We investigate Germany’s second city in search for some fish & chips

Hamburg & Chips!

We investigate Germany’s second city in search for some fish & chips

By Austen Dack There are some cities in Europe where you have no need to leave the city centre or old town. Hamburg is not one of those cities. The layout of the city means that to see the sights you need to move around. But the major sights aren’t the only reason to explore the different districts of Hamburg. The look and feel of each district can be quite different from the last, making each neighbourhood fresh and interesting. With three full days to explore we (myself, Sarah, Sammy, Evy,Kirsty & Platinum Dan cut our expedition into three with a plethora of drinking holes and fine restaurants to stop in along our route.

Hafencity Today, the single-most prominent site in HafenCity Hamburg is also the city’s new landmark: Built on the foundations of an old storehouse, the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg has come to define the city’s skyline. In the evening we visited the Blick Bar (within the Elbphilharmonie). It offers an unrestricted view over the Elbe, allowing guests to observe the endless comings and goings of the ships. Later we checked out the Michelin listed restaurant Strauchs Falco. Amazingly we got in without a reservation and was looked after by Uwe Bergmann for the evening. I went for the local favourite Viennese schnitzel made from veal tenderloin with cranberries, creamy cucumber salad, and mashed potatoes.

Our base for our stay was in Hafencity itself.

The Hafencity 25 Hours Hotel.

The rooms were stylish and quirky with a maritime theme, with modern amenities you would expect from a design hotel. With a pin ball machine and music room plus a top floor sauna the 25 had many things to do in between those trips out. The breakfast buffet served daily at 25hours was a smorgasbord of delights to set you up for the day.

City Tour Book through Robin & the Tour Guides (ask for Savvy). Witness the rise and fall of Hamburg throughout its history: its glorious past as the centre of the Hanseatic League and its heavy destruction in the Great Fire and World War 2. Visit the impressive town hall, the main important churches of the city, WWII Memorial of St. Nikolai - the old landmark of the city and the best viewpoint: St. Michael’s Church. In the city itself you will find fish and chips at the lovely Ahoi restaurant (chips were very tasty). We also had to try too currywurst from a street vendor.

Elbe Tunnel & River The Elbe tunnel is a Must-See for every person who visits Hamburg. This 426.5-meterlong tunnel was finished in 1911. Since 2003, the tunnel has been declared a protected monument. The tunnel is 24 under the ground. Great views from the other side too.

Philipps Restaurant – Little Fish & Chips! Hidden away in a side street, Philipps is a great place to eat. Walk down the few stairs to this friendly little restaurant with low ceilings, a relaxed atmosphere and international

menu. It promised flavoursome and skilfully prepared dishes and boy did they deliver. The competent staff reflected the style and character of this eatery. Knowing of my fish and chip connection Philipp had asked chef Sebastian Forschner to create a ‘chippy meal’ as a Maus bouche. This was without doubt the tastiest interpretation I have tried on all of my European jaunts. Here are the ingredients Fish - Fin of Tourbot For the Batter - 1/4 cup rice flour,2 cup flour,1 TS baking soda,1/4 cup corn-starch,3/4 TS Salt,1 Tsp cayenne pepper, parsley/ lemon zest/ mustard powder, mixed with soda water and ice cubes. Served with homemade remoulade, homemade potato salad. Other courses available included Braised Ox Cheeks Potato-Leek Mash, Tartar of Canadian Black Angus Beef Fillet Fried capers, and the Crepinette of Pigeon & Poulard Breast Blackberry with Beet Root Mashed potatoes.

The other restaurant of note particularly for our UK potato growers and merchants is the Kartoffel Kellar. Every dish involves the use of potatoes including the pancakes on the dessert menu.

The other reason for our trip was to see two fine UK bands both on a tour of Europe. On the Friday evening The Godfathers led by Scottish based Pete Coyne and on the Sunday The Cure.

The God Fathers did not let up for one second during the first three songs, in fact they kept the pressure on for the full set of some 20 songs at the city’s Monkey Music Bar. Pete delivered a mix of old and new; OCD and She Gives me Love my favourites

In front of over 13,000 fans in the Barclays Arena, The Cure with legendary frontman Robert Smith performed for over 2½ hours. He has retained the look of a 3-year-old who has just found their mum’s makeup bag, despite his senior years. An incredible 27 song setlist including two new songs and a host of hits spanning over 40 years. It’s almost as though we were floating in space with the band, detached from reality…….

www.philipps-restaurant.de www.25hours-hotels.com/en/ hotels/hamburg/hafencity www.falco-hamburg.de