We stopped in Cologne (Köln if you want to be a douche about it) on our way up north because, let’s face it – I love me some kolsch. Sure there’s history (to paraphrase Eddie Izzard, this is Europe after all), but for me the draw was really just the architecture and the beer. The first place we went, it tasted kind of stale. No big deal, we like to keep it moving, so we hit another place. Another skunk pour. I think we need to either raise our standards or lower our expectations. The next place tasted kind of weird, like the taps weren’t cleaned right or something. This goes on for a while and finally Shefali, she’s paying attention, she can connect the dots – she points out for me “maybe you just don’t like kolsch.” This took some time to sink in. A beer I don’t like? Why, that’s like a vegetable I don’t hate. I don’t know what I’ve been drinking and thinking to be kolsch, and I’m still not convinced I’m wrong about it. If anything it’s a conspiracy and somebody, possibly Austrian, and definitely sinister replaced the tasty tasty yellow gold that is kolsch with the gypsy swill that pervades every tap in the city. Occam’s Razor, you know. Also, fun fact – there is some epic Korean BBQ just outside the city. Those of you who know me know that my belly makes most of the decisions that Shefali doesn’t, and those decisions usually gravitate toward either bourbon or Korean food. The place we went to was incredible, and the owner was super friendly and accommodating to Shefali’s vegetarianism. He heard our tales of world adventure and even gave us contact info and told us to hit him up for advice on going to Korea. So yeah, the food was delicious on the verge of sensory overload, and for a cuisine that’s diversely flavorful it still managed to stand out. Simply put it makes Jung Kak feel inadequate, its seasoning flaccid and execution impotent in comparison. We stayed in a massive hostel – it was more like a compound. We checked in at one building and stayed in dormitories two buildings over. It was interesting in one sense, and surprisingly comfortable; but disappointing since there were no mixed-gender dorms. So Shefali and I had a little personal time away from eachother. I believe she enjoyed this more than I did.
[1] http://www.flickr.com/photos/97388931@N08/sets/72157636891812735/