Monthly Archives: November 2016

The Scene – Benedict’s Beautiful Breakfast

If a good breakfast is anything like a lover’s kiss in the morning, recently opened Benedict is the new culinary Casanova in town. The difference is – Benedict kisses you good morning at any time of the day.

The concept restaurant from Tel-Aviv has a recipe for seduction that is simple but striking – offer a menu with the best breakfasts from around the world 24/7 in a stylish yet leaned back atmosphere – what could possibly go wrong?

Not much, really. Our visit to Benedict revealed a warm-hearted space divided into three interconnected rooms, each radiating a slightly different mood. With its white tiles, dark wood furniture, ceiling fans and shade lamps, Benedict blends Tel-Aviv serenity and Berlin coolness to a truly unique around-the-clock breakfast experience.

Berliners will have to be re-educated about having breakfast at any time of the day. But knowing Berliners and their habits of turning days into nights and night into days, we’re sure Benedict will win both foodies’ hearts as well as demanding night life hedonists, who don’t believe in segmented meal times anyway.

Flavours range from light to hearty and sweet, from Israel Shakshuka to English breakfast, from Steak and Egg to Cottage Pancakes, all based on the same common ground – a remarkable richness in taste. Usually we don’t have trouble recommending dishes, but everything we’ve had at Benedict was spectacular.

Things you definitely shouldn’t miss out on: The eggcelent Eggs Benedict and the incredible Banana pancakes. A customer from New York sitting close to us happily exclaimed he just had the best pancakes of his life. Coming from an American, that counts for something.

Life is a beach – 10 best beaches in the world

There are millions of beaches in the world, one more beautiful than the next. They come in all kinds of shapes and forms, from palm-fringed to scraggy, from volcanic black-sand on Iceland to white-sand on Hawaii, from touristic to secluded, from popular to hidden secrets. Beaches are the ultimate escape for every traveller. Most tourists dream of well known beaches in Rio de Janeiro, Bora Cay, Miami, Phuket or Algarve, but we want to present you beaches so beautiful they could be from a fairytale and are spared the burden of mass tourism yet.

Praia de Cassagne / Peninsula de Marau, Brazil
Praia de Cassagne was voted the most beautiful beach of Brazil. This ecological paradise offers miles of white sandy beaches, dense Atlantic forest, centenarians coconut trees and nature trails. The beach is free of rocks and reefs making it ideal for water sports. If you’re lucky you can watch hummingbirds slurp nectar from colourful flowers and monkeys dangling from the trees in the morning.

Top Hotel: Peninsula Beach Club Hotel

Es Trenc / Mallorca
As one of the last large natural beaches in Mallorca that hasn’t been spoiled by big hotels and a whopping amount of seaside restaurants yet, Es Trenc is considered to be one of Europe’s most dazzling beaches. Despite it’s only 2 hours on a plane from Berlin, Es Trenc’s balmy waters and white sand create a pristine beach experience with Carribean flair. Even though Mallorca isn’t as gay friendly as Ibiza yet, a pink bungalow on Es Trenc heralds the forthcoming of more opened minded times.

Top Hotel: Bennoc Petit-Hotel

Diana Beach / Barbuda
This exclusive beach named after Princess Diana is a true Carribean diamond. The secluded 165-acre peninsula with its pristine pink and white sand beaches is wonderfully uncrowded and far off the hustle and bustle of other Carribean islands. Barbuda is less westernised than its neighbouring islands and maintains an authentic Carribean charm. It wasn’t only Princess Diana’s destination of choice, celebs like Robert DeNiro and Eric Clapton are known to enjoy their holidays under coconut trees in this tropical hideaway.

Top Hotel: Coco Point

Grace Bay Beach  / Providenciales (Provo), Turks and Caicos
Grace Bay in Turks and Caicos is the world’s #1 beach, according to TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice awards. Provo has been ranked “Best Beach” by Conde’ Nast magazine and by the World Travel Awards for several years running. The sand is perfectly white without a single rock, there is literally no pollution and instead of seaweed you’ll find vibrant aquatic life with spectacular coral reefs that protect the bay from the ocean swells of the Atlantic. It’s easy to see why Grace Bay was voted #1 in the world. The water is so turquoise, it blinds you!

