Cuisine:

• Californian
• Organic
• Others
• Breakfast
• Fast Food and Hamburgers

Venus Description:
The cozy brick-walled dining room is where local purveyors head when they crave an über-fresh meal crafted from their own lovingly grown products. Here, they sit shoulder-to-shoulder with diverse Berkeley couplets and foursomes, sharing delight in chef-owner Amy Murray's organic, sustainable menu. Murray, a longtime advocate of the Slow Food movement, lets the pure flavors of bright produce speak for themselves, but dishes still manage soul-warming richness. Wild California bass sits on a mountain of heirloom rice that soaks up creamy green coconut curry like a pudding, and it's hard to pick a favorite bite from a plate of tender roast chicken, flavorful mashed butterballs, and nourishing greens dotted with cherry tomatoes. Some choices need work on balance, but it's difficult to fault naturally sugary kernels for corn flan that's a tad sweet. It's worth lingering for desserts such as the uplifting buttermilk panna cotta with summer berries or moist Scharffen Berger chocolate cake. Devotees return for brunch when they can start their day with more chocolate, this time atop flapjacks.


Be the first one to rate and write a review for this Venus restaurant!