Germany was hotly tipped before the tournament started to be this year's champions. But after their loss to Croatia the other day, Germany now has a must win against Austria tomorrow. Austria, as one of the co-hosts, will be pulling out all stops to win that game, so there are no guarantees we'll see Germany going through.
Whether or not Germany does manage to progress, winter is a great time in Brisbane to check out a few of our German eateries. If it's a big, hearty meal you're craving, take a trip to the Black Forest German Cafe Restaurant at Highgate Hill. I've only eaten there once, and the meals were so big, most of us couldn't even finish them. So make sure you work up an appetite beforehand. You can kick off your meal with bratwurst, herring salad or cold cucumber soup with onion. Be warned though, go easy on the entrees or you're going to have a few problems cleaning up your main course. Mains cover German specialties like Muenchener schweinshaxe (oven roasted pork hock with sauerkraut and Bavarian dumplings), bregenwurst & gruenkohl (mettwurst, kaiserfleisch and kasseler served with kale and mashed potatoes) and Deutsche rinder roulade (thin slices of beef filled with ham, pork mince and sweet/sour cucumber, served with red cabbage and mashed potatoes). There is a good selection of German beers here to accompany your Muenchener schweinshaxe, or if beer isn't your thing, try the schnapps or Asbach Uralt brandy.
Another place where you can be assured of a good German feed is at the German Club. The German Club is across the road from the Gabba, and holds various events during the year including the Brisbane Oktoberfest. I've never eaten at the German Club, but have been in there for a few German beers before and after games at the Gabba. At the restaurant, you can try herring & apple salad ($8.50), kassler (smoked pork loin chop with fried potatoes & sauerkraut or red cabbage - $14.50), grilled Atlantic salmon with potato rosti, braised cabbage & fennel and dill hollandaise sauce ($17.90) or roasted pork knuckle with fried potatoes, sauerkraut & beer gravy ($14.90). It goes without saying that there is a range of German beers and schnapps to wash down your meals.
If you're anywhere near Maleny, you can pop into King Ludwig's Restaurant and Klaushouse Mountain Bar. King Ludwig's serves morning & afternoon teas, lunch and dinner. Meals here include Bayrische brotzeit (Black Forest ham, Swiss meat loaf, Hungarian salami, beer stick and cheese served with pickled gherkin, rye bread and butter - $17.50), rinderfilet “Schwaebische Art”, risotto und gemuese (grilled medallions of beef eye fillet on a piquant mild mustard sauce with herb risotto and garden vegetables - $34.50) and schweinekotlett, kartoffel puree und blaukraut (grilled pork cutlet on a sage and red wine gravy served with garlic mash and red cabbage - $29.50).
If you are in the Cleveland area, you can try Bavarian Blue and Ditche's Rheinkeller Restaurant. I haven't been able to track down their menus on the web, but I've put contact details for both restaurants below.
Guten Appetit!
Black Forest German Cafe Restaurant
196 Gladstone Road
Highgate Hill 4101
P - 07 3217 2180
Brisbane German Club
416 Vulture Street
East Brisbane 4169
P - 07 3391 2434
King Ludwig's Restaurant and Klaushouse Mountain Bar
401 Mountain View Road
Maleny 4552
P - 07 5499 9377
Bavarian Blue
Shop 9, 381 Main Road
Wellington Point 4160
P - 3207 2255
Ditche's Rheinkeller Restaurant
Shop 7, 22 Middle Street
Cleveland 4163
P - 07 3286 7756
