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Checkpoint Charlie offers a fresh taste of Berlin

by SPANKY HOROWITZ

Mmmmm. German food. Sausages, Wiener schnitzel, sauerkraut. Throw in a few French dishes for some strange reason (well I guess France is pretty close to Germany) and you will find yourself at Checkpoint Charlie, if you can keep up the pace.

Checkpoint Charlie first appeared on Parc Avenue near the old Rialto theatre, serving mostly German fare at very affordable prices to Mile-Enders, before the area was cool. Realizing that perhaps he was ahead of his time, Charlie moved to Fairmount and Hutchison under the alias Weinstube, and upscaled his menu and prices to cater to the Outremont crowd.

Still not quite satisfied, the restaurant moved once again, this time to its present home on Rachel, and re-christened itself Checkpoint Charlie. At this third location, a proper balance could be achieved between Outremont chic and Plateau trendy, although the prices didn't come back down far enough in my opinion. The restaurant is nicely tucked away at the corner of Ste-Dominique and looks pretty big from the outside. Inside, you'll find yourself in a cozy little hideaway that seats only 20 or so, with strange little things, German and otherworldly, hanging from the walls and ceiling.

Back when I was an amateur eater, I rarely ordered appetizers. They're usually expensive, and not always very good. An exception is always made with Chinese food; you just can't go wrong with a continent that has devoted an entire cuisine to appetizers (i.e. dim sum). But now that I have a budget, I can afford to order the appetizers and all I've learnt is that they are just not worth it. I find it better to spend the extra cash on wine or dessert.

That said, we tried the escargots in garlic butter ($6), the onion soup au gratin ($5) and the soup of the day ($3), a real cream of celery (sans cream). The escargots were abundant, but only passable, the onion soup good, but not spectacular. The highlight was when my friends, who are as yet unjaded by simple kitchen magic, witnessed the cook using a blowtorch to broil the cheese on the soup. I, unfortunately, have already witnessed this miracle, and therefore must be impressed by even greater culinary acrobatics--that or the actual taste of the food. I bet more people would order the onion soup if the blowtorch were used tableside.

We gladly moved on to the main courses: a classic Wiener schnitzel ($14) and roasted rabbit in a black olive sauce ($16). The veal cutlet was excellent. Although I couldn't hear the sound of pounding flesh when I arrived or ordered, as can be heard at two other Montreal schnitzel palaces, the meat was tender and well cooked. My Schnitzel was accompanied by Checkpoint Charlie potatoes (home fries) cooked in bacon and duck fat and a generous mound of savoury sauerkraut.

The gamey-ness of the roasted rabbit was complemented by the use of a black olive sauce that made the dish delicious and unique. The rabbit shared a plate with a medley of vegetables that my eyes were devouring, until my friend let me taste each and every one. I wish some of these (only some) were served with all the main courses.

The cauliflower was so-so, and the Brussels sprouts were undercooked, but the carrots and broccoli well made-up for those shortcomings. The out-and-out winner was the asparagus. Bright green at the tips and almost white at the base, these spears shot from heaven were perfectly cooked, not stringy, and a sure sign that spring is upon us. Thank God for spring.

Checkpoint Charlie

Address: 50 Rachel east

Phone: 842-0191

Hours: Tues-Sat 5pm-11pm; closed Monday; private receptions Sunday

Best features: mostly German fare, fresh ingredients

Vegetarian friendly: no

Wheelchair access: yes

Alcohol: yes

Price: $12-30 per person before drinks, taxes or tip

Rating: HHH out of HHHH