The boat was pretty huge and was a good 3-levels high. From my guess-timation, there were probably around 100 diners onboard. The cruise involved a three-course dinner while the boat cruised around Sydney harbour for 3 hours or so. The service onboard wasn’t too bad, except we had a Korean waitress with a thick accent and it was quite difficult to make out what she was saying! We were served a complimentary glass of sparkling wine immediately after we were shown our table – which was by the windows and we had a great view of the city while we cruised and dined.

There were about 25 tables in the restaurant, all donned in classy white tablecloths, fancy champagne glasses and a million different kinds of forks, spoons and knives! I never know which ones to use… We kick-started the course with some bread and an Olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar dip, which was then followed by our entrees. One thing I found though, was that each course arrived too quickly and there was not enough space to relax (and digest) between meals!

Soon after we finished our bread, our waitress came back to our table and showed us the menu. The menu was divided into three sections: Entrees, Mains and Dessert and each category had 3 options to choose from. For my entree I went for the Prosciutto-wrapped Chicken Breast served with Italian Potato and Asparagus Salad with a Balsamic glaze. I thought the portion was just nice for an entree, but presentation-wise the entrees were served on really small bread plates. The entrees would have looked better on a larger plate I think! It terms of flavour and texture I thought the chicken was a little too bland and dry, and more dressing and flavour would have worked better as the potato and asparagus seemed a little lonely without a generous drizzling of dressing. The chicken morsels were probably left in the fridge too long because the Prosciutto was stiff and the fat had coagulated.

Prosciutto wrapped Chicken Breast on Italian Potato & Asparagus salad with Balsamic glaze.

Otto opted for the Smoked Salmon, Fennel and Celeriac entree. Compared to my chicken entree, the portion of his dish seemed even more measly than mine! It was barely 3 mouthfuls! This dish also lacked presentation – With such a small portion of food on an equally small plate, they should have at least made an effort to maybe roll up the smoked salmon into little roses or something. Instead they looked like they were hastily torn into little pieces and chucked onto the plate without any thought of creative presentation. I’m generally not fussy with food presentation but for the price we paid ($100++ p/p) and dining at a venue such as this, one would think the food presentation would be of high calibre as well, no?

Smoked Salmon Roulade, shaved Fennel & Celeriac Remoulade, Salmon pearls with Chardonnay Vinaigrette.

For my main, I ordered the Scotch Fillet with Field Mushrooms and Wedges roasted in Duck Fat. Okay, I’m not exagerrating but that piece of Scotch Fillet was the best piece of Scotch Fillet I have ever had in my life. I had it medium-rare, and it was cooked to utter perfection. I couldn’t believe how tender it was! It absolutely melted in my mouth and was so delicious! It was even better than some Wagyu steaks I have eaten in the past. The red wine reduction was rich and complimented the steak well. The wedges were nice and tender too but I couldn’t taste any hint of gamey duck flavours on them though. The size of my main was enough to keep me full, but not gasping for air and sucking in my stomach in that LBD I wore to dinner! Verdict on main? 8/10.

The Starlight Steak and Chips - Seared Scotch Fillet with Field Mushrooms & Duck fat roasted Wedges.

For his main, Otto went for the Grilled Salmon Fillet on baby Fennel with Tarragon & sea salt roast crisp skinned Pink Eye Wedges drizzled with Lemon Beurre Blanc (Phew! What a mouthful). The Salmon wasn’t overcooked or dry which was a plus! I liked the taste of the Lemon Beurre Blanc as it complimented the fish well. The size of the Salmon main was on par with my steak as well. Otto liked his dish, but he said it wasn’t the best piece of salmon he has had.

Grilled Salmon Fillet on baby Fennel with Tarragon & sea salt roast crisp skinned Pink Eye Wedges drizzled with Lemon Beurre Blanc.

For dessert Otto had the Chocolate Tart and Panna Cotta. I had a taste and I found this pretty average to be honest! I have eaten better chocolate tarts from the local cake-shop. Again, the presentation was lacking and the treats looked miserable on that small plate. They really should have put in more effort in sprucing up the dishes a bit more to match the breath-taking views of Sydney harbour!

Chocolate Tart & Panna Cotta

When I got my dessert I wasn’t expecting a medley of three different desserts on one plate! There certainly was variety in this one. I liked both the Tiramisu and Panna Cotta. The Tiramisu was extremely moist and creamy and was sitting in a pool of creamy sweet lemon sauce which was quite different. The Panna Cotta was served with a passionfruit concentrate which gave it much contrast while the Kahlua tart tasted very similar to the Chocolate tart that Otto had except with a hint of Kahlua.

Trio of Tiramisu, Almond Macaroon & Kahlua Panna Cotta shot

Overall, the food was average. However, I did enjoy my steak and wedges; I reckon they should really work on the presentation and quality of the food. Nevertheless, the whole experience on the cruise was enjoyable. After dinner, we went up to the top deck to take in the night view of Sydney harbour which was pretty amazing – The cruise lasted about 3 hours and we docked back at King Street Wharf at around 10PM or so. If you’re after something nice to do on a weekend I’d definitely recommend trying out one of these dinner cruises, they’re actually not too bad! Great for dates =).

They have a decadent array of home-made cakes, scones, cupcakes and sweet slices available for eat-in or takeaway. Despite the selection, I always end up ordering their bread and butter pudding. It’s always good to bring some friends along so you can try each others cakes!

Cafe Berlin is a hit with the locals in Balmain, and my all-time favourite is the oh-so-indulgent bread and butter pudding. To make it a notch more decadent, I always order a side of hot butterscotch sauce to go with it. The sauce actually belongs to the sticky date pudding, but what the heck!

They are always generous with the butterscotch sauce; needless to say, so am I! It is part of the ritual to lovingly bathe the pudding in sauce. Not to do so is a crime in  my books! It is dense, moist, and has fat, juicy raisins in all the right places that just explode in your mouth, releasing a barrage of buttery, sugarry euphoria.

A faithful companion to my bread and butter pudding will have to be a steaming bowl of hot chocolate (extra chocolate please). The cocoa powder they use at cafe Berlin is dark and bitter which compliments the pudding very well.

I also got a chance to sample the Tiramisu and strawberry cheesecake my tea-time companions were having. The Tiramisu had a good combination of textures – unlike alot of Tiramisus, this one wasn’t too damp. The crushed almond biscotti just melts in your mouth.

The Strawberry Cheesecake was deliciously rich and heavy. The cheese was dense and solid, and had a strong milky flavour that worked in harmony with the strawberry concentrate. Probably a good idea to go slowly on this one! A sip of coffee between bites does help!

As you can see, the cake portions are very generous at Cafe Berlin. Definitely worth the $7.50! Cafe Berlin is located at 249 Darling Street, Balmain 2041.