Is Döner not turning you on the way it used to? How about breaking the routine with a taste of the land where snack specialists roam: the Netherlands.
When you visit De Molen (“the windmill”), a “Holländische Snackbar” in Friedrichshain, it’s likely you’ll find Uwe Hübner at work. The former insurance salesman was born in Berlin and grew up in the Netherlands; 25 years after he returned to Berlin, his longing for good fries got the better of him. Hübner threw himself into the task of learning every trick of the trade, and in July of last year he opened De Molen.
For the full experience, read up on the latest celebrity scandals in Dutch gossip magazines while you wait for your patat; then choose which sauce to eat them with. The options run from the classic met (€1.30/2.10), which simply means “with” and comprises a portion of mayonnaise; to oorlog (€1.70/2.50) or “war”, which mixes mayonnaise and peanuts; to the trendy Joppiesaus, which contains onion and curry powder. And there’s more to De Molen than fries: Hübner also serves kroket, a deep-fried roll filled with ragout (€1.95). The Dutch were so mad about this treat that they introduced it in Indonesia during their colonial rule – and McDonald’s franchises in the Netherlands are forced to include it in their menu. De Molen offers variants filled with cheese (€1.75) or vegetables (€1.50). And don’t forget to top it all off with Chocomel (€1.50), a tasty cold cocoa drink.
