A KH of the Jehovah's Witnesses in the center of the city of Ulm (Germany) has become a new gastronomic market with salads, homemade milkshakes, etc.

[Jack Ryan]

The whole world comes to the new market hall in Ulm

Ulm's city center has a new gastronomic attraction: the "Ulmer Markthalle" opened on Friday. In the former Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah's Witnesses' Religious Community, eleven stands currently offer food daily from nine to nine p.m. under the motto "homemade, sustainable, regional, seasonal". Dzenis Drinjak, a gastronome known in Ulm - for example, an operator of the Sucasa Bar or founder of Damn Burger - is the initiator of the whole thing.

The idea behind it: To open an uncomplicated realization possibility to the fresh ideas of restaurateurs. "We need more trial and error mentality," says Drinjak. If everything is always thought through down to the last detail, creativity falls by the wayside. For this reason, he only enters into lease agreements with the stand operators that can be terminated on a monthly basis. If a concept is not running, then a new one should be tried out. The project is scheduled to run for two and a half to three years: Because it was clear that the building would be demolished in 2021.

More applicants than places

This pop-up approach did not harm the rush in the run-up: there were more applicants than stands. And yet one is empty. He had been deliberately released to ensure constant variety. Producers or restaurateurs can also rent in here on a daily basis. A lot of work is involved in transforming a prayer house into a market hall. From morning to evening, the store manager has been working on the stands and building services over the past few weeks.

Drinjak itself developed a concept for the market which - as a franchise, so to speak - is managed by an acquaintance: The "NY Cab Food Bar" offers a specialty from the cosmopolitan city with a regional touch in the design of the famous New York taxis: Pastrami-sandwiches with meat of Allgäuer outdoor cattle.

The culinary arch, which is stretched in the market hall, reaches almost around the whole world. With a picture of her Peruvian granny (Abuelitas's) in her portrait, Diana Rapp offers Empanadas. The stuffed dumplings are available in two ways: baked as they are preferred in Peru. Or fried the Colombian way. Rapp serves with it, for example, causa, a potato and tuna casserole. Espresso then extracts diagonally opposite its partner in the "Kaffenio" from an original Faema machine, which is considered to be the Rolls-Royce among the strainer carriers. But yesterday's opening day revealed some pitfalls, as could be seen from the heavy screwing of the good old piece.

Not only North and South America are represented culinarily, but also Africa and Asia. Thuy Duong, who also runs the Asia Van restaurant in Ulm's Hoheschulgasse, serves fresh Vietnamese summer rolls. The Vietnamese woman wants to concentrate on street food in the market hall, as is eaten in the home of her family in northern Vietnam.

Offers also from Africa

The offer at "Eri Soul" is particularly unusual. Here the Eritrean-born Harnet Brunner-Tesfazghi wants to introduce the Swabians to East African cuisine. She has already gained gastronomic experience with her partner Teben Eyob at Café Omar in Ulm. And in the preparation of monthly Eritrean buffets. "The cuisine in Eritrea is very spicy," says Brunner-Tesfazghi. The center of the meal is always Injera, a flatbread made of sourdough. "Homemade, of course." You can also try timtimo, a lentil dish with tomatoes, fava beans or cigni, a beef specialty in a spicy sauce.

European cuisine is represented by Italian Mario Brizzo. His specialty: fresh pasta. The wraps at Fresh-Sub, a small chain with branches in Ulm, Stuttgart, and Karlsruhe, are also fresh.

Annabelle Glaser also serves salads and homemade smoothies. Gerhard Illenberger is responsible for cheese at the Markthalle. The Heidenheim-based cheese sommelier also organizes cheese seminars at its parent company Käse & Mohr. In Ulm, the gourmet offers artisan cheese and other selected dairy products.

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