Two Tasty Styles of German Food that You Shouldn’t Miss

Fried green tomatoes, collard greens, BBQ, sausage gravy and fried chicken. These are the dishes that we identify with the Alabama culinary scene. However, as my travels through the deep south expanded, I discovered that a hungry traveler can also find German food that is rich, savory, and distinctive.

This is not as illogical as it sounds at first. In reality, sausage is part of many great BBQ traditions and schnitzel (a staple of German cuisine) is breaded and fried meat. While the methods may vary, both Germans and Southerners are experts at breading and frying pork, chicken and more. Today we look at two restaurants with wildly different atmospheres but the same quality meats.

Traditional German Food

Ol’ Heidelberg in Huntsville, Alabama is where to go when your passport has expired but you’re craving an international getaway. Here they specialize in tradition. The menu and the décor both transport diners to the alpine hills of Germany. This is a pretty good deal, since it is also only an eight-minute drive from our favorite hotel, the Marriott at the Space & Rocket Center.

The staff impressed my husband and me. Our server, Austin, wasn’t just knowledgeable, he was downright enthusiastic. When we asked for recommendations, he told us some of his favorite dishes and explained the subtle differences between the types of sausages and platter combinations available. When we mixed up a couple of items, he explained the dishes a second time without a trace of annoyance. Then, he went a step further and explained what it was he liked about certain dishes.

Ultimately, I wanted schnitzel and my husband wanted to try a variety of items. Ol’ Heidelberg was able to accommodate both. In fact, they went the extra mile by allowing my husband to order a sampler platter ($24.95) at lunch that is normally only available at dinner time. His platter included Jaeger Sausage (with black pepper), traditional weiner schnitzel served with sauerkraut, and chicken schnitzel served with roasted potatoes and cucumber salad.

German food can often have a reputation for being heavy. I don’t feel that’s always a fair assessment. When schnitzel is done right (as this was) it could float off the plate at any moment. Everything on his plate was piping hot and crispy, yet light. We agreed that the best item on his platter was the Jaeger Sausage. The sauerkraut was too heavy on the vinegar for him, but I liked it well enough when eaten in the same bite as the chicken schnitzel.

Years ago, I used to make fish that called for chopped pecans in the coating. It adds flavor and crunch at the same time. At Ol’ Heidelberg, I ordered the Honey Pecan Chicken ($13.95), which was chicken schnitzel with the added benefit of chopped pecans in the coating and a drizzle of honey over the top of the freshly fried chicken. This was manna from Heaven. That’s all there is to it. My husband was a little jealous, in fact. For us, the sweetness of the honey was preferable to the acidity of the sauerkraut. I look forward to hearing from readers about which one you prefer.

A Few Final Notes

First, I don’t usually like dill, but the chilled cucumber salad was amazing. It was fresh and crisp and was a nice alternative to the entrees. Second, while there are two salads on the menu, vegetarians should be aware that there isn’t much here for you. Lastly, to combat rising prices, the management has recently started charging to serve shareable bread. We opted not to order a basket and didn’t miss it. We had plenty of food without it.

German Food Disguised as Southern Food

When is German food not German food? When it is disguised as Southern American food, of course. Hoover, Alabama is a suburb to the south of Birmingham. In Hoover, diners will find several yummy restaurants including Super Chix, which I’ve written about before. Within Hoover, there is a very upscale neighborhood called Ross Bridge. Ross Bridge has its own shopping and dining village and here is where visitors will find Front Porch.

Front Porch is a 20-minute drive from the heavenly Grand Bohemian hotel. Jeremy Hackney and John Giffin founded this restaurant in 2016. Based on the enthusiastic response from the neighborhood, it was just what Ross Bridge needed.

Atmosphere

Thanks to Chip and Joanna Gaines on HGTV, the “farmhouse chic” decorating style is trending hard right now. Front Porch has adopted this look with a mix of wood, subway tile, repurposed shutters, and polished concrete floors. The tables are devoid of linens. It is farmhouse meets warehouse. Unfortunately, the two dining rooms (separated by the bar) fall prey to a common restaurant mistake. There aren’t enough soft surfaces or acoustic paneling to absorb the sound and it can get loud in there. We ate lunch there on a weekday, so it was bearable, but I imagine when the place is hopping on a Saturday night, it must be frustrating to attempt a conversation with your tablemates.

Food

Front Porch’s most famous dish is an appetizer called Candied Bacon Bombs. The owners would likely never advertise their most famous dish as “German food.” In reality, it is German food with a southern twist. Picture candied kielbasa sausage that is wrapped in bacon and served with a pile of flash fried cheese curds. While the word “kielbasa” is Polish for sausage, there are many variations of sausage that come from Germany. The bacon bombs and cheese curds were by far the best things we ate for lunch that day.

My husband’s Korean BBQ chicken wings and fries ($16.00) earned positive reviews from him. He is a heat addict, so he could have used more kick, but I thought they were perfect. The skinny fries were seasoned with salt/pepper and the unbreaded wings were liberally sauced. Ten wings is a hefty portion too.

Unfortunately, the Three Grain Bowl that I ordered ($13.00) wasn’t nearly as successful. I was really looking forward to a healthy option for this meal. The dish consisted of wild rice, white rice, and quinoa tossed with diced sweet potatoes and chopped almonds and then seasoned with lime, cilantro and parsley. A grilled chicken breast sat atop the grains.

I eagerly anticipated the bright, fresh scent and flavor of fresh cilantro, since I am one of the lucky people who does not believe it tastes like soap. Alas, both the fragrance and the flavor were absent. In fact, the entire dish was woefully bland. I requested extra lime and squeezed that over the entire dish, which made it edible. Overall, though, I would suggest the Front Porch chefs go back to the drawing board on this one.

On your next trip to Birmingham, I suggest an appetizer smorgasbord al fresco (on their front porch, if you will) for a successful visit to Front Porch restaurant.

Since America is a salad bowl of cultures, we find food from various ethnicities all around us. Sometimes it’s obvious (as in Ol’ Heidelberg) and sometimes it sneaks in to join other traditions (as in Front Porch). Either way, German food was a nice change of pace for us because we don’t have restaurants specializing in that at home. So, on your next southern road trip, grab your lederhosen and put in an order!