Still in the midst of the Berlin winter, I ventured out to sample some kaiseki cuisine (sic expensive Japanese dining). The best spot I'm aware for this in Berlin is Shiori.
Situated a short walk form the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn stop, the exterior is rather non-descript - I completely walked past in it at first. Not that that's an issue, perhaps it's even appropriate for a refined dining experience.
Something to see
I attended dinner with one friend, once again Freya. The restaurant only sits a maximum of ten people at a time but the interior in no way feels cramped. Diners sit at one long table, which creates a surprisingly bustling atmosphere. Note that dinner starts at 7pm sharp, so try to get there a little early...
While we had a great experience, I think the ideal group is three to four. Generally if I'm having with one other person, I prefer to sit face-to-face, which isn't possible here. So I think a slightly larger group would create a very jovial vibe.
I'd recommend finding a few fellow fine dining enthusiasts at work and go to Shiori after a long day. In fact, I'd say Shiori would be great for solo dining, who knows you might even make some friends.
Just as Shiori is quite a small venue, it has a small staff. Front of house also prepare food and drinks. Again this is completely fine, in fact I think it contributes to that vibrant atmosphere. Also it means the staff know exactly what's on the menu and can effectively explain each.
So to the menu then.
The dinner
The menu is a set fifteen course (yes fifteen, much to Freya's surprise) of refined Japanese cuisine. Each plate isn't particularly large, but unlike some other higher end restaurants you do feel full at the end of the meal. I won't go through every dish served, but would like to make some highlights.
Flavours where excellent throughout. I particularly enjoyed the uni and sweet potato at the start and also the beef wagyu. The sashimi and sushi style dishes were also tasty. Dessert consisted first of a delightful box of small bites followed by some matcha ice cream. Pretty sure they used real matcha powder to make the ice cream I had energy for several hours after dinner.
Courtesy of Freya Choi
The presentation was also first rate. I'm by no means an expert in Japanese cuisine, but I'd describe it as consistent with other Japanese dining experiences I've had just elevated. So if you enjoy sushi and sashimi you can take your experience to the next level at Shiori.
Courtesy of Freya Choi
Courtesy of Freya Choi
Courtesy of Freya Choi
Drinks
I opted for the chef's sake pairing, while Freya stuck to non-alcoholic options, which were excellent. To be honest, I was slightly hesitant to go for the sake pairing. I've had mixed experience with sake pairing in the past. Sake tends to be on the sweeter side, which typically isn't my preference for alcohol. Worth bearing this in mind in case you're not familiar with sake. You can also drink sake by the glass and mix it up with the odd glass of wine*.
With that preface out of the way, I'm happy to say that I did enjoy the drinks pairing. I won't review each individual sake I had, but overall I would say that the choices complemented the food well and I didn't think any of the options were overly sweet. I particularly enjoyed the sparkling sake they served as an aperitif. One sake really emulated the flavour of white wine, which goes to show how diversity of sake's flavour profile.
My one disappointment of the evening was the absence of any cocktails or spirits. I find a great cocktail can really enhance the dining experience - even a simple gin and tonic would have been nice. Similarly, although I didn't sample the wine, I believe the choice is quite limited there too.
Closing thoughts
I would definitely recommend checking out Shiori. It's on the more expensive end so be prepared, but certainly think the ambience and quality of food justifies the price.
So that's kaiseki of the list, if I can just find somewhere that serves Teppanyaki..
Where to try sake in Berlin
Incidentally if you want to sample sake before trying it out at Shiori I'd recommend checking out Sake 36 near Kottbusser Tor. They're a dedicated sake store and offer tasking evenings. I went there last November and was particularly struck by the unfiltered sake they had. Although I believe technically this doesn't qualify as sake, I guess the Reinheitsgebot is a live and well in Japan.
Also as a final bonus for making it to the end, I'd recommend to check out this YouTube channel if you're curious about Teppanyaki.
Pictures attributed to Freya Choi are include here with the permission.
Images I created are available at this link
Written content and images by the author attributed as follows:
Review of Shiori by William Samuel McDonald is licensed under CC BY 4.0
