I apologize for the wall of text but for the tl;dr version, not happy and not going back.
Went there last nite for the first (and probably last) time. Space is awkward and small. Hostess/server seated us at a small 4 top in a corner that we barely fit in (and there was only two of us). Asked her if they had any non-alcoholic drinks besides soft drinks and she said no so I ordered a juice and the wife ordered bottled water. Looking at the menu I noticed they had flavored Peligreno (not mentioned by the server) and changed my order.
Looking over the menu, first thing I notice is not as much German food as I would expect. Also noticed that their menu online is not the current menu. Tried to look up their menu online and found that their mobile site is a joke and has not much more than their name listed. Plenty of charcuterie and cheese, a couple of schnitzel and brats listed, no pork chop like the online menu says (wife had eyed that as her gluten free option possibly) and a fish dish. No specials (Friday and Saturday only per the server) and only the one server for what is now 6 tables. In the end, I ordered the Jager Schnitzel and the wife had the salmon(server states it is grilled and no flour is used).
Order in, drinks arrive in a reasonable time and waitress brings bread to the table. This is where it starts downhill. The bread they provide for a table of two is a small pat of butter and three thin slices of grainy, chewy bread that are barely a mouthfull per slice. With bread in the name and being a bakery, I expected their bread to be showcased, not barely offered a taste.
After a couple more minutes (not an unreasonable time mind you) our dishes arrive, but only just after the smell of fish hits the table. My schnitzel looks ok with the bratkartoffeln but her small piece of fish worries me and I can tell by the look she is thinking the same. One taste and we both realize that 1) it is pan seared and looks like it was dusted in flour and 2) is is dry and old. We get our waitress's attention and mention to her that our fish seems old at which point she starts to basically politely argue with us that everything was ordered fresh as they had just come back from being closed for a week. She offers to take it away after this and off our ticket. At this point, my wife is basically having a side beet salad (online menu it is listed as the Autumn Salad but the current menu has the exact same salad as the Winter Salad).
First, the wife's beet salad... A pile of irregularly sized salad mix with a pile of canned shredded beets on it, maybe a tablespoon of goat cheese (nowhere near enough for the salad), about 4 dried cherries, a diced nut, and way too much balsamic vinegar (not dressing, just vinegar). Not what she was wanting when we arrived but she doesn't want me to miss out on my meal so she toughs it out. As for my meal (and mind you, I am of German decent and have eaten lots of various preparations and styles) the schnitzel has a thick crust and a texture more like country fried steak (I am also Southern by birth and know it well
) with maybe an ounce or two of the mushroom sauce... Not even enough to cover my schnitzel. All in all under seasoned and not a crust like I have ever seen. The bratkartoffeln tasted more like they tried to cross it with a potato salad recipe. It came out a bit oily and under seasoned.
So, we ask for our check and here comes our server. First words out of her mouth is her explaining to us that the salmon has not reached it's expiration date and that it is still fresh. So, in continuing the argument, she has made a very odd revelation to us. I have never seen expiration dates on restaurant fish (wife and I are both ex-chefs and have probably handled more fish between the two of us than many restaurants ever even served) except when it is that cheap cryovaced frozen kind. I mention to her that purchased recently is not the same as fresh and she states that it has not expired. I tell her she is right just to end the conversation and get out of this place. Loosing a customer just to feel better is a bad way to handle things.
In the end, server took $4 off for the salmon even though the entree winter salad is only $10.95. In all, we paid $14.95 for a canned beet side salad and $18.95 for a schnitzel that reminded me of diner food without the cost or quantity associated with it. Without alcoholic drinks and with tip, we left wanting to still get a bite to eat and were out over $50. For the price, the quality and quantity are way off. We may have just been there on an off nite but will probably never go back.
NC
