Stephen Montoya
Throughout my many culinary travels, I am ashamed to say I have never tried authentic German cuisine. This is a hard truth to admit since I am part Polish and have grown up trying family recipes that are very close to this style of food. However, the fact that I haven’t tried this style of cooking has been glaring me in the face since I started working at the magazine in the form of a local restaurant near our office parking lot. The restaurant is called Little Germany, and it is located at 6737 Camp Bowie Blvd., which is so close to our office, I could walk there in almost 20 steps.
I figured since this establishment was so close to the office, many of my co-workers must’ve tried it at least once, which was certainly the case. No one had a bad word to say about the food and almost on a dare, my boss suggested I try it. Not one to shy away from a dare, be it a triple dog dare or not, I traversed the yellow-striped black top to experience the unknown.
Upon entering this establishment, I could tell straight away that it smacked of authenticity. Many of the decorations that adorned this establishment consisted of German beer steins and glass mugs from festivals gone by. The color scheme consisted of plenty of greens, whites, and yellows. In the center of the dining room, was a huge communal table, like the ones I had experienced at many Amish eateries on the east coast.
A server named Julie escorted me to a table and handed me a menu while taking my drink order. After her return to the table, she looked at me kind of cross-eyed and told me I was sitting at the table wrong. I was puzzled by this observation since I was conventionally sitting at the northwest corner of a four-top table. Julie quickly picked up the chair next to me and sat it to the side. She said if this was my first time trying out the menu, I needed to sit at the center of the table to give myself room. And she wasn’t kidding.
I ordered the fresh fried mushrooms as a starter and since I wasn’t sure what might strike my fancy, I also ordered a sampler platter for good measure. With my menu naivete evident, Julie quickly helped me pick the right sauce to go along with my mushrooms. Like many diners, I usually get Ranch as a sauce out of habit and safety. But Julie quickly showed me the error of my ways by bringing me a combination of horseradish and mayo in a dipping container. Like many of the items on the menu, this sauce is made in-house and gives a beautiful acidity to the crumbled breading on the large mushrooms. Julie said she knew I would like it and brought it anyway since I was new to the restaurant. In fact, Julie really went above and beyond helping me try everything the way it is usually served and prepared in Germany. She acted as my food tour guide for the afternoon.
Stephen Montoya
Next up was the goulash soup, which came with the sampler. But the goulash wasn’t alone, it was accompanied by a few slices of homemade pumpernickel bread and an in-house garlic butter that added a creamy aftertaste to every bite of soup. The trick, Julie advised, is to spread the butter on the bread and then dip it in the soup. She again was spot on.
It was at this point of the meal that I knew I shouldn’t have ordered an appetizer. I was already starting to fill up and the main course hadn’t even made it to the table yet. But when it did, I was not disappointed. The sampler consists of one Jåger schnitzel, one Vienna schnitzel, and a couple of Munchen-style sausages served with red cabbage, sauerkraut, pan-fried potatoes, and spätzle. I substituted the pan-fried potatoes for a potato dumpling instead.
It was a good thing that Julie made me move to the center of the table earlier to, because my order took up almost the entire surface space in front of me. I looked around to see how much of a scene I was making but everyone was busy eating their own food, so I dug in. Both of the schnitzels were cooked perfectly with a light breading that added to the flavor and the crunch of each bite. The red cabbage had a sweet ginger aftertaste and went well mixed in with the sauerkraut. I poured some of the sauce that came with the dumpling on the schnitzels for moisture like I had discovered something new, but alas, Julie told me I was supposed to do this anyway.
I stuffed as much food into my belly as I could until I was on the precipice of laying down and taking a nap. I felt like I was having a weird type of Thanksgiving coma after-effect. As I finished my last few bites, Julie came over to my table and expertly boxed all of my leftovers. We both had a laugh since I had over-ordered, but the experience was new and that’s what taking chances is all about. You never really get that kind of magic again when you visit a place that really impresses you, upon your first visit. You may go back and enjoy the food, but nothing beats your first-time experience. So, for anyone looking to cross authentic German cuisine off of your list of foods to try, I strongly suggest Little Germany. But make sure to bring a crew of people since the portions here are large.
Holes in the Fort Rating Scale
Ambiance: Out of 5 – 3
Service: Out 5 – 5 (ask for Julie)
Food: Out of 5 – 5 (ate all of the leftovers that night for dinner)
Price point: It’s more than McDonald’s but cheaper than a high-end steak house, about $15 + a plate.
Do: Jåger schnitzel, or Vienna schnitzel (These cuts are cooked like a thin chicken fried steak but have a bit more crunch to them).
Don’t: Order an appetizer if you are super hungry. Every plate usually comes out fast and is pretty large.
For more information on Little Germany click here.
(Holes in the Fort is an ongoing series that highlights some of the city’s best local food spots.)
