Fox on Europe - Continental drift
To keep up with Europe's culinary movement, Richard Fox found ample inspiration during a trip to Berlin.
For years now we've been embracing continental Europe on our menus. From baguette to foccaccia, risotto to paella, and panna cotta to crème brûlée, these items are as familiar to us as fish and chips. We've very sensibly adopted our favourite European staples to give our menus a sense of flair, fashion and general foody feel. Well that's all fine for the grub itself, but have we really looked beyond the plate, platter and bowl in search of new inspiration and ways to rise above the masses. Such were my musings on a recent weekend sojourn to the vibrant and eclectic city of Berlin.
I have to confess, I knew very little about the place beforehand - it was the only lastminute destination I could get prior to the bank holiday, and it certainly came below Prague, Barcelona and Venice in my wish list. However, within minutes of arriving in the city, that catering mantra which we would all do worse than to live by - "exceed expectations" came flooding back. No sooner had we set off on foot for the railway station, we were invited into a complimentary golf buggy for the short trip to our train. Over the next 48 hours, our expectations continued to be exceeded at every turn - whether it was at a bar, café, restaurant, hotel, or even a public convenience. In short, Berlin was a living, breathing master class in "getting it right".
But what really struck me beyond the food and service aspect of things, were the simple details that could be applied to any pub or bar operation. It's these things that can lift things out of the ordinary and into the exceptional. My first observation of the "Europe factor" was at a delightful bar-cum-restaurant called Terra Nova. Unsurprisingly, there was a distinctly Spanish vibe about the place, which didn't seem at all out of place in what was the old heart of East Berlin. This is now an arts quarter of vibrant independent, bars, cafés and restaurants reminiscent of Islington, before Croydonesque shopping developments and fast-food chains contaminated it.
Terra Nova was one of the many places in this area that demonstrated how best to encompass foreign influences without compromising local integrity. You see, there's a distinct difference between "vibe" and "theme". By being selective in the elements of another culture that we borrow (for example, those that relate to service and quality, rather than décor), you can create an overall impression of innovation rather than fake theming. That way, you can combine a variety of influences from different nations without making your establishment look like a pan-European dog's dinner. Although most of what we can do along these lines is going to cost no more than a few choice pepper mills, Terra Nova did display the one piece of capital equipment that I reckon is well worth the investment if you have the space - the counter-top refrigeration unit.
In Spain it's as ubiquitous as the beer font - and no doubt yields similar revenues. You only have to leaf through the melee of cookbooks on the shelves these days to realise we still eat with our eyes as much as our mouths. Utilise the unit yourselves for anything from a Harrods-style wet fish display to a few trays of home-made meatballs and pasta dishes and you'll create a lunch-time bar scrum to make last orders on a Friday night look like a Wimbledon home game. I know of a pub which has from time to time on a Saturday night sold all the raw ingredients for you to cook your own fullon English breakfast on a Sunday morning - put that in your fridge and sell it! Let's face it, worse case scenario is you just remove the fridge at times you can't afford to lose the bar space.
Next on my list of Terra Nova-inspired unique selling points is the condiments tray. Over the last couple of years this has become an ever-expanding phenomena to the point that the trays now resemble some kind of Royal Regatta picnic hamper requiring a team of service staff to transport it to the table. Unfortunately, much of the time it's so sachet-heavy, they no longer contain any gastronomic muscle. It's time then to revert to the "less is more" school of thought. If we are becoming more discerning and provenance orientated as a nation, why not get in a few bottles of speciality oils? Or cheaper and better still, make your own and slap on your own hand-written label. Can't get more cottage industry than that now. Not only will you be saving left over chillies, garlic and herbs, but you'll be creating a visual, taste worthy experience for the customer on an artisan scale.
Another condiment card for culinary credibility is the use of a small bowl of Malden sea salt and one of cracked black pepper. This isn't just a gimmick either - it really does taste better. While the quality of salt used at the beginning of cooking can't really be identified at the end, this does not apply to raw salt added at the end. As I said at the beginning, if you keep in mind the phrase "exceed expectations", you can't go wrong - everything follows from that simple mantra. Berlin did it for me, and believe me, I've been banging on about it ever since. There's going to be some repeat business there, that's for sure.
Bon voyage.
