Biting into Berlin’s Big Stuff @ Markthalle Neun
Kreuzberg; it’s bohemian, artsy and has a grittiness to it that gentrification hasn’t yet polished away. The streets are narrow, the multicultural diversity is wide, and the community vibe is strong.
I know I’ve ventured far enough into the backstreets of a city to be in legit-locals-land when the tourist-friendly signage disappears, and the local shopkeepers sprout forth greetings and queries in their mother tongue.
So it was in Kreuzberg that I found myself being told off by a local for… I don’t know what. I think I must have contravened the supermarket’s queuing protocol. Whatever it was, I was let off the hook when I pleaded ignorance with a tone and expression that was universally understood as ‘pathetic’.
After some guessing and backtracking, we found our destination, the Markthalle Neun, the HQ for Kreuzberg’s hip and hungry. From fresh produce for home cooking to ready-to-inhale coffee, smoothies, pasta, dim sum, crepes, gelati and more. This place ticks all the foodie boxes.
It was the tantalising aroma of a smokey bbq wafting from a busy corner that made our dining decision for us. For a small stand, Big Stuff Smoked BBQ boasts massive flavours.
With three tray sizes to choose from, we opted for medium and 2 meat selections; the pulled pork and beef brisket, slinging in a Bloody Mary and Hefenweiser to wash down the punch of protein.
Watching the chef prep our meal was a performance in itself. With the ease of a pro, he prepped the meats, laid out the 'taties drizzling olive oil over them with a swagger that even Jamie Oliver would aspire to.
We tucked in and didn’t speak again until our tray was bare. The meat was a carnivore’s delight. The deep, rich, smoky, meaty flavours tumbled upon our tastebuds with the same ease that they fell apart on our forks. The three bbq sauces, varying in heat, were the perfect accompaniment.
As we ate, the local crew jostled around us, some sharing our table while others gave our trays the once over before deciding to join the Big Stuff queue for their own fix.
If Big Stuff Smoked BBQ would consider setting up a stand in the Adelaide Central Markets so I could drop in more often, that’d be greatly appreciated.
Another brilliant Berlin taste experience to stash in my flavour memory files. Tak! (That’s Danish for ‘thanks’).
Big Stuff Smoked BBQ @ Markthalle Neun
Eisenbahnstrasse 42/43 - 10997 Berlin-Kreuzberg
Station: U1 Görlitzer Bahnhof