Top Hotel: The Sands

Beach No. 7 / Havelock, Andaman Islands
Picture the white beaches of Ko Pha Ngan before backpackers, full moon parties and cheesy tourist bars arrived, and you have a good idea of what the Andaman Islands look like. Though a little pricier, an eco-village is the only hotel on Radhanagar beach – ‘the best beach in Asia’ according to TIME magazine. Beach No. 7 is also home to Rajan, the last of the famous ocean-swimming elephants.

Top Hotel: Silver Sand Havelock

beach-no-7

Tulum Beach / Mexico
Tulum is one of the last cities built and inhabited by the Mayas and boasts an unrivalled historical past among the Carribean top destinations. It’s considered a Bohemian beach paradise where you can still experience Mexico’s untouched beauty, even though the little town is home to comfortable accomodations and restaurants catering to all budgets. People are scarce on Tulum’s beaches which make them ideal for travellers who enjoy a low-key escape with pearly-white sand beaches off the beaten track.

Top Hotel: Encantanda Tulum

tulum

Tip of Borneo / Malaysia
After finding your way through remote villages and coconut plantations, you’ll find Pantai Kalampunian, a long stretch of beach on the most northern tip of Borneo, the third largest island in the world. There are hardly any structures along the beach, which just adds to the unearthly beauty complemented by azure-blue water and perfectly white sand. The coastline can be treacherous, though. The Kalampunian light house towering above is a reminder of the many shipwrecks that lie before the coast.

Top Hotel: Hibiscus Villa Borneo + Hibiscus Beach Retreat

Zapatilla Keys / Bocas del Toro, Panama
Over 18 countries have filmed their respective versions of the successful reality show “Survivor” in the exotic Archipelago Bocas del Toro off Panama’s Carribean coast. The Archipelago is famous for its many beautiful beaches, but the most breathtaking beaches are to be found on Las Isla Zapatillas, two small islands consisting of just 34 and 14 hectares. Nature remains almost completely untouched on these 2 gems, there are no big hotels or upscale restaurants, but you will find ruins of an old house that is said to have been built by pirates.

Top Hotel: Casa Cayuco

La playa de Las Conchas / Isla Graciosa, Spain
Las Conchas is a dreamy beach on the Canary Islands, though not without its pitfalls. Due to its northern location on the island, the strong currents can turn your diving fun into an open sea excursion if you don’t watch out. If you stay close to shore though, your biggest concern will be rubbing yourself with sun cream regularly and enjoying the views over Montana Island just off the coast.

Top Hotel: Evita Beach Club

la-concha

Kondoi Beach / Taketomi Island, Japan
Taketomi is largely unspoilt and is home to a village in the traditional Kawara style with red tiled roofs and lion dog figures to ward off evil spirits. Visitors must either walk or rent a bicycle as there are no rentals cars on the island. Taketomi is home to one of the most pristine beaches of Japan, featuring a beautiful crescent-shaped bay and shallow turquoise water.

Top Hotel: Hoshinoya
kondoi-beach

Red Carpet – Henrik’s World of Glamour

We’re happy to present one of the most voluptuous issues of Henrik’s World of Glamour yet. With top notch openings like John Reed, Sir Savigny and Moxy we have some of Berlin’s most sought after red carpet events on our list. We love the Berlinagenten life.

John Reed 
McFit’s new premium fitness studio series John Reed combines modern funky interior design with live music sets from local and international DJs. We were a little skeptical at first, but their opening party near Gesundbrunnen revealed a location radiating more club potential than some long-established clubs! Even celebs like Wladimir Klitschko and Till Schweiger joined the first booze-fueled workout. We danced through the night in an intense cardio session to beats by Loco Dice. Sport can be very sexy and fun with the right features!

Sir Savigny
Luxury-boutique-hotel Sir Savigny, the latest accelerator in West Berlin’s rise to a global top destination, opened its doors in Berlin with a bang, burgers and an excessive supply of exquisite beverages. The location’s open spaces allowed guests to seamlessly slip from the lush urban garden to the indoor fireplace and of course to its distinctive in-house burger bar The Butcher. The Party got so wild, one of the upstairs showrooms with an in-room bath tub was transformed into a temporary party area by overly enthusiastic guests, who definitely were NOT us. No one can prove the opposite. We got rid of the witnesses.

