Gusto

In my opinion, this might be the most exciting new restaurant in Berkeley right now! The stripped down, casual set up allows the real focus to be on the food and company. It’s the first Algerian restaurant I have tried in the area, and it pulls off a menu of Algerian flavors with real gusto (pun intended)!

You order and pay at the counter or kiosk up front. The menu is short and to the point, and the kitchen works relatively fast, churning out beautiful, delicious Mediterranean (Algerian) dishes in a jiffy. While you wait, you might want to sip one of their Algerian sodas from the cooler; my favorite is the carbonated lemonade.

After you order, you can take a seat at one of the simple tables or the stripped-down bar that overlooks Downtown Berkeley. You may discover that this new restaurant is so popular that it’s hard to find an empty table. When we came, we had to move some tables and chairs to accommodate our small group. There are some nice tiles and a logo on the wall, but the eating area embraces simplicity. People come not for the ambience or aesthetic but because the food is prepared deliciously and with love. There’s no other restaurant nearby that offers this kind of inexpensive Algerian eating experience.

The food here is cooked to order in house in the small kitchen behind the counter. You can hear the sizzling meats from your table, and the restaurant smells like yummy Algerian spices. The waiters will bring your order to the table, according to the number you received when you checked out after you ordered. You will see that their customers’ experiences mean a lot to them. Clearly, they take pride in what they do and want you to enjoy dining with them. They go to great lengths to be friendly and make you feel welcome. They like to chat with customers and have even been known to offer a free refreshment or two on the house.

The main course very much exceeded my expectations for an affordable restaurant! The meat was tender, well-seasoned, and succulent. The flavors were bright with just a hint of char and spice. The vegetables were fresh, and the fries were crispy and salty. The sauces complimented the flavors perfectly. It tasted like something far more expensive; the food was exquisite, but it was served fast-food style in a budget restaurant setting. The main course was served in large portions that satisfied our hunger and excited our taste buds with a new and very balanced set of flavors that are associated with Algerian cuisine. In particular, I recommend the chicken Shawarma bowl, the Merguez, and the Merguez sandwich, which is more of a wrap but absolutely worth devouring.

But before you go and surrender your seat to more eager patrons, you should consider some of the Algerian desserts that you may have trouble finding elsewhere. For example, we tried the Makrut, which was a pillowy, sweet pasty that none of us regretted ordering. The baklava also looked delicious. These desserts are small but worthy of your attention. Like the restaurant itself, these desserts have a lot of character, and for a low price, they will brighten your day.

I strongly suggest you try this exciting new restaurant! It’s a real find because it masterfully prepares complicated Algerian dishes and serves them at an affordable price, cutting cost by relying on a simple business model where you order at the counter and bus your own table; everything from the furniture to the decor is simple, so that the food can go the extra mile to really wow you.