2008.10.20
Das es gud Wiener Schnitzel
What a coincidence. I went to an Austrian restaurant with my sister in Spartanburg, S.C. this weekend and noshed on knackwurst, Wiener Schnitzel and pork loin with cabbage and mashed potatoes. Then I returned to this question from one of my Facebook friends:
"I am looking for a place to get some good German food here in the area. Spaetzle and Wiener Schnitzel mainly. Any ideas? I am originally from Clarksville Tenn., which is located near an Army base and there were many German restaurants. I think it was because many of the soldiers had been stationed in Germany at one point in time. I miss it. Thanks for any ideas you may have."
Basically, I have one idea. There's a German restaurant in Staunton called Edelweiss that's been there for years. Every time we drive past that sign on I-81, I'm tempted to stop and check it out. But I've never done it because we're always almost home on a long trip and don't want to stop. I'm sure someone who reads this blog has tried it before. According to their online menu, they've got sauerbraten, Wiener Schnitzel and all kinds of other schnitzels. Oddly, though, their Wiener Schnitzel is made with pork, not veal. Is that really Wiener Schnitzel? I think it's supposed to be veal to be authentic, but I could be wrong.
The stuff I had this weekend was really delicious. Even though it was an Austrian restaurant, there are obviously similarities with German cuisine. My Wiener Schnitzel was a thin veal cutlet that had been breaded and fried golden brown and was served with a lemon slice on top.
As far as I know, we have no German Restaurants in the Roanoke or New River valleys. There used to be one down on Main Street in Salem. Was it Jagerheim Restaurant? I ate there once with my folks when they dropped me off at Roanoke College, and I recall that it was very good. But it's gone now.
Who else gets cravings for authentic German food? How do you satisfy them around here?
I haven't been to Edelweiss, but I have been to the Bavarian Chef up north of Charlottesville on rt.29. Very good food and a nice rustic-german atmosphere. My brother swears by their sauerbraten. They have several side-dishes that are served family-style; spaezle, red cabbage, etc. --yum! And of course the German beer selection is quite good as well.
It's a little pricey and requires reservations well in advance. But it's a great choice for a special occasion with friends.
By the way, my brother is a German-food connoisseur, and Bavarian Chef is his favorite in the C'ville area. If I remember correctly, he was less fond of Edelweiss, but that's just one second-hand opinion.
Comment by Mark R — October 20, 2008 @ 12:01 pm
Well it isn't here but the German restaurant in Busch Gardens in Williamsburg has a fantastic smorgasbord. Great food and you get a show too. Definitely the place to eat when you are there on a cold October day.
Otherwise, I make my own. At least, as far as a couple of family recipes go. I'm Irish, Scottish, and English, but I've also got German blood and had German great grandparents and grandparents. I make a killer pork chop/kraut dish with hearty mashed potatoes. Kelibasa used to be a huge favorite in our house until my daughter went Veg. I miss it!
If anyone knows where to go I would sure love to try it! Comfort foods. Yum.
Comment by Heather Froeschl — October 20, 2008 @ 12:19 pm
I went to Edelweiss just yesterday with friends and had a great time and good meal. Can't speak to the authenticity but one of the group had been in the military stationed in Germany and said it rang true. Easy to get to the restaurant from the Roanoke area (it was a gorgeous drive yesterday with a sprinkling of fall colors) and the restaurant has a very relaxing atmosphere. We had a variety of entrees at the table, along with side dishes served family style. The Sauerbraten was the best with an outstanding sauce. The bread pudding went down nicely (!) and the raspberry torte was excellent -- not too sweet b/c, according to the wait staff, the chef cuts the sugar quantity in half. All in all, a very nice experience and interesting change of cuisine.
Comment by Curly — October 20, 2008 @ 12:32 pm
Edelweiss is excellent- worth the trip just for the meal. Or make a day of it and go to Lexington or Staunton. We always order the sampler platter- several meats- many sides with refills. Roanoke really needs a good German restaurant- we have too many Mexican and Chinese restaurants. I remember Sunnybrook (now closed) on Plantation used to do a German buffet- I miss that.
Comment by Mac — October 20, 2008 @ 12:49 pm
Sounds like a good business opportunity! Hopefully the right person will catch wind of this idea and Roanoke will have a good German restaurant in the near future. Some of the best food I have ever eaten was in Germany and I can't wait for the day that I can go back and eat some more.
Comment by Kim — October 20, 2008 @ 3:48 pm
Thanks for the post Lindsey. I guess since it's Octoberfest time and all, the cravings just got the best of me but unless I want to drive a bit, I am out of luck. I tried making Spaetzle myself once, it turned out to be rubbery wet noodles. Nothing like the slightly crisp edged golden yummies that my grandmother used to make. I am afraid if I messed up making Wiener Schnitzel it would ruin it for me. I guess I will just have to wait until I go back to Clarksville TN for Christmas. Thanks for the info!
Comment by Corrie — October 20, 2008 @ 4:07 pm
Has anyone dined here? http://www.thehouseonmainstreet.biz I am trying to find somewhere close and a friends mother recommended this place.
Comment by Corrie — October 20, 2008 @ 4:33 pm
I haven't even heard of the place, Corrie! If it's good, what a find that would be. Of course, if it isn't any good, you're already on your way to Staunton. Ha ha! Let us know what you think if you go.
