Otto Berlin Haus

Otto Berlin Haus
211 Lorong 8 Toa Payoh #01-10

500 Jalan Sultan #01-01

107 Jalan Bukit Merah #01-1820

https://www.facebook.com/Otto-Berlin-Haus-490725864386049/

German Family Platter (SGD $38)

Hearty German Plates

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 6
Ambience & Setting: 5
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 6
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $18 per person.

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Since opening in November 2015, Otto Berlin Haus has quietly amassed a loyal customer base with its hearty and delicious German dishes. Known for their signature pork knuckles, Otto Berlin Haus regularly draws the heartland crowds to its 3 coffee shop locations, and there's often a queue during peak meal periods.

Ambience at Otto Berlin Haus relies on the coffee shop atmosphere. The place is modern functional, with wam lights and wooden tones. Furniture is a mix of plastic and metal, which is functionally comfortable, though I note that tables are wider than normal. The place is usually bustling and noisy, and it has a heartland charm.

Service at Otto Berlin Haus is partially self-service, with ordering and payment over the counter, though staff will serve orders to your table. If the boss is around, he'll engage in light banter with customers. The kitchen is partially open, and you can see staff carving the meat. Cleaning up is done efficiently by the coffee shop cleaners.

Food at Otto Berlin Haus is largely German cuisine, with some Swiss and Italian influences. Most dishes are made in-house, and generally, are consistently tasty. Portions are medium to large, and may be shared. Prices are more expensive than most hawkers, but cheaper than most cafes, budget about SGD $18 per person for a meal here.

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Otto Berlin Haus Facade

The Beer Hofbräu München Original (SGD $8.90) is brewed by Hofbräuhaus München in the city of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. It has a clear, light golden colour, with aromas of corn, wheat, malt, and herbs. The body is crisp, medium creamy, and smooth, with good carbonation and a subtle metallic astringency. Tastes of bread, hops, toffee, and grass, with a bitter sweet flavour that has soft edges. Finish is short and dry.

Beer Hofbräu München Original (SGD $8.90)

The Beer Hofbräu Weizen (SGD $8.90) is brewed by Hofbräuhaus München in the city of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. It has a hazy golden orange colour, with aromas of malt, bread, banana, and lemons. The body is medium creamy, smooth, and well-rounded, with an even carbonation and a subtle metallic astringency. Tastes of cloves, honey, wheat, and vanilla, with a sweet fruity grainy flavour. Finish has notes of skunk and steel, short and dry.

Beer Hofbräu Weizen (SGD $8.90)

The Beer Hofbräu Dunkel (SGD $10) is brewed by Hofbräuhaus München in the city of Munich, in Bavaria, Germany. It has a deep amber brown colour, with aromas of malt, bread, biscuit, and coffee. The body is medium creamy, toasty, and well-rounded, with an even carbonation and a subtle metallic astringency. Tastes of caramel, chocolate, roasted chestnuts, and tea, with a sweet smoky grainy flavour. Finish has notes of skunk and copper, short and dry.

Beer Hofbräu Dunkel (SGD $10)

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The German Family Platter (SGD $38) feeds between 2 - 4 people, and is a good sampler platter for the undecided. Good value for money too. Served with a side of savoury salty Brown Gravy, which pairs well with all the meats.

German Family Platter (SGD $38)

Brown Gravy

A fresh Garden Salad, with crunchy juicy lettuce, tomato, and cucumber slices. Nice vegetal sweet flavours.

Garden Salad

The house Sauerkraut has a light crunch to texture, with a juicy burst of sharp sour sweet flavour. More delicate than other sauerkraut versions, which I suppose will appeal to most.

Sauerkraut

Loved the Home Made Mashed Potato, with its chunky creamy texture, and solid savoury potato flavour. Best paired with a bit of Brown Gravy for added kick.

Home Made Mashed Potato

Felt the Pasta Spaghetti Aglio Olio was underwhelming. Not only because of the soft texture, but because it lacks that smoky pungent edge, coming across as flat in taste.

Pasta Spaghetti Aglio Olio

The Grilled Chicken Chop features a medium sized chicken fillet, perfectly grilled. Bold savoury salty flavour, with a juicy tender bite to texture. Not much fat under the skin, which is nice.

Grilled Chicken Chop

The house signature Pork Knuckle has pork meat which pulls off easily from the bone, and is lightly chewy in texture. The pork skin crackling is beautifully crisp, crunching loudly when bit. There's not much fat here, so the pork meat borders between moist and dry. Best paired with some Brown Gravy.

Pork Knuckle

The Sausages are plump and juicy and snappy, and hold good savoury salty flavour. These are assorted, so you could get chicken, pork, or beef, depending on availability.

Sausages

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The Rosti With Ham, Sausage, Cheese (SGD $17.90) is a popular set meal choice here. It's done classic Swiss style, and many customers like to order it for takeaway. There's no vegetables or salad to accompany this, so it's a full-on meat fest.

Rosti With Ham, Sausage, Cheese (SGD $17.90)

Rosti With Ham, Sausage, Cheese

The Rosti Potato is done classic Swiss style, with shredded potato strips pan-fried till golden brown and crisp on the outside, yet tender and moist on the inside, with good savoury potato flavour. Paired with the rich Sour Cream on the side, for a delicate sour creamy milky flavour. Good!

Rosti Potato

Sour Cream

The Ham is served in a nice thick slice, and has a tender chew to texture, with bold savoury salty meaty flavour. The snappy juicy plump Sausage has a delicate savoury salty flavour, and helps to fill you up.

Ham

Sausage

A slice of cheese is melted over the potato rosti, creating a lovely gooey sticky texture, and lending a nice cheesy salty flavour.

Rosti With Cheese

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The Pork Knuckle Half Set (SGD $17.90) is served with sides of crunchy juicy house Sauerkraut that has sharp sour sweet flavour, and chunky creamy Home Made Mashed Potato that has solid savoury potato flavour. The Pork Knuckle Half has tender pork meat bordering moist and dry, with a decent ratio of fat to meat. Good herbal savoury salty flavour, well balanced. The crackling pork skin is so crisp, crunching satisfyingly. I rather enjoyed this. Served with 2 types of gravy; a savoury salty brown meat gravy, and sharp spicy black pepper gravy. Highly recommended!

Pork Knuckle Half Set (SGD $17.90)

Sauerkraut

Home Made Mashed Potato

Pork Knuckle Half

Pork Knuckle Half Set

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The Beef Stew Set (SGD $18) is hearty, fortifying, and delicious. Served with a warm, crisp loaf of Bread Baguette, which has a smoky grainy aroma, the Beef Stew is rich and thick in texture, filled with generous chunks of celery, carrot, and beef, all stewed till soft and tender. Bold flavours of savoury salty vegetal sweet spice. Loved every bite of this, especially good on cold or rainy days.