Savoring Bosnian Fare at Berix

Bosnian cuisine is the  specialty. And while Bosnian food may be unfamiliar, Berix’s menu offers a mix that can satisfy even the most discriminating palate.

Service begins at 9 a.m. Monday through Saturday with two breakfast choices, a Bosnian-style sausage and egg platter and Pura, a dish similar to polenta that’s topped with cheese and sour cream. The morning cup of choice is Berix’s own custom-roasted Turkish coffee served throughout the day. Other coffees brewed are espresso, cappuccino and "American coffee."

Behind the front counter, a backlit menu provides photography to illustrate the Bosian dishes, which are listed with English subtitles. Servers with excellent English are eager to explain the different dishes and guide you to house specialties such as the Cevapi (Bosnian flat bread stuffed with ground beef sausages), Sarma (stuffed cabbage rolls) and the Doner Kabob. Doner is a Bosnian-style version of gyro meat and is served as either a sandwich made on flat bread or sliced over mixed greens to create the Doner salad. Chicken Alfredo and pasta with meat sauce are alternatives for the culinarily less adventurous.  

Check out the display case filled with fresh-baked savory pies made with phyllo and filled with various stuffings such as ground beef, cheese, potato or spinach and cheese. All pies are priced at $4.35. The adjoining case is filled with homemade cakes and pastries from $1.40 to $1.85. Among the sweet baked goods are baklava and delicately-filled cakes and pastries known as Cupavci and Sampita. 

Berix is reasonably priced starting at $5 for an American burger and fries to $11.50 for the Mjesano Meso (the Bosian sampler platter). Orders are taken at the walk-up counter for carry-out or dining in. Opt to dine in. The dining room is inviting and features table and booth seating, a fireplace (in season) and flat screen TVs, often tuned to international channels.

Berix Restaurant is located at 2201 Lemay Ferry Road. Call 314-845-3711 or click berixcoffee.com.