That feeling you get near the sea. Quiet. Content. Perhaps a bit sun-tired—and accepting it. That’s the ease you feel upon entering Lima Lima—a new Charlottenburg restaurant burning with memories of the Mediterranean, and innovative old recipes with quality ingredients.

Lima Lima’s Daniela Schaube and Rosario De Paola are relatively new Berliners, hailing from Naples, and yanking with them recipes from their homeland. The place’s decor is overdone in this comforting, heartwarming way. Each seashell (the words Lima Lima a kind of shell), personally plucked, is placed on display in this, their Berlin-dream restaurant, along with countless hanging postcards and Italian trinkets.

Daniela offers us wine from the Campagna, or the Province of Salerno, which is just southeast of Naples, and brings us our Antipasta (one meat, one vegetarian—and perfectly happy to do either). The serving’s large—these spongy cakes, with flavors like onion and carrot and gorgonzola, alongside parmesan chips, a hefty side of soft cheeses, with roasted eggplant and red peppers. The course is cold, allowing complete focus on the dynamic, complex flavors. As we eat, Charlottenburg grows hushed, drawing its curtains. But we—and the storm growling above us—are just getting started.

Our mains swing out next—perfect portions after such a hefty start—and we eat slowly, monitoring each flavor of the thyme and ricotta ravioli in a to-die-for butter and sage sauce and Paccheri alla Genovese, a traditional Neapolitan specialty with fresh noodles and meat sauce (which doesn’t completely cover the noodles, showing its skin a bit, letting you experience something more), onions, and white wine. Both noodles offer incredible dry-yet-oily mouth feel, with a variety of textures. Other Lima Lima fares, such as gnocchi with lemon and gorgonzola, squid, and cuttlefish with peas would surely grasp my attention on round two.

As we eat, it becomes certain: Lima Lima is careful with ingredients, preparing everything pickled or dried or sauced or rolled directly in the kitchen, every step of the way. To them, finished products entering a kitchen means—essentially—it’s no Italian kitchen at all.

A final course of a lemon, white chocolate, and almond and dark chocolate almond torta—neither too sweet, with a near-bread texture, completes our meal, along with a traditional espresso (and sure, another couple glasses of wine—the selection is really quite good).

Lima Lima. It’s both simple and extraordinary, with beautiful, welcoming hosts Daniela and Rosario. If you want true-to-the-bone Italian food, made every step of the way in the kitchen, you can’t miss Lima Lima.

Lima Lima is taking part in Eatalian Food Week Berlin, between the 13th-19th June. Head down there between these days to get a 3-course menu specially devised for the week plus wine for only €20. All you have to do is mention Eatalian Food Week when you order. Alternately, you can also book a table via phone, email or by using the online booking systems of the participating restaurants. We strongly recommend making reservations though as places could fill up fast. You can find out more at Eatalian Food Week’s Lima Lima website.

Visit Eatalian Food Week Berlin on Facebook here to find out more about the event.

Lima Lima’s Eatalian Food Week Menu

Starter

Antipasti misti LimaLima (on request also vegetarian)

Main Course

Paccheri alla Genovese
(Neapolitan speciality with fresh noodles and sauce of meat, onions and white wine)
or
Fresh ravioli Capresi with ricotta, thyme and lemon in butter and sauge or tomato sauce

Dessert

Torta Caprese al Cioccolato
(Typical cake from Capri with dark chocolate and almonds)
or
Torta Caprese al Limone
(Typical cake from Capri with white chocolate, almonds and lemon)

Wine

Falanghina del Sannio DeLiso (white wine)
or
Ajanico DeLiso (red wine)

Lima Lima

Schlüterstraße 74
10625 – Charlottenburg