#madebygoogle Event
For the launch of their brand new Pixel smartphone Google invited a young & hip crowd of tech-lovers, journalists and creative pioneers to an evening filled with exclusive art showcases and live music acts. Thanks to MONOMANGO’s amazing light installations we didn’t need a search engine to find our way through the location’s rough industrial spaces and could rely entirely on our slightly tipsy senses.

Moxy Underground Party (hotel opening)
There are good parties and then there are parties that are completely off the hook. In an eccentric one-of-a-kind experience, Moxy Underground paid a wild hommage to Berlin’s profilic nightlife culture. They transformed a whole level of their newly opened design Hotel near Ostbahnhof into a raging dance floor, complimented by fetish live shows, latex clad people, tattoo artists waiting in the hotel rooms and the constant smell of vinyl and leather in the air. Rough, raw & wild – just the way we like it.

bEAT Party
Berlin Food Week probably is our favourite time of the year. Visionary chefs, gourmets and foodies from all over Europe become pilgrims, coming to showcase and worship the latest culinary trends from around the world. At bEAT Party in Mitte’s industrial Heizkraftwerk, Berlin’s trendiest restaurants and international top DJs teamed up to serve both hot delicacies and pumping beats to a party-hungry crowd.

The Scene – Berlin’s Top 10 New Eateries

Berlin keeps you busy around the clock. There always is an opening to attend, a party to go to or an exciting new pop up location to visit. With so much going on, the craving for a tasty snack is never far. We compiled a list of great new eateries in 2016 that are still considered real insider tips. Enjoy!

The Butcher
Originally an upscale burger joint from Amsterdam, The Butcher’s second dependence now inhabits the ground floor of the new Sir Savigny luxury boutique hotel in Charlottenburg. The Butcher’s menu invites you to unrestrained drooling – prime beef burgers, delicious spare-ribs, hearty smoothies as well as an extensive selection of exotic cocktails and international beer brews are among the highlights. Hands down – the spare-ribs might be the best in the whole of Berlin.

 W – Der Imbiss
For conditions in Schöneberg, Nollendorfstraße is relatively quiet despise its proximity to the busy Maaßenstraße drag. The same can be said about the second edition of W – Der Imbiss that now resides on Nollendorfstraße. Guided by the principles of coziness, taste and intimacy, the small restaurant offers indo-mexican-italian fusion cuisine with emphasis on fresh ingredients and vegetarian dishes. The vividly decorated interior makes your forget space and time and takes your mind to a lush summer night in an Hawaiian hut. Bringing your headband and coconut necklace is up to you, though.

Gaststätte am Ufer
Paul-Lincke-Ufer in Kreuzberg is becoming more and more of a low-key mecca for foodies. The riverside restaurant line up boasts prominent eateries like Volt and Cocolo Ramen, so newly opened Gastsätte am Ufer joins a competitive environment. Their interior design is minimalistic without stripping away too much – the eye-catching bar creates an atmosphere of its own. The menu focuses on middle-european and mediterranean dishes that change on a weekly basis.

Rosa Lisbert
If you’re looking for a traditonally cooked tarte flambée in Berlin, be sure to pay Rosa Lisbert in Moabit’s Arminiusmarkthalle a visit. With their custom made clay oven and signature tin counter their atmosphere is as distinctive as the rich taste their alsace-inspired dishes know to impress with. Their recipe for success is relatively simple: Don’t just serve food – serve passion.

Wilde Kueche
Wilde Küche is nestled right at the entrance to Görlitzer Park and puts its emphasises on biophotonic cuisine. Biophotonics assume the light vegetables absorb in their growing process also pulses in our cells and is vital to our health. Converting that mindset into a culinary menu, Wilde Küche offers freely combinable ingredients consisting of a base like rice or mashed potatoes, sauces such as vegan gravy and thai curry and a choice of vegetables and toppings.

