JAJA Wine Bar Cosy & Easy Dining in Neukölln district

Career changes are always exciting somehow. TV presenters who now drive ambulances or fashion designers who open delicatessens. The cosy wine bar JAJA in Neukölln also came about through such a story. The restaurant, which stands for natural wine and seasonal cuisine, was founded six years ago. Hannes Broecker fell in love with JAJA right from the start. First as a guest, later as a chef and for a year now as the owner.

After the founders, Julia and Sven, changed their direction in the Corona era and founded the wine shop Return of the Living Wine, Hannes and his girlfriend Claude took over JAJA. Hannes, actually an artist, had enough of the art world at some point and started working in restaurants. For a while in Copenhagen, at Amass and Relais, later in Berlin, and finally at Lode & Stijn.

The concept of JAJA suited Hannes directly and thus allowed him to fulfil his dream of running his own restaurant. Cosy, informal and authentic, that's how the interior and menu harmonise here. The focus is on natural wine, which Hannes, of course, gets from Julia and Sven. Anyone who is not familiar with the topic of natural wine should pay a visit to JAJA. Natural wine always comes from organic cultivation and is produced without additives. The result is fruity, fresh wines that positively tingle on the tongue and go wonderfully with the food we are tasting here.

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We start our evening, accompanied by a coordinated wine pairing with an assortment of starters. They are rustic but all the more fitting for the natural wine. There is a loaf of fluffy sourdough bread with butter, as well as a small selection of cheeses with candied lemon and lavender almonds.

The candied lemon goes wonderfully with the goat cheese, while the spicy almonds are in a league of their own. To round things off nicely, there is also a so-called onsen egg. The perfectly cooked egg, named after the Japanese hot springs, is cooked in a warm water bath for 45-60 minutes. This gives it a silky-smooth, creamy consistency that puts even the best poached egg to shame.

The wine to accompany it is a Pét Nat Rosa Karasica, a Hungarian wine from Horst Hummel, a great start with its pink colour and freshness. The food is meant to be shared, so the dishes at JAJA form a kind of fine tapas. We continue with Jerusalem artichoke and herbed oyster, covered with foamed miso butter, which creates such a delicious sauce that you try to pick up even the slightest remnant from the plate. This is accompanied by an Oro Verde from Brendan Tracey.

The non-vegetarian options are smoked char with sprouts, horseradish, and grilled chicken with chilli sauerkraut and buttermilk bisque. Both dishes know how to inspire in their own way but are actively supported by the next wine, which for me, becomes the star of the evening. Electron Libre, red wine by Romuald Valot from Beaujolais, delights me so much that I order a second glass. It is light for red wine but very spicy; it goes straight to the heart and soul.

Desserts, of course, always have to be tested as well. The choice is easy here because there is only one on the menu. A cardamom mousse with almond and apple, which is already a pleasure to dip into with the spoon. Accompanied by a Kinheimer Hubertuslay, a sweet Riesling and ideal dessert wine to complete this successful evening at JAJA. The wine pairing achieves the desired result - full and somewhat buzzed, we go home satisfied.

Maximilian Zeh

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