With Oktoberfest around the corner (Sept. 21-Oct. 6), now is a good time to get acquainted with German cuisine. And for locals, that means a trip to Brauhaus Schmitz, a German Bierhall and restaurant at 718 South St., or Wursthaus Schmitz at Reading Terminal Market.
Various forms of meat and potatoes are the main attraction of most of the dishes but there are also some nice displays of talent with vegetables on the menu.
The kartoffelsalat (potato salad, $2.50 small., $5 large.) isn’t the mayonnaise-based salad most Americans are used to and you won’t miss that ingredient, as the apple-cider vinaigrette and onions do a great job of spicing up the familiar dish. The gurkensalat (cucumber salad, $3 small., $6 large.) is refreshingly bright and simple in its presentation. Another salad that was memorable was the kohlrabisalat ($8), a kohlrabi salad with watercress, roasted-garlic dressing and fried onions, which had a wonderful array of flavors and textures.
But regardless of the veggie brilliance, Brauhaus is a playground for carnivores (and beer-drinkers). The pokelwurst ($4) is juicy pickled pork sausage that is akin to the very-thick big brother of a Slim Jim.
Meat gets more than its fair share of attention on the entrees. The sauerbraten ($22) is classic, a healthy portion of rump roast smothered in gravy with a massive potato dumpling and a nice helping of braised red cabbage that adds some brightness to the dish, both with its color and sweet and sour flavor. The schaschlik ($19) was more adventurous in the flavor department, with skewers of spicy pork and cherry peppers. The accompanying fries were excellent too, with some irresistible curry ketchup.
As good as Brauhaus is, the fare at Wursthaus Schmitz is even more exciting, offering a dizzying selection of cured meats, sausages and specialty sandwiches.
Their Bavarian pork steak sandwich ($10.50) could easily go toe-to-toe with any cheesesteak sandwich in town and win the heart of any hungry lunch-timer. The schnitzel BLT ($9.50) is a great way to introduce newbies to the joys of German fare. For an exceptional comfort-food experience, head straight for the Lyoner sandwich ($9.50), which is thick with fried bologna and rounded out with onions, horseradish mustard and muenster cheese. Yeah, it may not be your mother’s fried bologna sandwich, but we doubt you will care. But if you really want to take your taste buds on a ride, try the amazing Hungarian sandwich ($9.50), a spicy bratwurst with beef goulash and Hungarian peppers. Make sure you get an order of potato pancakes ($7.50) to go with your sandwich.
The meats at Wursthaus are worth the trip too. Do yourself a favor and try the more adventurous meats like the headcheese, which is meatier and far less gelatinous than the more common specimens people are used to.
Whether you want to sit down for a beer or you are on the go, definitely make some time to experience some authentic German flavors.