I flew from Los Angeles to Oakland, had a real Bart adventure getting to the restaurant, and arrived at the restaurant at 8:30 PM with only an hour before the kitchen would shut down. That did not stop their wonderful staff from giving me everything I asked for to taste.
The restaurant is in downtown Berkeley, and literally you walk out of the Bart station and it’s across the street. It really felt like a few days before Christmas, with everything at the restaurant decked out as well as the street out side. The temperature helped as well, I think it got down to 28 degrees in most places in the Bay Area that night.
Here’s what I tried:
Drinks:
Moroccan Mule with Zubrowka bison grass vodka, mahia fig eau de vie, ras el hanout bitters, mint green tea, lemon, honey, Blenheim ginger ale. This is a very effervescent cocktail, with a kick, but goes down real easy.
Mean Tangerine Aperol, with square one bergamot vodka, elderflower, and lemon. Served in an old school gimlet glass, with great orange flavor a real keeper.
Soup:
This Evening’s Soup, Parsnip Ginger Soup, with Chili oil, fried sun choke. The presentation was colorful, but the minute you taste this soup you will be very happy!
Salad:
Pear and Persimmon, with cucumber, pecorino, fennel, candied pecan. This is a seriously delicious salad, so light and refreshing.
Starters:
Beef-Ricotta Meatballs, with kabocha coulis, bacon and arugula. They serve you 3 big meatballs that have a wonderful taste and will keep you wanting more.
Mains:
Lamb Mixed Grill Roasted Brussels sprouts + sun choke, faro, chard, gremolata, celery root puree. It is a very grand presentation, with a large lamb bone as the centerpiece; the rest is left to your taste buds, which I know will be very content.
Swordfish with zucchini ribbons, butternut squash puree, and mandarin relish. This dish is so pretty, the colors and the proportions re just wonderfully placed.
Duck Breast with alubia bean succotash, parsnip veloute, and fried sun choke. The smoky flavor really stands out, but perhaps not as crispy as I would like.
Mushroom–Ricotta Cannelloni with beech and maitake mushroom, arugula, cauliflower béchamel. The mushrooms are wild with an amazing cream sauce.
Sides:
Lollipop kale with garlic, pecorino, and fried shallot. This is a very healthy experience; the little shallot rings are very sweet.
Cauliflower with gremolata, and sunflower seeds. A nice rendition of a very popular vegetable dish, truly a winner.
Dessert:
Almond Chocolat Torte, Candied almonds, caramel sauce, crème Chantilly. The caramel sauce is the highlight and the chocolate torte did not disappoint.
Pumpkin Beignets spiced sugar quince, really inventive and wonderful.
Cranberry Apple Spice Sorbet, a nice refreshing palate cleanser and end to a marvelous experience.
Wine:
Oro Paz, Sauvignon Blanc, 2015, Luchsinger Vineyard, Lake County. Peach rounded out flavors, I would do this wine with the Pear and Persimmon salad.
The Gardener Riesling, 2013, Scintillia Vineyards, Carneros, a bit on the fruity side, but would be a great match with the cauliflower.
Matias, Chardonnay, 2014, Santa Lucia Highlands. A perfect blend of fruit with a nice buttery nuance, great pairing with the Swordfish.
Shebang, Zinfandel Blend, NV, California. I love a good Zin and this one was right up there, try this wine with the great lamb grill.
Purple Hands, Pinot Noir, 2015, Willamette Valley. I liked this wine with the Mushroom–Ricotta Cannelloni, its adds to the overall mushroom goodness.
Saracina Malbec 2012 Skid Row Vineyards, Mendocino, I thought this wine paired nicely with the Beef-Ricotta Meatballs.
It’s a very lively interior, with a nice warm flow. The bar is equally inviting, a kind of Cheers vibe. The can offer private dining and parties, such as bridal showers, rehearsal dinners, holiday parties, academic events, their party room can accommodate 40 guests.
Revival is using, many local producers for some best-of-season foods in their kitchen. They are preparing 100% grass fed organic lamb from Emigh Ranch, humanely raised beef from Cream CO. meats, the best sustainably sourced seafood from Water 2 Table, Frog Hollow apples, and the abundant produce of Happy Boy Farms.
Revival serves thoughtfully crafted artisan cocktails utilizing fresh ingredients and premium spirits. Their cocktail menu is a mix of modern interpretations of classic cocktails and innovative seasonal concoctions. The spirits list has been carefully selected, with a focus on smaller craft distillers. Their wine list is lively and international, featuring the best of the old world and the new. They focus on smaller wineries that practice organic and biodyamic growing, and make the most of being near wine country, and near by producers.
Revival is open for brunch, and ready to serve Berkeley’s downtown community. With local, consciously raised meats, best-of-season produce, and fresh house-baked artisan breads. Bar master Pete has assembled a growing list of truly original, expertly balanced cocktails to accompany your meal. From his Hot ‘n Bloody, to the whiskey-based Dixie Buck, these cocktails are a few steps beyond the usual brunch booze suspects. They go down easy, deliver serious endorphins, and taste fabulous.
Revival Bar and Kitchen serves a menu of truly local, seasonal delights, well sourced and minimally processed, designed to satisfy, replenish, and inspire. They are open for dinner, weekend brunch, a lively happy hour, and late night bites on Friday and Saturday. Revival Bar and Kitchen is adventurous, approachable California-style cuisine.
Revival Bar & Kitchen
2102 Shattuck Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94704
revivalbarandkitchen.com
(510) 549-9950
* Note some content was taken off of their website.
