KINK

Once we had climbed the stairs to Pfefferberg on this balmy July evening, we quickly forgot the cacophony of the big city that can be heard just a few steps away on Schönhauser Allee. On its quiet, tree-lined grounds, KINK is a small oasis that attracts its guests not only through its love for detail and design, but also with a wide variety of culinary delights.

The menus change according to the season. And even though grand surprises, by fine dining standards, were missing during our visit, what is on offer is not only a feast for the palate but also for the eyes. The dishes explode with color; they could equally be displayed a few streets down at any Mitte gallery. Picking a dish is tough – we’d love to try the entire menu. So it really helps to arrive with a larger group and have more options to share.

We were particularly smitten with the lush green risotto with peas, asparagus, sauce verde and lime. Incredibly creamy yet summery fresh! Also on the menu: ceviche with summer kimchi and roasted romaine hearts and octopus with smoked eggplant and potato. Yum!

Dangerously good and not to be underestimated: their fresh and homemade bread. So delicious that it’s hard not to eat yourself into a coma even before the first course. Creative but not on our list of favorites was the dessert. Asparagus ice cream with miso caramel, black garlic and sesame seeds as well as Szechuan lime tart with white chocolate, meringue and ginger.

Make sure to plan in some extra time to linger after dinner at the courtyard or at the impressive bar. The charm of the restaurant staff combined with the creative food make KINK the perfect setting for a calm and balmy summer night, sheltered from, but reassuringly close to, the hustle and bustle of the city.