Parker Bowles
Parker Bowles is the culinary Harry Potter of Kreuzberg’s Moritzplatz. The combination of ingredients often seem daring, but to our surprise they create very unique flavours. Crispy pork belly with with sucuk, udon-noodles, coriander and saffron? The Parker Bowles magic makes it work. It’s the perfect place for foodies looking for new exciting dishes as well as night owls on their way to the close by clubs Prince Charles and Ritter Butzke.

Koyote Restaurant
Koyote’s easy nonchalance, its perfect location right at Admiralsbrücke and their german-south-american cuisine make the restaurant stand out in the highly competitive area around Kottbusser Tor. Culinary creativity is the guide for their menu and the outcome perfectly justifies the somewhat higher prices (about 30€ for a 3-course menu).

DATA Kitchen by SAP
DATA kitchen introduces a futuristic restaurant concept where you order using your smartphone in the restaurant or from home. Your order is freshly prepared and can be picked up in customized boxes with LED screens that read your name. In an adjoining high-tech room you can brainstorm to any given topic using an SAP-built machine that will browse the web for your keywords using advanced artificial intelligence. The perfect place for lunch with your tech-nerd buddies.

Mmaah
You got to leave it to the folks at Mmaah – they know how to make amazing Korean BBQ. Even if their newly opened dependence in Schöneberg feels very modest in size, their dishes are just the more potent in taste. With outstanding choices like Bulgogi beef BBQ and Hotgogi potatoes, they’re taking up the fight against the döner and pizza-heavy drag at Nollendorfplatz. Insiders know it’s an uneven fight – though Mmaah looks like just another fast-food place, their dishes are gourmet level.

Fes Turkish BBQ
Despite the fact Berlin is the international stronghold for Döner shops, it’s incredibly hard to find a trendy turkish eatery in Berlin that’s not just selling cheap eats. Luckily Fes Turkish BBQ is here to fill that gap. There’s a grill built into each table for your aspiring chef desires. The portions are lavish and served as a shared meal, creating a very social dining experience. And don’t worry if you’re not a grill master – if you need help, the service will gladly show you how to grill your meat to perfection.

On Tour – S-Group goes Berlin

Nordic IT corporate group S-Group specialises in creating all-in-one business solutions for their customers. When they asked us to host the perfect incentive trip to Berlin for them, we were happy to show what we specialise in – creating unique Berlin experiences off the beaten path, even it’s a trip with more than 250 guests as in this case.

For their 3-day trip to Berlin we curated a programme showing the many faces of Berlin. Our guests resided in the stylish nHow music hotel right on the bank of Spree, where you can actually order a Guitar Room Service who’ll bring anything from headphones to an amplifier right to your room. On the first evening newcomer singer Nessi performed live on stage, while DJ Sara Moshiri was spinning records at our BBQ event on the lush riverside terrace with perfect views over the setting sun behind Oberbaumbrücke.

Following an app-based scavenger hunt with 30 teams combing the city for hints, a graffiti workshop at a hidden underground space and an inhibited summer buffet in one of Berlin’s summer beach clubs, the trip’s highlight finally drew closer.

Berlin’s river Spree runs along the former west-ost border and was the perfect route to a much anticipated gala dinner. We took a boat from the hotel to the vast Bolle Festsäle, that still embody Berlin’s industrial charm of the roaring 20s. The river is a great way to discover some of Berlin’s many secrets and our guides were eager to share their knowledge with the curious crowd.

The gala dinner saw the absolute highlights with stunning live performances by Swedish hightech drummers ConRytmo and a quirky bottle blow show by Glasblas Sing Quintett. The local DJ hero Superzandy, who kept both records and feet spinning until well past midnight, rounded up the sparkling gala. According to the management team of the company the intensive Berlin itinerary scored 10 out of 10 points. We love and know how to entertain people!

Insiders – Maria Gieseke

This month we had the immense pleasure of interviewing Danish-born Maria Gieseke, who we keep running into at every red carpet in Berlin. She’s best known for her career in the fashion business, where she both made her name for herself as a model and for running her own model agency.

Hey Maria, we’re so happy to have you! Your instagram account tells us you were at the GQ awards last night. Are you a notorious Berlin party hopper?