Comment by lindseynair — October 20, 2008 @ 4:47 pm
Lindsey, you tease! You tease! I had forgotten how much I enjoyed the food when I went to Germany on business a couple years ago.
I spent a week in Landstuhl, near Stuttgart, and the "mom and pop" style restaurants were most excellent. My dear favorite was the Jagerschnitzel with croquettes (like a tater tot, but mashed tater inside). Oh how delicious it was. Had the fries at one place, and wish I knew how they made them. The closest comparison I can think of is that they tasted kinda like they were fried in butter. But not oily/greasy.
I, too, have seen the sign for Edelweiss but never stopped. I'll have to check up here to see if there are any good German eats.
Sorry, can't help with an "authenticity check" on the schnitzel regarding veal vs pork.
Comment by Ed S. — October 20, 2008 @ 5:31 pm
Corrie,
If you have a copy, I recommend the spaetzle recipe in Joy of Cooking. That's the recipe that my German grandmother has always used, and I've used it a lot. Last Christmas, she gave me her spaetzle maker, which is at least 60 years old. I used it this weekend to make mashed potatoes and OH. MY. GOD. I think they were the best I've ever made. It's a bit like using a potato ricer. But I've digressed...
After you make your spaetzle, you have to fry them up in a little butter. I recommend letting the cooked spaetzle sit a little while as they are quite wet when fresh. I usually make a little extra and then fry up the left-overs the next morning with breakfast. MMMMM...
Comment by Lori — October 21, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
When Mom made her spaetzle and pork roast with gravy, she always made extra. The next day she would make the most wonderful soup with the leftover spaetzle and roast, which is what HER mother used to do with all the dinners she made from the day before. Grampa always had soup with his dinner from yesterday's meal. Joy of Cooking has some good German recipes in it. Gramma also made the Linzer Torte every Christmas. It wasnt the holiday unless we got that big box of goodies in the mail with that torte in it. The crust is a dense almond-based cookie-like crust, and the filling was red currant jam. I loved that torte; I tried to make one and it was so disappointing, nothing like Gramma's at all. Now I'm digressing.........
Comment by Kathy — October 22, 2008 @ 10:20 am
Dear Lindsey, hello again from the German Lebkuchenhaus Lady (Roanoke Times,Dec 07). We tried the Edelweiss a couple of years ago, we were not overly impressed with the food, but the atmosphere is nice! As far as I know the original Wiener Schnitzel is veal, but nowadays pork is acceptable. I guess the main difference of authentic taste is the breading (I bake my own bread, then let it go stale and make my own bread crumbs), and the schnitzel definitely has to be fried in lots of butter! As for the cakes: the German cakes have a different consistency, denser, richer, not as sweet. We Krauts rarely eat cake for desert, but rather in the afternoon with a cup of strong coffee or tea.
Let me know if you need any German recipes, I only agree with some German recipes in Joy of Cooking.
Soon, I will start baking my Dresdner Christstollen, mmmh, it smells so good in the house....
Take care, Barbara
Comment by Barbara von Claparede-Crola — October 24, 2008 @ 9:19 am
My wife and I have been to The House on Main Street in Buchanan for both lunch and dinner. It has been open for only a few months.
I lived in Germany for 3 years, so I consider myself a fair judge of German cuisine (well, I've eaten a lot of German food, at least).
The House on Main Street serves up the real deal. The sauerbraten is as good as I've had anywhere. My wife loved the jaegerschnitzel.
Sides of German potato salad, rotkohl (red cabbage) and savory kraut were all excellent. The only let down is the use of egg noodles, rather than spaetzle. A wurst plate is also available as well as a couple of German beers.
Desserts were authentic and the portions were generous.
Prices are not cheap, but we found them to be fair, given the quality of the meals.
For us, it was well worth the 30-mile drive over the mountain.
Comment by Mike Forster — October 24, 2008 @ 10:25 am
My husband (who is from Offenburg, Germany) and I have eaten at Edelweiss on more than one occasion and found the food to be excellent and authentic (on our last visit, their cabbage rolls filled with a ground pork mixture and a sour cream gravy) were delicious. Being of German descent on my mother's side, I grew up with German fare--my grandfather was adept at making all kinds of German specialities, which I observed and learned how to make. Since my marriage, I've learned how to prepare many other dishes, including flammenkuchen and zwiebelkuchen, as well as a knock your socks off sauerbrauten that my husband and family loves. We visit my husband's family in Germany every other year, where I've become acquainted with, and come to cherish, all kinds of food items. Currywurst is a popular street food sold from schnell Imbiss stands, and I agree with others that indeed some of the best fare comes from little, out of of the way, Mom and Pop eateries over there. My mother-in-law makes a fabulous German potato salad, which my husband craves, but I have yet to master the recipe (I guess there's nothing like Mom's comfort food, even if the same ingredients are used)! I work at Smith Mountain Lake, which I think would be an ideal location for a German restaurant, especially with all the folks who've relocated from up North and from the Midwest, and no doubt really miss German food. We need something closer than Edelweiss for Roanoke/SML region residents with a hankering for German fare.
Comment by Rebecca Jackson — October 29, 2008 @ 11:17 am