Praise be to Robert Sietsema and his guide to Ethnic Eating in New York. It's so small you can fit it easily into a coat pocket, a purse or--in my case--the satchel bag I took with me to meet my friend Mark in front of the Signature Theater Company. Mark just moved here after graduating Yale's prestigious dramaturgy program. Now he's writing theater reviews for Variety and he invited me to see a Fugard play on 42nd street between 10th and 11th. I met him near the theater and found myself responsible for dinner. That's when I pulled out the Sietsema and discovered a German "sausage heaven" only two blocks away.

Say hallo to "Hallo Berlin!"

On a warm summer's day, what could be nicer than a beer garden where people are drinking what look like giant bongs of German beer and waitresses with thick German accents bring you water that tastes a little funky? Nothing I tell you!

"Hallo Berlin" is a fun place to eat if you're in that area. That area is, basically, Hell's Kitchen. It looks a little scuzzy, true, but the food is great. Mark and I both ordered bratwurst and a side of German french fries. Here's mark modelling his food:

Notice the Nalgene bottle? He drank from that because, as I said, the water was a little funky. But the food was delicious. Check it out close-up:

Check out those sausage toppings: sour red cabbage, grilled onions. And the German french fries were like the most delicious hash browns you could imagine with a great sauce on top.

If you're in the area and you're hungry for sausage, beer and good times why not say hallo to "Hallo Berlin"? You'll danke me later.