Finally, an Argentinean restaurateur with balls; a chef from Buenos Aires who dares to bring his stew up to the homeland’s standards. Finding good Latin American food in Berlin is no easy feat, partly due to the average Latino chef’s conviction that Europeans would be put off by the real thing – it’d be too scharf for the squeamish German palate.
Caminito is a colourful and intimate slice of Argentina in Kreuzberg, the place seats few, but feels extremely authentic, boasting music and paintings from South America’s most European country. The wine and beer selections are decent, although €3.50 may feel a bit steep for a watered down Latin American lager. The food, on the other hand, is another, better story. We started with a spicy, perfectly balanced cactus soup, furnished with four baked tortilla triangles with cheese for dipping (makes your brow sweat). Next came the main course, pastel de choclo with a side of fresh salad, a somewhat sweet pureed corn and egg fluff riding on top of a moist, savoury pad of ground beef mixed with raisins and veggies, perfectly and subtlety spiced. We couldn’t resist the panqueque con dulce de leche, a sweet and decadent dessert resembling rolled crepes filled with caramelized condensed milk.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Berlin ethnic restaurant if it didn’t subsume cuisine from other countries, and the menu offers a decent selection of Mexican food, from enchiladas to burritos. Even ravioli has made its way into the kitchen. Lining the walls are various Latin American groceries, just in case you want to try cooking in your personal cocina.
Caminito is one of the best Latin American restaurants we’ve tried in Berlin: tasty, affordable cuisine served in generous portions, by an extremely attentive staff. It’s well worth the trip.
