Going back to
the garlic scapes, after coal roasting the tendrils ($9) they’re chopped and
topped on smooth ricotta cheese. The ingredient is like an amalgamation of green
beans and asparagus, in terms of texture, with a sweetness augmented with a
garlic essence that’s surprisingly light. Of course, it could have been
somewhat neutralized by the strong pecorino cheese and dash of lemon juice, combining
to create a flavourful crostini.
Berlin’s menu has two starter sections: “to start” and “appetizers”. Surprisingly, the first two dishes ordered from the “to start” section are actually larger and heavier than the following appetizers. Perhaps it’s best to think of the “to start” selection a shared plates, great options for light bites.
Our waiter explains that the chopped marinated tuna belly ($16) is actually pieces of fish sliced off in large chunks so there’s a pulled texture to the fish. With plenty of meaty pieces tossed in sweet soy with nori, there's an Asian essence to the dish along with toasted seeds and wild arugula.
The grilled squid and cucumber salad ($15) was fantastic with the squid just cooked through resulting in a tender and sweet dish. Crunchy cucumber slices tossed with olive oil, dill, and a hint of cream dressing makes it light and refreshing – great for the summer and the sauce perfect for dipping bread into.
For risotto, Berlin’s pearl barley and lentil version ($26) was refreshing: the grains more nutty than sticky and the sauce, while cheesy, is lightened with tons of vegetables. At least half of the plate consisted of radish pods, which although looks like dried pea pods have an interesting radish essence. They take some getting used to ascertain pods were dry while others crisp and sweet – each bite is a hit or miss. Overall, for risotto, there’s a surprising amount of greenery built into the dish, giving it a light and bright finish.
In fact, even the fish and chips ($24), a special they offer every Tuesday, had a generous handful of mixed summer greens. By the end of the meal, I was rather pleased with myself... I thought we made indulgent choices but actually consumed a lot of vegetables! The Lake Erie white bass was a great for fish and chips since its dense and meaty, holding up against the crispy batter so there’s still fish flavours. The celeriac remoulade sauce was thick and filled with herbs, great for the fish or dipping the hot crispy fries into.
For a
restaurant that has so many sharable plates, the staff needs to pay more
attention to what customers are telling them - despite informing our waiter
while ordering and as each course was presented that we’d be sharing, we still had
to follow-up to get side plates after they were cleared between courses.
Regardless, it’s a small slip and in other
aspects our waiter was attentive and friendly. We could certainly sense his
passion for the city and the redevelopment going through the Kitchener downtown
core, where Berlin is located, thanks to Waterloo’s expansion. Although I haven’t
visited a lot of restaurants in the KW region, Berlin has certainly topped the
list as my favourite; brunch or dinner, the food continues to impress, perfect
for feeding the technology boom.
Overall mark - 9 out of 10
How To Find Them
Location: Kitchener, Canada
Address: 45 King Street West
Address: 45 King Street West
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Gastro World's Grading System
- Anything under 5 - I really disliked and will never go back
- 6 - decent restaurant but I likely won't return
- 7 - decent restaurant and I will likely return
- 8 - great restaurant that I'd be happy to recommend
- 9 - fantastic restaurant that I would love to visit regularly and highly recommend
- 10 - absolute perfection!
Is That It? I Want More!
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