Le Soupe Populaire and Otto Piene

La Soupe Populaire is a restaurant in Berlin built inside an old brewery.  The vibe and feel is quite unique and in many ways defines the vibe you get from Berlin.  Everything has been constructed around the past.

You walk into a building that is a bit of maze before finding the restaurant. You pass the bathrooms en route.

There was an art exhibit below the restaurant which is located up in the rafters of the building.

The menu is put into a book which is kind of cool.  An eclectic charm even down to the plates.

This delicious plate is given to begin.  Bread and butter cornichons, tiny landjaeger sausage, horseradish butter and warm soft brown bread.  Perfect way to start the meal.

Jessica had the salmon.  Lightly poached in a white wine sauce with tarragon

Fred had the prawn cocktail which was a little too heavy on the sauce.

Emily and I had the duck pate.  Presentation is beautiful.

For dinner two of us had the cod poached in a cucumber sauce with tarragon.

The others (including me) had the chicken which was rolled up and poached with sliced asparagus, peas, sliced carrots and a white rich sauce.

For dessert we split three things.  Raspberries and whipped cream.

Bee sting cake that is apricots, cream and caramelized almond brittle on top

And the classic tart tartine.  The food is creative but a tad heavy.  Winter might be better for this place.

I really wanted to return to the Neue Nationalgalerie to see the Otto Piene exhibit.  We had some time to kill so we stopped in a bar that the girls knew about called the Green Door.  You have to literally ring the door bell and then they let you in.  Figure if you know where it is and you know what door bell to ring you get a pass.  Have not been to a place where people smoke cigarettes and cigars inside in a very very long time.

Afterward we went to the Otto Piene exhibit.  Really cool.  A brilliant man who mixed nature, technology and science into his works.  He taught at MIT for 20 years.  Unfortunately he died in a taxi after attending the opening installation of his work that day.  He was 86.  If you are in Berlin this is worth seeing.  Just a magnificent light show.

Back to the hotel and one more day to go.