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Terence Davey, left, and Herr Lassnig at the front of German Deli |
Sausages with an authentic sizzle
Don Ryan discovers a genuine German deli in an unlikely setting
SURROUNDED on three sides by 1970s council housing, the unassuming King Square, in Clerkenwell, has an eclectic blend of shops run by a diverse mix of nationalities. They include a first-rate fish restaurant and takeaway, as well as a bakery with ovens on site and tables outside, serving curries alongside more traditional English bakery fare.
With an Italian café serving good coffee, a newsagent and grocery store, together with a launderette and a genuine German deli, this is a special, self-contained little corner of London that overcomes its surroundings by imposing a Continental look and feel onto a British urban landscape.
“This deli is the real thing,” Herr Lassnig assures me. “German people come here and tell me it reminds them of their childhood.”
Nowadays such an authentic shop is a rarity, even in Germany. The shop is owned by two German business men, one of whom also owns an artisan bakery, which explains the tasty looking quiches, tarts and pastries in the window, on sale next to German sausages, mustards, coffees, crisps and, of course, sauerkraut.
Herr Lassnig stands outside, cooking bratwurst sausages that are sold to passers-by in a bread roll with a choice of sauerkraut, mustard or ketchup for £2.50. A sign nearby offers genuine frankfurter with German-style potato salad for £3.50.
Inside the shop is Terence Davey, the only Englishman on the team. Everyone else is German. Born and raised in Islington, he played football as a boy with a young Charlie George, the legendary 1970s Arsenal footballer. He moved to south London some years ago but is delighted and grateful to his German employers for enabling his return to the old manor.
“Here I am, back home, selling authentic German food to German tourists. This could only happen in London,” he laughs. “You hear a lot about French and Italian cuisine, but Germans also love their food and put a lot of care and skill into making original, quality produce.”
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