When the Berkshire restaurant first opened up in the Stapleton neighborhood in early 2008, it had many enthusiastic fans. Finally, they’d tell me in e-mail and voice mail, here was a restaurant that understood and celebrated everyone’s favorite ingredient: pork.
During the course of its first few months, visits to the Berkshire were always pleasant enough, but my own keenness on the place was tepid. Call it pork fatigue, but back then, as a bacon-wrapped Queen City of the Plains began to self-asphyxiate on its own pork fat, it was easy to count the Berkshire among the legion of harmless, but not particularly unique, restaurants in town slicing high-end hams, roasting fat chops and constructing silly sandwiches with bacon, peanut butter and bananas.
Its future then appeared murky.
Now, a year and half into its life, the Berkshire — by relaxing ever so slightly its pork-only mission and expanding its raison d’etre beyond its concept and into its community — has proved its worth.
While the bacon, peanut butter and banana sandwich is still on the menu (and is still silly) the restaurant has elevated most of its elements, particularly its food, and emerged as a real keeper, beautifully suited to its location.
Be not mistaken: The decadent menu has a wealth of pork on it, both as the main point (a gargantuan but exactingly cooked and nicely seasoned double pork chop) and as accent pieces (pancetta-wrapped stuffed jalapenos). But there are also winning fish dishes (voluptuous firecracker shrimp with sriracha, brilliantly plated with roasted mushrooms) and veggie dishes (a pop-art beet salad with curious but effective slathers of cranberry and fig puree) to be had.
Sandwiches dominate the midday trade (they’re also available at night) and they are well-considered. Tops is Porky’s Inferno, spicy barbecued pulled pork piled onto a freshly baked brioche. Also satisfying is the Serrano ham with mozzarella and banana peppers. The muffuletta cuts a fairly spare figure, so save your money for a trip to New Orleans and get the resplendent Berkshire BLT—exquisite thick/crispy bacon on grilled Italian bread dressed with a velvety garlic aioli.
Less convincing: the so-called “50 Dollar Burger,” with cheese, shaved truffle and, yes, bacon. It sells for 20 bucks (thus creating the illusion of a deal), but it’s no better or more interesting than many $10 burgers in Denver. The truffle quotient on my burger was almost imperceptibly low — I say if you’re going to do shaved truffles, do shaved truffles. Load ’em up. Charge me more. But don’t make me pay extra for a burger that, on the plate, doesn’t live up to its pricetag. (But kudos are due to the kitchen for not subbing in cloying, cheap-shot truffle oil to try and fake us out. Shame on chefs who do.)
Among the Berkshire’s most compelling selling points: The lively crowd of regulars who populate, but never overwhelm, the place.
One wish: the Berkshire could be more sensitive to the seasons, particularly on its appetizer menu. How about more locally inspired plates using seasonal Colorado produce? Especially this bountiful year?
A concern: The service game could be stepped up. The front of the house is friendly enough, but the pacing is almost always either too fast (“Can you slide your salad plates aside so I can put these entrees down?”) or too slow (“I’m sure I put that order in. Let me go check on what’s taking so long.”). And if a server doesn’t know whether or not the key lime pie is made in-house (“Either way, it’s good”), then he needs a refresher on the menu. The room is amply staffed, but a little more efficiency and focus out front, and perhaps some system refinements, would help.
But given the way this operation has grown in relevance and character over the past 18 months, these are not insurmountable hurdles.
Agree? Disagree? Hit denverpost.com/restaurants to share your opinion on the Berkshire.
THE BERKSHIRE.
American. 7352 E. 29th Ave., 303-321-4010, theberkshirerestaurant.com
** (Very Good)
Atmosphere: Airy dining room and bar area, outdoor seating along the sidewalk. Lots of televisions in the front dining room. Lots and lots of televisions.
Service: Friendly, well-meaning but perhaps undermanaged.
Wine: Small list includes decent house red and white, which should be $5 a glass instead of $6.
Plates: Appetizers, $7-12. Sandwiches $8-12. Mains $16-27.
Hours: Open seven days for lunch (brunch on weekends) and dinner.
Details: Reservations accepted but not usually needed. Parking lot in back. Wheelchair accessible. Lively bar scene.
Five visits.
Our star system: ****: Exceptional. ***: Great. : **Very Good. : * Good.
