Pan prepares Beef Tapa
Marinated beef is a classic dish in the Philippines. As children, Melanie and Ann Ronette Kowasch liked to eat it for breakfast. It's extremely popular at their restaurant Pan in Berlin.
Something hearty for breakfast
"We ate that a lot when we were kids, usually for breakfast. That's always a hearty meal. There's always rice for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and something hearty along with it. Breakfast is the most important meal in the Philippines. That's why we have it on as the Asian Breakfast, beef tapas, on our menu at our restaurant." - Ann Ronette Kowasch
A question of good taste
The sisters opened their restaurant, Pan, in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg district in 2011. It is one of just two Philippine restaurants in the German capital. The cuisine of the island state is not well-known here. Many of the dishes considered delicacies on the South Asian islands are not on the menu. "They just wouldn't mesh with the German palate," Melanie and Ann Ronette Kowasch say with a laugh.
Philippine balance
"It's a mixture of Asian and Spanish cuisine. Due to Spanish colonization, we've taken on a lot of Spanish culture – as well as cuisine and the language. That's what makes it so unique. It's not heavily flavored with herbs. It's not too spicy like Thai food is, for instance." - Melanie Kowasch
Multi-talented
The two are not only creative in the kitchen, but in designing their restaurant as well. Ann Ronette Kowasch, who usually cooks, created the wall decorations from old wooden doors. Her sister Melanie, with whom she completed training as hospitality experts in Berlin, greets the guests in the restaurant.
Philippine breakfast with rice
The unique element of beef tapa is the rice. Along with soy sauce, annatto powder gives it its dark color. The spice is less known in Europe, but is used in coloring for boiled eggs and cheese. It is available in Asian supermarkets.