I’m actually not! I mostly get invited by friends and honestly – I can hardly believe my luck every single time. I’m very thankful to be blessed with such great friends.

What did you do before you came to Berlin?

I was born in a small town called Odense in Denmark, where I made an apprenticeship in the textile industry and became store manager with 18. I then worked 60-hour weeks as a headwaiter for some time, before meeting my ex-husband. I fell in love with a popular hairdresser from Düsseldorf who was touring Denmark. Four months later I moved to Düsseldorf and started curating the stage design and music for my ex-husband’s shows and organised his shops. My first time in Berlin was in 1992. My first impression was that everything was awfully grey.

You now live in Berlin. What changed your mind? 

About 4 years ago I accompanied a good friend to a Michael Michalsky fashion show and we had an absolute blast. I realized then how inspiring this city can be and I’ve grown really fond of Berlin since. You can be who you want to be here, there’s no false pretense and the next surprise is never far.

Like what…?

Like when your Iranian taxi driver suddenly starts to rap in german with his own lyrics…

Happens to us all the time. Being well-experienced in the fashion business, what do you think about the thinness-craze?

Absolutely terrible! I’m so happy we’ve been moving on from that non-sense for some years now. At my agency I always made sure my girls ate and they knew what they were eating. Especially in Paris the use of illegal substances isn’t uncommon, which makes it even more important to put your models and their health first. I once had to deal with a photographer who tried to slip drugs in a girl’s water before the shooting, but I got her out before any harm was done. I’m very much against drugs, they do much harm and absolutely no good. Having a model agency means having an enormous responsibility for the young boys and girls and being a role model. It’s a bit like being a mother.

What’s your opinion on the emerging vegan-eating trend?

Everybody has to decide for themselves. A good friend of mine is vegan and she feels great about it. I love down-to-earth meals and these often include a hearty portion of meat. My favourite meal is pork neck with crust, cooked and served by my mother! It’s so meaty you have to belch and sometimes get a stomach ache. It’s the best. I also love simple Danish Smørrebrød.

We hear your meatballs with mashed potatoes are a real hit. Are they really that good?

I don’t like bragging, but I do enjoy cooking. To me it’s like meditation. I often find inspiration on food markets, where I try exotic new fruits or vegetables and get ideas for new dishes. I’m a bit of a culinary adventurer.

What’s your favourite place to eat in Berlin?

I love the Chicago William BBQ on Torstraße. Their pulled pork and spare ribs are amazing. Also Dae Mon near Mon-Bijou-Platz is a real culinary gem.

What’s a great place to hang out in Berlin?

I love to have green tea at Soho House. It’s the perfect place for quiet contemplation or a nice chat.

Thanks so much for your time, Maria! 

Berlinagenten is Global Winner at Luxury Travel Guide Awards 2016

Following our honouring as Germany’s best Culinary Experience by the Luxury Travel Guide earlier this year, we’re more than thrilled to announce our Gastro-Rallye concept was premiered global winner in the category Culinary Experience of the Year by the LTG award team last Monday (November 7th).

At the award ceremony in London’s Radisson Blu Edwardian Bloomsbury Street, nominees from around the globe competed in 30 categories to discover the best accomodations, restaurants, destinations, wedding specialists & tour companies in the world. The black tie event was moderated by guest judge and Travel Channel host Shane Green and included Sash&Fritz premium vodka from Berlin, which we took to be a good omen for winning the award ceremony.

Bringing his ravishing blue glittering blazer to full bloom, Henrik’s appearance on stage was sure to steal the show. He thanked the award team and announced it wouldn’t have been possible without his amazing team, restaurant partners and guides, but also that he wasn’t completely surprised by winning, since he already received lots of international press coverage and A-celebs signing up for his lifestyle tours in Berlin.

The award also is a recognition for the aspiring Berlin culinary scene, which now officially ranks among the best gourmet destinations in the world. The scene has come a long way and this award confirms Berlin’s fine-dining destinations have come of age. The city is ready for the world’s most demanding foodies, jet-setters and gourmets and we’re sure it will create even more buzz in the years to come. Berlinagenten already plans the launch of the successful Gastro-Rallye concept on a global stage. Stay tuned for more info.