Lola was here
May 24, 2017
Evelyn und Julia Csabai: "We have the best goulash in Berlin."
The two sisters who run Lola was here are confident. After all, the Evelyn and Julia Csabai learned to prepare good goulash directly from their Hungarian grandmothers. They have lived in Berlin since 1989. Here, the Hungarian-born sisters have been able to realize their dream of owning their own café. Evelyn and Julia Csabai were only familiar with traditional Hungarian coffee houses. When they lived in Budapest, there was nothing like the kind of cafés they had in Germany, where breakfast was served as well. The sisters were impressed. So when a pharmacy in their neighborhood in Prenzlauer Berg went out of business after 40 years, they knew it was now or never.
Lola was here café in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg
Lola was here finally opened in 2014. So who is Lola? "Lola is a fictional woman, a symbol for Berlin. She comes and goes, and sometimes she runs," says Evelyn. "And she's a cosmopolite like us," adds Julia.
Traditional Hungarian beef goulash (Vörösboros Marhapörkölt)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 kg beef
- 750 g onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 Hungarian bell peppers
- 1 carrot
- 1 T tomato paste
- 150 ml dry red wine
- Ground caraway seed
- Noble sweet paprika powder
- Hot paprika powder
- Salt, pepper
- Oil
Preparation:
Peel garlic and onions and roughly chop. Wash bell peppers, chop into small pieces. Peel carrots and grate. Pat meat dry and chop into bite-sized pieces.
Heat oil in a deep pot. Sauté onions, garlic, and bell pepper. Then add salt, pepper, and paprika powder. Add tomato paste and red wine, and simmer. Then add meat and fry at high heat, stirring continuously.
Deglaze with 1 liter water, bring to a boil, then cover and stew for around two hours at medium heat. Serve with spaetzle noodles and cucumber salad.
Café Lola was here
Seelower Str. 8
10439 Berlin
Tel.: +49 30 44717120