Berlin is a German-inspired restaurant found on W Jackson Blvd. in Spearfish, behind Dough Traders. The restaurant opened in Aug. 2024 and received some harsh reviews from locals when it first debuted, but being the stubborn person I am, I just needed to give it a try. As they have settled into their niche in the community, their reviews have been rising, and I was dying to have some quality German food.
When I first walked in, I noticed that the decor wasn’t to my style, and with several things lit by tacky pink lights, I was a little nervous about the quality of the food. I have nightmares of those neon pink abominations swimming around my memory that are attached to gimmicky boba shops, modern millennial bars and any other up-and-coming cultural/culinary phenomenon.
With a fake light-up cherry blossom tree in the center of the main dining room and European punk-inspired art lining the walls, it was a very odd mix of trying to be on trend, yet also subversive, which was definitely disorienting. It gave the impression that someone had gone onto Pinterest and searched, “edgy restaurant inspiration.”
Still, I wanted to give them a chance because decor, ultimately, has nothing to do with how the food actually tastes. I went in for an early dinner, around 4:30-5 PM, which resulted in there only being a couple of people sitting at the bar and one other party in the dining room.
My guest and I ordered the moules frites (mussels and fries) as an appetizer instead of an entrée, as it’s listed on the menu. The mussels were cooked in a white wine sauce, and the fries were cut into thin matchsticks and seasoned with parmesan.
The mussels were cooked and cleaned well–no grit–and the sauce was amazing, filled with garlic and herbs that complemented the white wine very well. The Parmesan fries were nice and crispy, though I do wish they had a little more salt on them. I almost regretted ordering them as an appetizer, as my guest and I almost filled up entirely on the shellfish.
For my own entrée, I ordered the Schweinshaxe (pork knuckle), which was served on top of sauerkraut, home-style potatoes, German red cabbage and Jager gravy. The pork was served still on the bone, and it’s no wonder why. I grabbed the bone to start cutting off the meat, and the meat was so tender it fell apart immediately, sliding off perfectly onto the top of the bed of vegetables. It was slow-roasted and then pan-fried to perfection.
The pairing of the fatty meat with the bitter sweetness of the sauerkraut and the apple cider vinegar on the red cabbage created a very dynamic, but familiar taste that reminded me of my grandma’s cooking. It brought me back to evenings spent sitting at her kitchen counter, helping her chop ingredients, the smell of cabbage in the air.
My guest ordered the Jager for their entrée, which is schnitzel (breaded meat, usually pork) on top of homestyle potatoes, red cabbage and Jager gravy. The schnitzel was nicely crisped and seasoned, and the texture went very well with the softer texture of the potatoes and cabbage. By this point, my guest and I started slowing down, fast. We had been so engrossed with the great tastes at the beginning of the meal that we had ignored our full stomachs. We finished our meals and promptly waddled our way out of the door.
While the meal was delicious, the prices are quite high, especially for a college student, although I would say that the portion sizes more than make up for it. One of their main entrée plates can feed at least two people comfortably, and the quality of the food also factors into the price. It’s the kind of place you don’t visit every day, but when you do, you leave satisfied, and maybe even with some leftovers for the next day.
I plan on being able to come to Berlin anytime I want a taste of my childhood classics, but don’t want to spend the time to make them for myself. Anyone who would be interested in a nice, hearty dish that doesn’t disappoint, and maybe stirs up some childhood memories, should visit Berlin. Don’t let the decorations throw you off; they may be outdated and strange, but the food is definitely classic.
