2015 Europe Trip: Eating in Munich, Bratwurstherzl, Spatenhaus an der Oper and Weisses Brauhaus

Pork, Pork and Pork! Potato, Potato and Potato! P&P seems to be the abbreviation for food in Germany or perhaps in Munich. Oh yea and Sausages before I left this out. Practically, speaking they are quite an expert at making things with potato, there are salad, potato balls……etc. Some of you guys may have heard of Germany being famous for their suckling pig, pork knuckles and also the sausages. Frankly speaking, I do quite like their sausages, but actually our Cantonese roast pork is much much better than their crisp pork knuckles and suckling pig. Another food item that you may see frequently are pretzels. I don’t really have a liking for it as I find it awfully salty with all those huge rock salts, but they are actually pretty good with beers and dipping into the gravy that usually comes along.

I am actually quite surprise that Munich has pretty great cakes and pastries, I always thought that Vienna are more famous in this category. I was at this cafe called Rischart, it is located near and opposite the Marienplatz which has really good cakes, I love their tiramisu, really ! I also tried their ice cream and some raspberry cake which was delicious. just check out that crowd. It is worth noting that the prices is slightly higher in the restaurant then eating in the standing cafe on the ground floor. Even when I am typing only now, I am already drooling.

Honestly speaking, if you are vegetarian or have preference for fish or chicken meals, you are gonna have a hard time eating outside in Munich. Food in Munich can be summed up easily, Pork, Beer and Beef. I would say that most food are 60 % Pork and 40% Fish. Bratwurstherzl, Spatenhaus an der Oper and Weisses Brauhaus are some of the local restaurant that I have dined at throughout my stay in Munich. Bratwurstherzl is a local eateries that may seem quiet on the outside, but once you step in it’s a totally different thing. the restaurant is located near the seafood section of the viktualienmarkt at a small ally, quiet but definitely relaxing atmosphere. I went for lunch and inside there are Germans feasting themselves with the famous grilled Nuremberg Sausages and also huge cups of beer. Nuremberg Sausages are not the huge huge bratwurst that you are expecting but actually the size of your index fingers perhaps. The grilled one are recommended, where you could taste the smokiness of the grilled too. The sausages definitely goes well with the potato salad and a unique thing here is that they serve dishes in cute metal plates. Actually I find the potato salad to be the best that I had in Munich. I don’t really like the sauerkraut though. Prices are average, definitely not on the expensive side. For a meal plus a beer you could perhaps expect to spend about 12-15 Euros.

Spatenhaus an der Oper can be said as the most expensive restaurant I visited in Munich, are really, you pay for what you get, the meal here is one of the best I had and the service was good too. Water was provided and the ambience was excellent, including a gorgeous roof. Another reason for its step up pricing may be due to its location, it is located opposite to the opera house and the Residenz Museum, the streets nearby also contains most of the luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton and Prada. However I still recommend you to come here, I had the pork knuckles and the sausages, the knuckle was perfect here, tender and succulent. The gravy was also perfect with the pretzels, perhaps after you scrap off those huge salts. We paid about 50 Euros in total, for the food and also a couple glasses of beer.

Weisses Brauhaus, there is a bad and also a good about this place, actually it is a beer hall. I was there late, probably around 8pm and it was crowded really packed to the brim, and once inside you could feel the atmosphere, Germans relaxing after work, having beers and some food. This was actually my first meal in Munich and it was quite an experience. The waitress are dressed traditionally and the amount of people drinking is just crazy beer is the greatest seller. And thus this place is actually famous for its beer which they brewed in house. Regards to the food, I don’t really like it any we over ordered, the portion were huge and some of the meat are just not tender enough, perhaps for my “Singaporean mouth and teeth”. I ordered the suckling pig, knuckles and a chicken salad, the knuckles was huge and served with a gigantic potato ball that we can’t even finish half of it seriously. Even the Salad can be said as meaty, perhaps only in Germany. But to make up for it, the beer and the atmosphere was perfect. We paid about 40 plus Euros, kind of expensive but definitely worth the experience. The many types of unique beer are also one of the highlights.

The easiest way to get stuff for self cook are at the Vikualienmarkt located near the city centre, here you can find anything, from butcher, to wines and cheese to vegetables stalls. Some of the products sold here just look so fresh and amazing. Near the market, at the end of it, there is a seafood corner with many fish mongers selling fresh seafood, there are also tables where you could buy and get them to cook for you. Having lobsters and oysters with a glass of chilled white Riesling seems like C’est La Vie to me. The seafood sold here are tempting, all are of superb quality but of course with similar prices to match. This should be your best bet to get some meals away from all those meats. On my last day, I also gotten some fish and prawns to cook back at my apartment. Some bacon, fish, prawns and sausages, life is perfect, but not cheap in a Singaporean perspective.

 

Doesn’t the Vikualienmarkt just look amazing? With all the seafood, sausages and vegetables. I would definitely return here to eat more of the pork and cakes. I just can’t stop looking at these cakes, oh god, fly me to Munich and back now. Tiramisu, Speechless !