UPDATE 2019: THIS RESTAURANT IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED.
for similar deliciousness visit YAKU RESTAURANTE in Hamburg.
Sometimes I’m a bad listener. Actually, if you ask my boyfriend I’m the worst. So I had completely forgotten that he had told me about this new restaurant in Hamburg earlier in February. So when we went there last week, I was completely unbiased and immediately delighted by the love and attention put into every detail of the place. Custom made tables and glass decorations, the sweet design of the menu, the pretty cutlery and of course the awesome colorful art piece on the ceiling.
Authentic South-American
Waiters speak German, with a charming Spanish accent. Even though we had to wait quite a while for our food, we were immediately disarmed by the great taste of everything we ordered. That’s another thing I love about the concept: family style dishes where you get to order a lot of different stuff and get to try all of it.
The menu changes from time to time but obviously, you should order their ceviche. It’s served with a puree of peas and sweet potato that goes perfectly with the sourness of the lime juice. Whatever I’m no real food critic but seriously I haven’t had ceviche that good since 2008 on Isla Holbox, Mexico.
Also, you should trust me and order the Quinoa Salad. I can’t really say what made it taste so good, but I gotta say I might come back tomorrow even just for a bite of it. So hey there Chef Christián, if you’re reading this: Make a girl happy and send over the recipe! Please?
The most surprising dish we had was a pulled pork sandwich with avocado. It sounds boring and it was probably the dish that I was least looking forward to. But I think I have never been this wrong. I took a bite and immediately ordered another one, because there was no way I was going to share this dish with anyone. Sorry!
Another dish we tried was the octopus. Not my favorite dish in general but even that was really delicious. No chewy-chewy and noticeable fresh produce.
Cantineras y Cantineros
So after we had finished our dinner and by the time I realized who’s behind the crazy colorful awesomeness, it was already too late. I had completely and irrevocably fallen in love with Cantina Popular. And in all honesty, it was probably a sure bet from the beginning. Because the hosts of this new spot are Maria Endrich and Alvaro Piña Otey, the dream team that is also behind Bistro Carmangole, my (as of last week) second favorite restaurant in Hamburg!
Oh, one more thing, and this is no joke: Ladies, don’t leave the place without checking out the toilets!
Chile-born Chef Christián Orellanus
Address: Schulterblatt 16, 20357 Hamburg
www.cantina-popular.com
Pictures: Seren Dal
THE BETTER PLACES