Dana Liss Edelweiss' lineup of German mystery meats and pretzels is top-notch.

Let's face it, run-of-the-mill American-style appetizers like chicken wings, mozzarella sticks, potato skins and nachos have become so commonplace in Kyiv that they just don't excite us anymore. Don't get us wrong - we'll still snarf down baskets of greasy onion rings with the best of 'em. But as the Best Of team grows more refined, we find ourselves enjoying the finer things in life, and more often than not that involves European-style appetizers to go with our half-liters of Slavutych.

Bless the haus of Edelweiss for giving us the best appetizers in Kyiv. Centrally located on 7 Sahaydachnoho, the smart but unpretentious German restaurant features a wide array of appetizers without going overboard on the German theme. The menu is in English and Ukrainian.

First things first: beer. Beer is food, after all. There are two good German beers on tap, Paulaner and Warsteiner (Hr 18 per half liter), as well as Slavutych (Hr 11).

When it comes to food, we indulge ourselves, and with appetizers like these, who needs a full-course dinner? We highly suggest the fish sampler with trout, salmon, eel, sturgeon and halibut for Hr 60 is a nice salty dish that nicely complements the beer. Although a bit stringy, the fish was fresh, light and tender - what more can you ask?

There is also the Edelweiss appetizer plate with assorted German cold cuts and a nice slab of roast beef. Be quick to grab the rib, though, as there is only one.

Another appetizer that you can sink your teeth into is the Nuremberg sausage (six little links for Hr 28). Anointed in a flavorful sauce, the perfectly cooked, thin sausages taste like zesty pepperoni. For those who are watching their figures, Edelweiss does offer a light-grilled turkey salad with mushrooms and bacon (Hr 29). While too leafy for our more carnivorous team members, it is delicious and fresh.

©KYIV POST