Reviews of raum 8, club morizz, matador.
Raum 8 Tel. (089) 49 00 10 45 Grafingerstr. 6 – Kunstpark Ost, Munich How to get there: U5 and S Ostbahnhof Wednesdays 22-5 Munich’s biggest party zone, Kunstpark Ost again boasts a new club — Raum 8. A small bar nestled in the former lobby of the adjacent Bongo Bar, Raum 8 is Florian and Jakob Faltenbacher’s latest creation following the immensely popular Milch und Bar and Starsky’s. Their newest creative nightlife endeavor will surely become a coveted meeting place for those who find Starsky’s too stuffy and too ’70s, and for those who avoid the perpetually overcrowded Milch und Bar. A team of architects calling itself “8” has designed the club space and reduced the decor to the absolute basics. The white walls, the only color used, are livened up by simple but fascinating light reflections. The plain atmosphere is appropriate for the straight House music played, but the bar is set in the middle of the room, there is no dancing space. What, then, can you do in Raum 8? Order a tolerably priced drink, join in a shouting discourse above the blaring music or just let the rhythm and mood shake your body where you stand. Get a pair of plugs to protect your ears from the music’s deafening volume and go judge for yourself. Club Morizz Tel. (089) 201 67 76 Klenzestr. 43, Munich How to get there: U2 Fraunhoferstrasse Sun.-Thu. 19-2, Fri. & Sat. 19-3. Even those who claim to know the Gärtnerplatz environs like their own coat pockets could be standing in front of the Club Morizz and not even notice it. The entrance is so small and inconspicuous that it seems to have been designed for Twiggy-like dwarfs; plus, the Morizz sign is mounted at the eye level of a farsighted giant. Nonetheless, once you have found and entered the place, you find yourself in quite a noble establishment with probably the best-looking and most professional waiters in town. Be sure to go early in order to enjoy the delicate Asian food while sitting on a stylish chair or couch. Of course Club Morizz’s exquisite atmosphere also can be taken in at a later hour, but by then crowds will have gathered and you will have to stand. My advice is to begin a night of clubbing at Morizz, order one of the large variety of excellent, though slightly overpriced drinks, and chat with your companions over the soft accompaniment of the live DJ’s choice of Easy Listening music. Matador Tel. (089) 49 91 87 80 Grafingerstr. 6 – Kunstpark Ost, Munich How to get there: S and U5 Ostbahnhof Tue. & Wed. 20-close, Thu. 19-close, Fri. & Sat. 18-close. The Matador at Kunstpark Ost is a hybrid of a simple Spanish cantina and a sheik Los Angeles club. Spanish tiles adorn Matador’s floor and a meter-long bubbling water lamp gurgles atop the bar. Matador offers more than food and drinks. For those in a dancing mood, there is a small dance floor that pounds out dance beats all night long. If relaxation is your thing, comfortable couches make inviting spots for chatting and mixing with your neighbors. But if you are just too pooped to party, then take a break on the decorative bed towards the back of the restaurant. The food menu is somewhat limited. Offering California and Southwestern fare, it consists largely of appetizers and light meals such as nachos and chili. The bar, situated in the restaurant’s center, is the engine of Matador’s activity with its large selection of import beers and mixed drinks. Reasonably priced between DM 10-15, the drinks are good, stiff, and come with names that invoke mystery and intrigue such as the “James Bond” — a champagne, vermouth, and gin concoction. Situated in the first row of the KPO strip, Matador has good energy and enough undercurrent to make it interesting.