We have an interesting guest blog post today.
We got an email from W.J. Shilts, of Westminster, MD. He said… well, let me let him tell you himself.
“My wife and I spent 6 nights in Leavenworth in September and devoted ourselves to reviewing all the schnitzel we could find. Please consider posting our attached review on the Accidental Bavarian. We devoted a lot of energy (oh, what a sacrifice) sampling Leavenworth’s finest offerings and would hate for that effort to go to waste!”
So without further ado, here is their review.
Where to find the Best Schnitzel in Leavenworth, Washington
W.J. Shilts
October, 2013
Leavenworth, Washington is the center of all things Bavarian in the western United States (and arguably, the whole of the USA). But, for the occasional traveler with only a day or two in town, choosing the quintessential “German” restaurant can be daunting with so many choices in town. My wife and I recently spent 7 days and 6 nights in Leavenworth sampling our way through mounds of schnitzel, red cabbage, spatzle, and sauerkraut to come up with our best recommendations on where to sate your craving for a taste of Germany in Leavenworth.
To be fair, we didn’t try everything on the menu. We focused on Wiener Schnitzel. Why…because Wiener Schnitzel is as basic as it gets. Usually made of pork or veal, it’s pounded, then breaded, fried (nobody said this was healthy), and usually served naked. Most other schnitzels are built on this basic schnitzel by adding various sauces or toppings (Jaeger, Ziguener, Rahm, Champignon, etc.). If you make a good Wiener Schnitzel you’ll probably make a good any other kind of schnitzel.
Keep in mind this review is about schnitzel, not all the other German food you may love. The ratings don’t take into account furnishings, oompah music, or quality of the bratwurst. We do comment on some of these factors however, and share our favorite German restaurants in Leavenworth (regardless of their schnitzel rating).
| Restaurant | Weiner Schnitzel Rating |
Comments |
| Café Mozart |  |
Superb wiener schnitzel, available in veal, pork, or chicken, and uber tender. Fine German dining (rather than a gasthaus atmosphere) with all the trimmings. |
| King Ludwig’s | |
Good schnitzel, veal or pork, but smaller portions. Very Bavarian menu but much more of a beer hall atmosphere, oriented to tourist clientele. Few extras (such as, no soup or wurst sampler on the menu). |
| Andreas Keller | |
The ultimate traditional Gasthaus experience in Leavenworth! But alas, the wiener schnitzel was a disappointment… deep fried… to a curled at the edges, cooked to a crisp, throwable object. But their grilled Swiss jaeger schnitzel was wonderful… don’t understand the disparity. Other than the wiener schnitzel, great fun, authentic German eating. |
| Baren Haus | |
Pork schnitzel (no veal available) was breaded and pan fried but was way too crispy to enjoy. It had the look but was just too crunchy. And aside from the wait person being clad in a dirndl, not much German atmosphere. |
| Café Christa | |
Although the sign out front purported Café was under new management, the veal wiener schnitzel was still the worst we had in Leavenworth. It was tough and gristly. On the other hand, the red cabbage was great… but not worth enduring the schnitzel. |
Our bottom line…If you’re looking for a superb schnitzel, and impeccable German dining, go to Café Mozart. If you’re looking for the best traditional German ambiance… fun, music, atmosphere, and food (not counting the Wiener Schnitzel)… go to Andreas Keller.
(And lest you think we’re not qualified to judge schnitzel, we’re from some pretty long German roots (Hessian soldiers), we lived in Germany for three years, and I have traveled to Germany twenty times in the last decade alone. We can spot a good schnitzel at a hundred paces!)
We want to thank the Shilts’ for their guest blog. If anyone else has reviews or a guest blog, please send them to us for consideration.
