Berlin

My propensity for porcine pursuits put me on the scent of @banhmistable, where they make the most delightfully crispy heo quay(Chinese-style crispy pork) banh mi.
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The ultra-thin layers of crackling shatter effortlessly with each bite, followed by the silky mouthfeel of the fatty meat. To cut through the richness, there’s plenty of crunchy and tangy Vietnamese-style pickled vegetables. It’s all held together by freshly baked baguette, which is the perfect vehicle for the fillings – crusty on the outside but not overly so that it gets in the way of the ingredients, and narrow enough to take whole bites of easily.
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Taste: 3.5/5

An inviting and warm restaurant serving traditional and modern Levantine dishes from Palestine, Syria and Lebanon amongst others, Sim Sim is a must-visit in Prenzlauer in Berlin, in my opinion.
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Savour authentic and unusual dishes such as the Kebab B Karaz - tender lamb kofta pieces in an alluringly sweet and warm combination of sour cherries spiced with cinnamon. The gaminess of the meat stands in sharp contrast to the decidedly unsavoury fruit-based sauce, but in quite the surprisingly complementary way, enlivened with the crunch of cashews.
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Taste: 3.5/5

Amazingly plump and fresh blackened tiger shrimp, soaked in the tangy flavours of garlic, lemon and cumin. The best part is the prawn head where the crustacean juices concentrate in – suck it all out for maximum umami goodness.
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Curiously enough the prawns come with mushrooms which are tasty enough on their own, but an odd combination with shellfish.
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Taste: 3.5/5

The classic Levantine salad is executed to perfection here, with chopped parsley, tomatoes and fine bulgur coated in a lemon dressing. Refreshingly healthy and tasty, and a good bite between richer dishes to cleanse the palate.
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Taste: 3.5/5

A classic, Tahini-foward hummus that’s smooth and velvety. I wish it had a little more acid but it was nontheless good. What set it apart was the garnish of bits of veal, which I’m also not certain added much to the whole dish.
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Taste: 3/5

Simple yet finger lickin’ good, our chicken wings were succulent, lemony and garlicky. This is healthy yet lip smackingly good finger food.
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Taste: 3/5

Whenever I see this on the menu at a Thai restaurant I invariably order it. This made me happy as a pig in mud and was a standout in every aspect - the shatteringly crispy skin hit my mouth like bass tones with every bite, followed by the unctuous fattiness of the tender meat. The weighty porcine flavours are anchored with an explosively spicy and tangy nam jim sauce, which also goes great poured over rice.
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Taste: 4/5

Toothsome glutinous rice sprinkled over with toasted sesame seeds, served with sweet and ripe mango and coconut cream. This is as good a rendition as any found in the Land Of Smiles.
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Taste: 3.5/5

I thought there was meat in this spring roll at first, such was its moreishness. Doubly impressed then was I, when I realised that the savoury umaminess was entirely due to the carrots, cabbage, shiitake and morel mushrooms, bean sprouts as well as glass noodles encased in a shatteringly crisp deep-fried skin.
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Taste: 3.5/5

I’ve been craving spicy Asian food during my stay in Europe and Berlin’s Bangkok Bites deffo brings the burn in my books.
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Their pad krapow is as eye-wateringly fiery as any you’ll find in Golden Mile, with loads of chilli and garlic perfuming the wok-kissed minced pork stir-fried in oyster sauce and topped with a perfect fried egg.
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Taste: 3.5/5

A fairly authentic tasting som tam loaded with all the ingredients you’d expect to be in it – shredded young green papaya, carrots, long beans, cherry tomatoes, garlic and roasted peanuts, all tossed in a sweet, salty and sour chilli lime tamarind dressing. What I'm missing is stronger notes of heat, fish sauce and bits of dried shrimp though.
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Taste: 3/5

Salmon, avocado and eggs never grows old, but what sets the whole thing off are the little balls of juicy capers bursting with a tart salinity, adding much needed balance to the protein-heavy sarnie.
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Taste: 3.5/5