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Abdessalam Uallil doesn’t speak much English and has never been to Australia, but he serves up a mean kangaroo burger.

A native of Morocco, Uallil moved to Germany in the 1970s and began a string of restaurant jobs that would lead him to open the Corroboree, also known as the Australian bar, in Darmstadt, Germany.

“I wanted to start a restaurant that gives people a good connotation,” he said in German. “Can you think of anything bad about Australia?” he paused. “Can you?”

Corroboree has everything one would expect at an Australian restaurant — boomerangs, Fosters beer, and gratuitous yellow kangaroo-crossing signs.

Like Australia, Corroboree has a lot of open space. The restaurant can seat nearly 300 people on two levels. The walls, floor and furniture are made of wood, giving the place an outdoorsy feel. After the sun goes down, these days around 11 p.m., the candles and the soft lights give the place a warm, cozy glow.

“It’s where you go out before you go out,” said Sgt. Jeremy Strader, a medic at the nearby Darmstadt health clinic. The clientele is mostly German, but a handful of English speakers come in as well.

Although Corroboree offers happy hour specials every night of the week, the bar area is rarely crowded, perhaps because the bartenders are too busy making drinks and washing glasses. They don’t have time to entertain a loner at the bar.

Corroboree is not a place to make new friends. People come here for the food.

Uallil worked with a culinary consultant to create a mouthwatering menu that blends Asian and Aussie dishes. The menu contains a long list of appetizers, salads, burgers, steaks and veggie meals with rice and pasta.

For a true taste of down under, try the kangaroo imported from the Netherlands or the crocodile steak from Australia.

“I get it every time I come,” Strader said of the Kangaroo steak. “It's that good.”

Strader’s friend, Sgt. Chris Braden, also a medic at the Darmstadt Health Clinic, said he tried the crocodile out of curiosity. “Tastes like chicken,” he said.

For those who like their food with a side of soccer, there are eight TVs and two big screens, which are strategically placed so that a person sitting anywhere in the bar has a good view of the game. Uallil said he expected large crowds during the World Cup, which will include a team from Australia.

“I like the country,” said Uallil in German. “I’d like to go there someday.”

As always, if you drink, do so responsibly. Don’t drink and drive.

Corroboree

Drinks: Everything from beer, wine, cocktails and coffee. Beers start at 2.60 euros. Cocktails run between 5.40 euro and 10.20 euro.

Food: Full menu, to include kangaroo or crocodile steaks.

Clientele: Mostly Germans, with a smattering of English speakers.

Location: Kasinostrasee 4-6, Darmstadt, Germany.

Web site: www.corroboree.sportkneipe.de/

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