Although it's late and I have to get up in 4 hours again, I want to write you my experiences in Berlin the last day. I was there to receive my birthday present - sightseeing, Blu Man group and all possible coffee houses on the way
Café Einstein - the original
The first coffee house in east Berlin ever, founded by an Austrian (he, he) is located in a beautiful old Villa on the Kurfürstenstraße
Awful smell at the entrance, very old furniture, but very nice waiters, wonderful cakes and a very good coffee - which, btw, is roasted by a Berlin roaster. They sell single origins but serve only one blend.
There are other Einsteins as well, but they have different owners, some are even franchised, but they all have the same coffee and pastries.
Machines: La Marzocco
Coffee: very good, full bodied intense flavor, called the Viennese Blend (how ironic)
Could not watch the coffee making process because they where in another room.
Prices: well, more expensive then in Vienna, but you get good stuff.
If I find the brochure I will tell you how many single origins they have, or visit http://www.cafeeinstein.com/index_flash.html
opinion:
Café Einstein - the newer one
Located "unter den Linden" - that's the name of the street it has more a modern-made-old-style look. Again, same products, friendly people. No latte art here. I tried to find out more about the coffee flavors, but the manager and the staff could not tell me more then I could read in the brochures.
I bought their Ethiopian Sidamo, some Brasilian, Sumatra and two blends....
Espressos: well timed
Foam: freshly made
opinion:
Barcomi:
Location: Sophien-Gipshöfe
Interior: like a students mensa, but pictures painted on coffee bags on the walls.
Machine: Gaggia
Coffees: some single origins in bins half filled (I hate that)
Espresso: mine almost 20 seconds, the one for Geralds cappuccino 10 seconds (!)
Foam: Pre-steamed in a huge dog-bowl, rested for a whil. The waitress scoops out the cold foam after the "Barista" gave her the cup with the espresso. Later I saw him making a new bowl. He just put the bowl with milk unter the steam wand and let it "work" for the next minutes.....>sigh<
Next shock: the coffee was pre-ground in tins
I bought an Ethiopian Sidamo, again to compare, and it didn't have much flavor in the paper bag. Nada in the cup.
Geralds Cappuccino tasted like flavored with something sweet, but she said that's pure coffee....hmmmm
They have a roaster in Berlin, too.
And they had higher prices then the Einsteins - ridiculous
opinion:
Ok, last one.. I just had to try it:
A little booth in the subway
While waiting for the train, I saw a small HX machine in the boot. A nice lady was sitting in it, and the machine, a 2 group "Macaf´e" (whatever this is) looked so new and shining, that I sssumed "hmmm, someone must know that a HX is better for business then an automatic machine, like I found many in other stations" so someone with looooove for coffee must run that booth. And the machine lokked soooo clean - must make good coffee..... an Italian roast, btw, called Angelone.
Well, first of all I could hole the cup only when I wrapped the whole Berlin map around it - that's how hot it was. For the next 7-8 minutes.
Then I dared trying it - and it tasted like a hot paper cup. Watery, hot, and just like...paper. No coffee taste at all. Like brown paper tee, a hot one, with a bit milk. I threw it away.
opinion:
So much for the Berlin adventures. I really can recommend the Einstein cafes - and I cannot recommend the Barcomi. Although they have a nice side shop with antipasti and strange salads... looked interesting.
And the Blue Man group is fun, too.
See ya!
Joey
