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Food

in Almost Diplomatic on Print, Diplomatic Incidents, Manila, Manila Food

Cheers to Gastrodiplomacy!

Ambassadors share musings on food and culture and their favorite dining spots in Manila

This article first appeared in the 10 October, 2021 issue of The Manila Bulletin.

There’s nothing quite like food when it comes to bringing people together and even sharing cultures. It may seem trite but there’s no point denying it: Food is a universal language. Here are six ambassadors in Manila sharing their personal favorites here in the Philippines and what we all need to know about their homeland’s food.

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in Berlin, Berlin Food, Expat Life

Tolerance and Hummus Dreams Come True at Kanaan Berlin

Better late than never, they say. After a couple of months of searching for my missing food review photos, I finally found the little bugger of a memory card that decided to play hide and seek. Now, I can tell you about a place in Berlin where all my hummus dreams have been realised. Kanaan Berlin – a vegetarian restaurant in Prenzlauer Berg serving Israeli and Palestinian food.

If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you’re probably tired of all my hummus posts on stories by now. I’d eat it every day if I could. So, when my friend in the foodie industry, Mathaios, asked me to join him on a visit to Kanaan, he got an immediate and – admittedly overly eager – yes.

Israeli marketing expert and entrepreneur Oz Ben David and Jalil Dabit, a Palestinian-Arab of the famous “Humos Samir“ family, founded the restaurant. For most Berliners and expats who frequent P-Berg, the place is practically an institution. For people who haven’t gone, let me give you a couple of reasons why you should make your way to this side of the city.

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Almost Diplomatic - Selig - Berlin - Restaurant - Food - Diplomat's Wife - Review - Selig Façade
in Berlin, Berlin Food, Expat Life

Selig: More than Just Brunch! Say Hello to Their Lunch & Dinner Menu

If – at any point – you’ve Googled the best brunch places in Berlin, chances are, you’ve read about Selig. After all, it’s on every single ‘best brunch’ listicle about the German capital. I’ve tried my luck with this restaurant and not gonna lie – I’ve failed.

One summer weekend, my husband and I decided to brave the brunch competition and found ourselves staring at Selig, filled to the brim. It also had a waitlist that ran beyond our patience. Alvin is a very patient man and I’m quite understanding about waiting when it comes to food. That day, however, we knew it was too popular for us to be able to get a seat within an hour.

About a year later, I found myself in the same restaurant being introduced to a menu they are not so known for – their lunch and dinner offerings.

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Almost Diplomatic - Layla - Berlin - Meir Adoni - Restaurants - Israeli Food - Mediterranean - Germany - Diplomat's Wife
in Berlin, Berlin Food, Berlin Where to Go, Expat Life

Layla: Meir Adoni’s Irresistible Lady in Berlin

Meir Adoni is a name almost any foodie will recognise – especially those who have a penchant for Middle Eastern food. The Israeli chef has quite the curriculum vitae, with successful restaurants in Israel and New York. His latest venture landed him in Berlin in late 2018. Barely half a year after its opening, Layla has taken up sizable and permanent-looking space in the city’s ever-fickle food scene. Another Berlin institution for the bon vivant that we could all be thankful for, if you ask me.

Almost Diplomatic - Layla - Berlin - Meir Adoni - Restaurants - Israeli Food - Mediterranean - Germany - Diplomat's Wife - 16

It was a Friday night and Layla was packed. Berliners of every shape, size, and race gathered to enjoy the food. The crowd was also peppered with tourists looking for a meal that can be one of the highlights of their trip. My friend Lesley and I ended up sitting beside a man from Israel who went to Layla for dinner after his hotel’s receptionist raved about it.

He was in Berlin to visit his son who decided to live here and pursue his DJing career. (Of course, he’s a DJ. This is Berlin.) He abandoned his father for the night as he was playing a show. But the father got the better part of the bargain. He found Meir Adoni himself was in town and was making his meal that night. This city never fails to surprise its guests.

Adoni is not in town all the time. He has several restaurants to tend to, after all. But when he’s around, he’s in the kitchen to bond and make food with his team who all trained under him. This doesn’t stop him from connecting with the people who come to try the food. He would smile and chat with practically everyone who would pass by the open kitchen.

Almost Diplomatic - Layla - Berlin - Meir Adoni - Restaurants - Israeli Food - Mediterranean - Germany - Diplomat's Wife

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in Berlin, Berlin Food, Berlin Where to Go, Expat Life

Golvet: Berlin’s Come-As-You-Are Michelin-Star Restaurant

As a walking contradiction myself, I felt pretty much at home the moment I stepped into Golvet. The restaurant, headed by Michelin-star chef Björn Swanson, is filled with it. From the name which means ‘ground’ in Swedish when the restaurant is actually on the top floor of a building, to the menu, and down to the chef who’s basically an American-Berliner with a Swedish name.

Rules, after all, are made to be tweaked to accommodate change and progress. (Don’t break them entirely, people. You don’t want anarchy.) I am, however, getting ahead of myself.

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