful. The broth was slightly sour, which contrasted nicely with the heavy meat. It was also at this point I realized we were taking a break from the saltiness of Italy and back to sodium levels I could handle. Those sausages were so amazing. Coming from Rochester, I'm no stranger to white hots, but these were a whole new experience. The flavor that exploded from the natural casing was the best. The accompanying pretzel was soft and doughy, and the mustard was strong-flavored with a slight hint of sweetness. If I had known about the amazingness of this dish, I would've made a meal of them.
Our entrees were equally delicious. The pork and gravy was very tender. The favorite of that dish was definitely the cabbage. It was broken so much it held its shape but went down easy. It had a slight spice flavor to it which was fortunately not too sweet. I would've eaten a whole plate of just that. My ox was an interesting cut of meat, especially in combination with the herb butter. The potatoes were delicious, with bits of super crispy skins, although it pushed the dish towards the heavier end.
We were too full for dessert, and the meal was very satisfying. For our first meal in Berlin, the bar was set very, very high. Flavor, quality, service, portions, price: Goldener Stern has it all. read more