German Dining - Meat and No Veg

Sunday 16 December 2012
Stuffed with our daily German breakfast, we ate on the hoof throughout the day in Munich sampling a huge variety of foods from the various market stalls. Come evening we were in dire need of a seat so each night headed to a different Beer Hall for our main meal. What an amazing atmosphere. All are large, cavernous, noisy and very busy. You share large traditional wooden tables with other groups squeezing in where you can. No romantic tables for two to be had.
First night we dined at www.bayerischer-donisl.de  All the evening meals during our stay could probably best be described as hearty. Lots of meat, gravy and dumplings but little in the way of green vegetables. They were all however most enjoyable and very tasty. Just what was needed after a long cold day of shopping. I opted for pork knuckle with crispy crackling and potato dumplings whilst M had roasted piglet and bread dumplings. The dumplings were like nothing I had tried before. No Atora suet in these guys. Best way I can describe them was like giant potato gnocchi. A real rib sticking dish.
1/2 hintere gebratene Schweinshaxe mit 2 geriebenen Kartoffelknödel
Jungschweinsbraten mit 2 Semmelknödel
Day two and we dined at www.spoeckmeier.com  I chose for the Sausage Platter with roasted pork, grilled, veal and Weiner sausages. This was served with sauerkraut with bacon and mashed potatoes topped with crispy onions.  All very delicious with plenty of mustard. M went for a lighter option of a warm goats cheese salad in the hope of having room for desert. However it would appear than in Germany even a salad is huge and filling. No room for pudding.

We did veer off the course of daytime streetfood at one point when it was particularly cold and snowy so we headed into a cafe for coffee and the obligatory apple strudel. Cafe culture seemed particularly big in Munich and the choice of cakes on offer was eye boggling and mouth watering. Our strudel was served with a vanilla sauce which was a cross between custard and creme anglaise.
Our last supper was at www.augustiner-restaurant.com  I had "Allgauer Alm Platter". Butchers ravioli, baby meatballs, creamed mushrooms and swabian noodles. This came with a huge sidedish of potato salad. Somehow I don't have a photo of M's dish but she had Braised Beef in Vinegar with Bread Dumpling and an enormous side dish of Red Cabbage. We were pleased to finally spot a Stammtisch table here having read about them in our guide book. These are tables reserved for locals only and identified with elaborate signage. Thankfully we didn't sit at one in error.
Alas after my own endevours we never actually tried any Goulash so I have nothing to compare my Gulaschsuppe mit Sauerkraut to but it certainly fell within the "hearty" category. Was strange to see that chicken didn't seem to appear much on the Munich menu. Duck was there and I'm told that the traditional Christmas Day German dish is Goose as opposed to Turkey. Alas I fear my friend below won't live to see Boxing Day.



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