In the last year or so, I become very interested in the Vietnamese cuisine, starting with their special rolls and their oh, so special, coffee. Actually, this coffee can happily compete for my favours with my beloved strong Turkish coffee. Berlin has many Vietnamese restaurants, sometimes one near the other, but finding those special ones takes time and a bit of luck. Today, I started a bit of exploration of the area around Rosenthalerplatz, but instead of keeping straight with my list, I ended up nearby, at a place where I was convinced to stay by the interesting menu.
The entrance to the summer garden of Royals&Rice is through an interior yard you go to through Torstrasse. The outdoor is the perfect choice when the weather allows, with its curtains of vegetation. The indoors area looks acceptable, with minimal design and a lot of space. Some long wooden tables allow more than 40 seats at the same time. Regularly, here are taking place live concerts or some art events. Right now, there is an photography exhibition going on.
Today, I was in the mood to try as many new things as possible. I started with a ginger and cucumber lemonade, more cucumber than anything else, to be served very cold. When it got too warm, the pleasant sprinkling cucumber taste ceased to be pleasant. The summer rolls were special, with many vegetables and coriander, plus some curry rice. An explosion of freshness and natural spices, balanced by the nutty sauce.
Next on the list: vegetarian udon curry. The noodles were just perfectly matching the rich fresh vegetables and the curry broth. I tried to match every time the udon - eating them with the traditional noisy slurp - with some vegetable and, except the carrots, the pairing went well.
When saw they have matcha creme brulee, I knew I need to walk more after the meal, but I cannot leave without tasting it. The berry combination was a bad choice, as the berries are corrupting the natural matcha taste. The cream was too much sugary, again killing the natural matcha tea I love so much. The idea was good, the result under expectations, unfortunately.
The prices are moderate and the customer service is friendly.
Overall, it is a 3.5-star restaurant, with chances to reach 4.5-star level easily.
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