When Gordon Ramsay talks, I don't tend to
listen. I think it's the way he bossily says 'Yes?!' after everything that makes me want to stick my fingers in my ears and go: 'La la
laaaaa...' at the top of my voice.
But you only have to watch one or two of
his Kitchen Nightmares shows to pick
up on his golden rule: restaurants should keep their menu simple. Offer less
not more, is his most repeated piece of advice. (That, and to strip the
interior, regardless of what the decor is.)
Louis on the Rixdorfer Platz manages to
ignore both of Ramsay's rules wholeheartedly. Their menu boasts a staggering 209 items,
nealy all of them carnivore specials. Despite all these dishes on offer,
everyone seems to come for the same thing: the Riesenschnitzel. And for good
reason. It really is enormous, but it's so crispy, so perfectly salty and so
delicious that you go home with a doggy bag that isn't nearly as full as you'd
anticipated.
We gave it our best shot. Then we took the
remainder and fed it to our twins. 'Wurst!' they shouted - their enthousiastic
response to all things meaty. And then they ate the lot.
Café-Restaurant Louis, Richardplatz 5, 12055 Berlin, 030 6810210, website, open daily from 11am till 11pm
