Eppendorfer Grill-Station

Having or being? It‘s a fundamental question that all of us are answering in their day to day by the way we live. There are those striving to accumulate, mostly materialistic possessions. Things. Clutter. And then those who have freed themselves from the urge to possess, those opting to simply be in the world. Obviously, simply being is the more difficult pursuit, as it requires us to live with our thoughts, to tolerate the ruling monkey mind and avoid chasing something that keeps one busy, but rarely happy or satisfied for long. Having requires chasing something, needing to change the status quo, not accepting what is. Being, on the other hand, implies one‘s presence, acceptance and realizing that whatever appears simply appears. Philosophers and neuroscientists alike remind us that consciousness is experience itself. And being able to experience more clearly is one benefit of meditation. The confused reader may now wonder: „Are all those guests eating Currywurst and fries enlightened beings, meditating on their mortality while working actively on it?“ For the author of this essay, this seems highly unlikely. But what is likely is that taking more time in one‘s life to visit Eppendorfer Grill-Station is one way of being more present in this world, of being less distracted, less judgmental, less on the hunt for whatever one currently thinks one wants. By eating at Eppendorfer Grill-Station, one fully surrenders to the moment. One simply is. Read „Haben oder Sein“ by philosopher Erich Fromm for a more detailed account of the topic.

We went here because of the nostalgia. My German husband has to explain the poop culture reference, and his family loved the idea of us going. It wasn't too crowded, despite it being a nice day. We did have to sit inside, though. We just split the Currywurst and fries, plus a couple drinks. It was actually a decent Currywurst, though the flavors of Currywurst just aren't for me. The fries were very standard takeout fries.

The real deal! A “Pommes Bude” like I remember it from my youth! Don’t expect gourmet dining! But the roast chicken and classic Curry Wurst are exactly how they should be!