Qype: Oberhafenkantine in Hamburg

Hamburg - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - German - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Canteens


Leaning house of awesomeness! This is one of those hidden-away pearls of Hamburg. Sadly, now that Hafen City has been planted, this may become a bit less hidden in the near future.

The food, in a word, is KILLER. Try the Hamburg Hamburger... sample the potato salad, or venture into the unknown with the Hamburg Weißwürstchen, either way you will not be leaving hungry or poor.

The service is friendly, but very Hamburg... so if you are an ass, they will treat you accordingly. The location is small and very much heeled over like a ship at sea, frozen at a 15º -- while some people find this to be charming... others, as I recently learned, simply can not eat in such an environment. The music is pure Bert Kaempfert classics from 1950 - 1970. If you don't know who Bert Kaempfert is, shame on you! Now go Google him.

In summary, if you are in this area and are looking for a place to eat. This is the place. If you want to grab a bite before heading off to the Elbphilharmonie... well, you have time... but this is a good place to spend it.

Check out my review of Oberhafenkantine - I am baden - on Qype

Qype: Billiard Center Wallisellen in Wallisellen

Wallisellen - Arts & Entertainment


Located in a real underground, out of the way place, the Billiard Center is a nice place for playing pool/billiards. Full service bar, with a happy hour special from 16:00 - 18:30 that involves free snacks and buy two, get one free beer. Yeah... big deal.

The pool tables, balls and ques are in OK condition for a pool bar. The music ranges from good to remixed electro pop. The service is very friendly.

The bar itself offers a wide selection of drinks, basic selection of food and of all things: cigars. There is a large screen and beamer for watching sports. Also a few pinball, foosball and video games.

Check out my review of Billiard Center Wallisellen - I am baden - on Qype

Qype: Maison Blunt in Zürich

Zuerich - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Moroccan


Quite the weekend brunch-for-hipsters scene going on here. But if you enjoy people watching while eating near-eastern food or toking on a Shisha/Water Pipe then this is a great place for you!

Evenings are less crowded and offer nice cocktails in a more chill atmosphere... Brunch is rather packed and buzzing, so make a reservation.

The decor is very interesting, as can be seen from the photos. The wait staff is funky and quite friendly. Seating is outside sidewalk-cafe, inside on low round traditional tables with squat seats and pillows, inside normal chair-and-table... and outside back on the sunny patio.

Go there, you will not be disappointed.

Check out my review of Maison Blunt - I am baden - on Qype

Qype: Haynspark in Hamburg

Hamburg - Arts & Entertainment - Landmarks - Arts & Entertainment - Parks


Nice democratic sample of hamburg on display at this great park in Eppendorf. Weekends and nice weather evenings it is a paradise for the yuppie grill-chill elite, however with a nice sprinkling of students, shirtless-jugglers, Turkish families and tiny tots waddling around in the wading pool.

I fully agree with twisterella's comments on the romantic/sport offerings, sadly the ice-creme parlor is no more. (good ice-cream--it is missed). The canal provides plenty of canoe/paddle/tourist boat action--if that's what you're into!

Go there, it's good.

Check out my review of Haynspark - I am baden - on Qype

Wordpress wp-config.php Multi Language Hack

I am always looking for this code I wrote from past projects. Now I will know exactly where I can go to find it--namely here!

This is a little bit of php for a wordpress wp-config.php file that will switch language of the the admin interface based on user's browser language. Note: the required .mo file(s) will need to be uploaded to the /wp-content/languages folder.


$lang = substr(strtoupper(getenv("HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE")), 0, 2);
//echo "Language is: ".$lang;
if($lang == "DE"){
define ('WPLANG', 'de_DE');
}
else{
define ('WPLANG', '');
}


Qype: Blå Dörren in Stockholm

Stockholm - Eating & Drinking - Restaurants - Swedish


The setting is excellent. Old world vaulted ceilings that give the decor a real traditional feel. After being seated, I highly recommend kicking things off with:
Pickled Herring Starter Plater (the wait staff will even provide step-by-step instructions on how to consume this array of cracker-bread, fish, onions, chives, sour-cream, cheese and potato. Trust me on this one... its is so good you will want to slap your mamma with a fish. Also they make their own "moonshine liquor" called "snaps"... good digestive to help the... well... digestion.

The food is very seasonal. We had late-winter fare including a lobster soup (get the small one... trust me on this) and veal meat-balls in savory gravy, with whipped potatoes, cranberries and a nice cucumber salad. Over all I would say wonderful food... and a lot of it (we had to roll out of our chairs) -- all at a very reasonable price for Stockholm.

Staff was very friendly, atmosphere cozy yet traditional and the food was exactly what we had hoped for. Only negative is they seemed to have a very crazy unisex bathroom system--but that could have just been one used for over-stuffed land whales that can no longer walk down stairs.

In summery: if you are in the mood for some right-proper Swedish fair a stones throw from the Slussen station: this is the place!

Check out my review of Blå Dörren - I am baden - on Qype

Qype: Uebel und Gefährlich in Hamburg

Hamburg - Nightlife - Clubs - Nightlife - Music Venues


Just to preface this review: After TWO HOURS of fighting the undulating human mass at the front door--I called it quits. So this is more a review of the insane entry process.

It is bad. Very, very bad. You know those video images of the subways of china where the trains are so packed they hire official Shovers to shoehorn more people in? Yeah, that bad.

The reason I did not spend the last 15 minutes continuing to fight my way past the asinine entry process, pay my 12 Euros and join 7-9 other suckers in the cargo elevator ride to the top is simply this: If an establishment cant get there crap together enough to manage a crowd of happy drunks that just want to get in and dance--how well are they going to handle an emergency exit? What an f'in joke.

But if you do want to brave the moronic method of entry, here is a tip: The "Lines" are left and right. Right is for "Guest List" but once beyond the crashing waves of people... everyone just jumped over to "Abend Kasse". So GO LEFT!

P.S. To the bouncer dude on the right that keep shining your mini mag light in everyones eyes and yelling and everyone to MOVE BACK or no one gets in. You should really think about cutting back on the heavy drugs. It is affecting your mental abilities.

Check out my review of Uebel und Gefährlich - I am baden - on Qype

Qype: Petit Saigon in Zürich

Zuerich - Eating & Drinking - Fastfood & Takeaway


After seriously jonesing for Phô the great part of the day, I did some research and came across Petit Saigon. I spent the hour getting into Zürich missing trains and walking around aimlessly until I found the place--but it was totally worth it.

For 23 CHF I got a nice bowl of Phô and Feldschlösschen Beer. Rather expensive, but normal for Zürich. And with the desperate need to feed my Phô monkey, I would have paid black market kidney prices without complaint.

The service was friendly, highly styled and... well, was surprised not to find a surprise karaoke bar tucked away in the rear.

The actual joint is quite small and cozy. Asian um-um-umbrellas and beautiful Non Quai Thao and Non La hats hang from the rafters. There must be an interior decorator on staff.

So, you are in Zürich and are looking for Phô? This is the place.

Check out my review of Petit Saigon - I am baden - on Qype