Berlin Brings Winter to a Head

Last week the temperature in Berlin was identical to that in New York. Yet surrounded by the East Side's wide Soviet streets and vast stretches of uninspired architecture, the city felt all the colder. Luckily, many bars offer respite to the chilly traveler and the welcome opportunity to sample Germany's fine, varied beers.

One night, my boyfriend and I waded through the leaf-strewn Helmholzplatz into a locale of a genre quite unique to these parts. At Wohnzimmer (which translates as "Living Room"), a low-ceilinged space with idiosyncratic nooks is crammed with granny furniture and bohemian young things, all aglow under the dim red lighting. We drank Flensburger beers straight from the bottles, which featured those satisfying, pressurized pop-off lids one finds more often on apple cider. The taste was as crisp as the air outside, dry and subtly effervescent.

Unsure of the coat-check status at that evening's Franz Ferdinand gig, we stopped off at home to shed our layers. We then ventured out practically naked in anticipation of the heat the band-not to mention thousands of gyrating bodies-would surely generate. Sure enough, beer was promptly required upon entering the circus-like tent-this time for cooling, rather than warming, purposes. Having opted for a Bavarian-style Frankfurter Weißbier, we enjoyed its faintly cheesy aroma, rich nutty flavor, and cloudy honey color.

The evening ended with a bite at the old-world Paris Bar, a bistro-imitation done right, unlike so many in New York. From Le Monde to Balthazar, nobody quite gets the correct balance of gritty and chic, integral to the actual French experience. The walls of Paris Bar are decorated from banquette to ceiling with quirky paintings and posters, the floors black-and-white checkerboard, and the windowsills lined with broad-leafed plants. We ordered a light dinner of quenelles with smoked salmon, moules marinière, and a couple of Dunkles ("dark" beers) from the suitably gruff waiter. The beers, strong and extremely malty, were set down with a slosh. Quelle nightcap.