
2086 Allston Way (at Shattuck), Berkeley
Downtown
PH: 510.225.6055
Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily
Reservations, major credit cards accepted
www.five-berkeley.com
Some of the highly anticipated restaurants lately have been opening up in the East Bay. And it’s no surprise when you have names like Scott Howard.
Chef Howard, who had a restaurant under his own name that closed down near San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, has re-emerged with Five restaurant in the historic and recently renovated Hotel Shattuck. The restaurant’s name, according to its Web site, is a celebration of the five senses and five elements that go into food.
I visited Five for dinner recently with my friend Maureen, who has been working in China the last few years and recently moved back to the Bay Area. I thought Howard’s modern take on an American bistro would be a nice reintroduction to the California culinary scene.

The deep translucent red lighting, including a chandelier in the lobby, doesn’t seem to hold up to the wide-open layout. That feel seems to carry over to the restaurant, which is to the right of the lobby. The bar serves as a divider between the lobby and the open restaurant, losing all sense of coziness.




But again, the star seemed to be the supporting act; in this case, an incredibly tasty mushroom strudel. It wasn’t just the fact that the strudel pastry was flaky and light, but the stuffing had a variety of mushrooms, creating a complex yet satisfying bite.

Maureen and I each ordered the pudding ($7) because I warned her I wasn’t willing to share mines. At Five, Howard tweaked his recipe by making it a vanilla bean butterscotch pudding, which explains why the color looked pale than what I remembered at Scott Howard.
The pudding, while creamy and tasty, lacked the strong butterscotch flavor that I recall. Still, it was enjoyable and I especially like the addition of the peanut brittle and shaved chocolate topping.

Overall, Five is a welcomed addition to the downtown Berkeley scene. The grand chandelier in the center of the dining room signals the elegance of Howard’s dishes, but the casual vibe makes this a comforting and friendly spot.
Single guy rating: 4 stars (Modern food in historic digs)
Explanation of the single guy's rating system:
1 star = perfect for college students
2 stars = perfect for new diners
3 stars = perfect for foodies
4 stars = perfect for expense accounts
5 stars = perfect for any guy's dream dinner
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Chez Papa Resto: “From Bistro to Paris Chic”
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