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DÖNER

Chocolate doner mixes up cultures in Berlin

“Taste Away” in Berlin's Kreuzberg, is putting a new twist on dessert with the chocolate doner, a first for the city that invented the better known meat variety.

Chocolate doner mixes up cultures in Berlin
Quaynh Trangle. Photo: J. Arthur White

Quaynh Trangle, 29, is fusing her crepe recipe with a novel mode of preparation.

Just like the doner restaurant across Kreuzberg’s Mehringplatz, Quaynh shaves slices off a big mass turning on a spit, which she first saw at a trade fair.

But here beef, onions, tomatoes and garlic sauce are replaced by chocolate shavings, whipped cream and fruit, all wrapped up in a freshly-made crepe.

Plain, hazelnut or nutella crepes are €2.99. For 50 cents more you can add strawberries, banana, mango or hot cherry.

First opened in December of last year, Taste Away is now seeing a steady stream of customers who are curious about the chocolate doner.

Nick Theodorakis, a tourist from Los Angeles, was intrigued by the presentation and very satisfied by the taste.

"It was surprisingly light and fluffy. It was pretty delicious overall," he says.

It reminds him of a similarly chocolaty cultural mélange from back in California.

"In L.A. we have something called a choco taco. They take a taco and put a dessert in it. It was a huge hit that got picked up at all the fast food restaurants.

“I could see this kind of having the same effect."

If the success continues, Quaynh, who first came to Berlin as a student from Vietnam in 2003, has plans to expand her business.

"I'm planning to open more stores some day, but for now I just need to manage this one well. Then I can develop it further," she told The Local.

She appreciates the multicultural flavour of Berlin, a perfect complement to the collision of cultures in her deserts. 

CLICK HERE to see how the chocolate doner is made

J. Arthur White

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