Gourmet paradise: a department store that teems with cuisine from around the world.

I've always been somewhat skeptical of the anecdotes I heard about the gastronomic marvels to be found in the famed "gourmet temple" of the Kaufhaus des Westens (KaDeWe), translated as "Shop of the West," in Berlin. Skepticism that evaporated the moment the elevator doors opened on the sixth floor and we stepped out, marveling, into the largest food shop and delicatessen in all of Europe.

The KaDeWe building, is located on one of Berlin's busiest streets, Kurfurstendamm, commonly known as the "Ku'Damm." It has a pleasant century old facade that gives way to impressive modernism, luxury and good taste as soon as you enter. In the lobby, you can obtain an orientation brochure for the shopping center, and the special offers in each department.

We started our tour of the department store, where you can find anything from cosmetics, jewelry and designer clothing to toys and fine items for the home. Everything was first-class. We took the modern elevator to our goal and as soon as the doors slid opened, my five senses went on high alert: Literally, I could hardly believe what my eyes saw, my nose smelled, my hands felt, my ears heard, and what my tongue tasted. I simply felt like Alice in Wonderland. I really was entering into a gastronomic paradise.

With great enthusiasm, and nearly in a state of shock, I started my exciting tour, beginning with a bubbly glass of Moet & Chandon. For those who appreciate fine drink, you can find here more than 2,400 varieties of wine from all five continents.

After refreshing our palate, we continued in the direction of the best and most succulent German sausages (1,200 varieties) and an impressive selection of French mustards.

My nose led me to one of the halls where the air was heavy with the strong scents of more than 1,300 cheeses on exhibit. Here I took my time. I tasted surprising varieties and quantities of cheese, from the softest to the strongest. Cheese lovers can find anything, from an authentic Italian buffalo mozzarella to the best and finest Bulgarian kashkaval.

Then we headed for the Oyster Bar, where we appreciated the delicate and exquisite taste of this shellfish, which we enjoyed with a freshly baked loaf of French bread and a glass of Veuve Clicquot. It's unforgivable to skip a stop here.

Other delicacies available: mushrooms from Marrakesh, beans from Senegal, fruits and vegetables from places as remote as the Seychelle Islands, as well as the finest coffees from around the world.

There are products that can be found only here, such as the smoked salmon prepared specially for this store by Daniel Reymond in Burgundy, France, who smokes fresh salmon in the traditional manner of the Spey River Valley in Scotland. Reymond uses only the best salmon, he fillets it by hand and salts it with sea salt. Then he allows the fillets to rest for 24 hours before smoking them in traditional ovens with oak wood, according to an ancient secret recipe.

For a grand finale, we walked toward the chocolate department, where you can find the work of the master chocolatiers from Godiva, Cluizel, Neuhaus, Teuscherentre, and many other equally famous chocolate makers. Here, visitors are offered an ample and select range of candies and delicious temptations, imported to Berlin exclusively for KaDeWe.

"Without a doubt, KaDeWe offers tourists from all over the world an infinite number of items, gourmet products that range from the simplest to the most whimsical," says Rosa Linda Thomas, a representative for the Caribbean of Messee Berlin, the entity that is in charge of organizing all fairs and events in this city.

According to Thomas, the continuous fairs and activities in the city, such as the recently held Berlin-ITB Tourism Fair, an event attended by more than 94,500 professional visitors and 68,270 tourists, allows KaDeWe to receive an average of 40,000 visitors daily, and also for it to be the obligatory destination of every tourist.

The 1907 opening of KaDeWe revolutionized the concept of the store in Germany, as it integrated for the first time under one roof products as diverse as the latest fashions from Paris and delicacies such as caviar. During the Cold War, KaDeWe became an emporium where the abundance of capitalism was displayed in West Berln.

Exotic. Because it's so uncommon, so exotic and special, KaDeWe became a symbol of the city and celebrities such as Marlene Dietrich and Billy Wilder visited it, and over the last few years it has added to its list of famous clients heads of state and members of royal families.

An added attraction for visitors are the more than 150 chefs and pastry chefs, who make it a point to attend to customers, fulfilling even the most whimsical request and offering samples of their wares. Already satisfied, and convinced that this is in fact a gourmet temple, I began to descend in a state of gastronomic bliss from the sixth floor of the shopping center. I must confess that I had no guilt because of all the tasting I did, on the contrary I was nostalgic because I left this visit to our last day in this city.

Finally, once I left this "Shop of the West" with gourmet coffee in hand, I felt renewed and ready to explore the rich cultural and architectural heritage of Berlin. Which, I must add, between opera, film, theater and more than 7,000 restaurants of all types, it's kind of hard to choose.

YANIRIS FELIPE * BERLIN