Sauvage

For someone who has not eaten gluten for 12 years, and is constantly paranoid that a waiter doesn't understand what does and does not have gluten in it, going to the "paleo" themed restaurant was a treat. Aside from a couple of beers (this is Germany after all) the whole menu is grain and dairy free.

The atmosphere was great, with low lighting provided through interesting fixtures, lots of wood accent panelling, and a painting of cavemen with a fresh kill. The menu had a lot of extra information explaining the thinking behind paleo eating, and the waitress who served us was well-informed about all of the dishes and Getränke and spoke fluent English.

Its pricey by Berlin standards, but not crazy for a special occasion. Besides, all of the ingredients were high quality and the dishes were inventive and faultlessly prepared. 2 entrees, 3 appetizers, 2 desserts and a bottle of wine came out to around €130.

One thing that was particularly enjoyable about the dishes was the use of a wide range of fermented ingredients. They ferment these in the basement of the restaurant, and it was nice to see what lactic acid does to improve foods other than cabbage and milk.

I was less impressed with the desserts than the entree, but when it really comes down to it, fancy desserts are never going to feel very paleo. The were still great, but I probably would have preferred a second helping of the Venison appetizer after the delicious steak.