105. Dining in Restaurant Weiteintag

105.  Dining in Restaurant Weiteintag  

One of the curious pleasures of dining in foreign climes is the uncertainty of the menu selection. Even if you can translate what a course might seem to mean, this does not necessarily give you much of a clue as to what the dish might contain. Steak is pretty much straightforward ... not much doubt there but Eisbein (lit. ice bone / leg) is a whole new ball game. So today, I have conjured up a menu of selected well known dishes from all over the German speaking world in Restaurant Weiteintag. If you haven't heard of this restaurant, go and check your Leo's German and English Dictionary and the words weit  ein Tag might well give you the answer. Beside each dish, I have given you a description of what you might be eating should you choose it without the waiter's help.

                                                       Restaurant Weiteintag

Vorspeisen  (Entrees)

Aalsuppe - eel soup - any seafood dishes are especially popular in the North.

Badische Zwiebelsuppe - onion soup - a specialty from the south-western Baden region.

Gulasch mit Reis (kleine Portion) - goulash with rice (small serve) originally from Hungary but now a favourite all over Germany for its rich spicy flavour and also often served as a soup. 

Hauptgerichte (Mains)

Labskaus - corned meat, mashed potatoes, herring (Rollmops) & fried egg ... again from the North
Eisbein mit Sauerkraut - hock of ham often served with a variety of potato & mustard. This is a specialty popular in Berlin and is often boiled with the fatty skin left on. Can look a little intimidating but filling! Similar to Schweinshaxe from Bavaria with Kloß (dumpling) and Rotkohl (red cabbage)
Kassler Rippen - a specialty popular in Niedersachsen consists of pork chops that have been smoked and again served frequently with Sauerkraut.
Sauerbraten - usually marinated beef but can occasionally be found with venison. One of my personal favourites found in most regions of Germany. Served with a variety of side dishes including Kartoffeln (potatoes), Spätzle (egg noodles), Salat or Gemüse (vegetables).
Zürcher Geschnetzeltes - is a dish from Switzerland with thin slices of veal served with slices of mushroom in a white sauce.
Wiener Schnitzel - probably the most popular dish from Austria and a favourite the world round. It is a slice of veal in bread crumbs and deep fried. Served with the usual side dishes.

Nachspeisen (Desserts) - often served with (Schlag)sahne (whipped cream) or Eis(ice cream).
Can anyone possibly go past the Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte?! - Black Forest cherry cake. Often copied in the western world but will always fail if the cherries aren't genuine sour cherries!!! Streuselkuchen (crumb cake) might come close and Rote Grützen ( fruit / berry compote) is also very popular.

Heidelberg Castle