  Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1936 Registered: 10-2006 |
I promised a lady friend that I would take her out for dinner on the Friday after Thanksgiving when I am back up that way. She didn't have a preference for any particular type of food, but we both ironically have German backgrounds, so a German fare seems like it might be interesting. Aside from Dakota Inn Rathskeller (http://www.dakota-inn.com/web/ pages/home/) what are some other authentic Detroit German restaurants that I could consider for dinner? | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 860 Registered: 03-2006 |
Jacoby's is good, though it is a bar setting. Its right downtown. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 3037 Registered: 06-2004 |
I rarely dis restaurant food, but I gotta admit the last dinner I had at Jacoby's wasn't that great and my mom's rouladen was undercooked and tough as shoe leather. It was very disappointing since it was the first time I took her there. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 5641 Registered: 08-2004 |
There's always The Dakota Inn on the north side of Detroit, and Richters over on Telegraph Rd. | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 1595 Registered: 11-2003 |
I was going to say Richters on Michigan Ave at Telegraph in Dearborn. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1942 Registered: 10-2006 |
What sort of environment is Richters? While I don't mind the setting of a bar, I was just hoping for something a little classier than the Dakota Inn... | ||
Texorama Member Username: Texorama Post Number: 93 Registered: 12-2006 |
If you're driving this far anyway, head on out to Metzger's at the Zeeb Road exit off I-94, west of Ann Arbor. German as it gets. Not a bar--restaurant with lots of beer steins on the ceiling beams, good fresh German draft beers, etc. Can also try the Heidelberg on Main St. in downtown Ann Arbor. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1944 Registered: 10-2006 |
Metzger's. thanks. Didn't even think about that place. (and actually I am flying. There really is no good way to drive between Charlotte and Detroit.) | ||
Umcs Member Username: Umcs Post Number: 373 Registered: 06-2007 |
I'd say the Heidelberg in Ann Arbor over Metzgers. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 3038 Registered: 06-2004 |
Metzgers has the best traditional German food in a non-bar atmosphere. Heidelberg is more like a bar. | ||
Texorama Member Username: Texorama Post Number: 94 Registered: 12-2006 |
The Heidelberg has both a bar and a regular dining room. I think it's a tough choice. Metzger's is bigger, busier, and quite consistent. The Heidelberg can sometimes outdo them, though--they have things like rabbit on the menu sometimes, and when they really nail a dish it's more distinctive than anything at Metzger's. Metzger's sometimes has kind of a blue-hair atmosphere (although there isn't a serious Lawrence Welk vibe); Heidelberg generally does not. | ||
Paulmcall Member Username: Paulmcall Post Number: 503 Registered: 05-2004 |
Isn't there a place called Schmidt's in Ann Arbor too? | ||
Parkguy Member Username: Parkguy Post Number: 137 Registered: 04-2007 |
I always liked both The Heidelberg and Metzger's, but I think Metzger's has more authentic German food. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1947 Registered: 10-2006 |
Well, somewhat of a bar atmosphere would not be a deal killer, but the lady friend is not 21. It's just that drinking will not be the focus of dinner (that's why the Dakota Inn I didn't think would work out so well with its beer first, food second type of theme). | ||
Reddog289 Member Username: Reddog289 Post Number: 47 Registered: 08-2007 |
my german relatives like richters, this irish/german likes itailian, so i get fish & chips. | ||
The_rock Member Username: The_rock Post Number: 2005 Registered: 11-2003 |
Too bad it closed up so many years ago. Anyone on the eastside remember The Little Cafe on the West side of Gratiot at Barlow? Wonderful German restaurant, authentic food, Bavarian atmosphere with murals painted on the outside walls of the building. Why or why did it ever have to close? It was the best. Step aside Jacobys or even Schweitzers downtown. | ||
Rugbyman Member Username: Rugbyman Post Number: 148 Registered: 06-2005 |
Richter's atmosphere is sort of dark, kind of emulating a bierkeller or something. Great food though. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 6758 Registered: 02-2004 |
Have you all folks tried German Pancakes. Here's how you make them: GERMAN PANCAKES 6 eggs 1 cup milk 1 cup flour 1/2 cup sugar butter Mix the milk, flour and sugar together. Beat until smooth. Heat a large non-stick skillet and melt a small amount of butter with it. Pour enough of the pancake batter onto the skillet to cover the whole pan in a thin layer. Once the edges start drying, it's time to flip. Use a large spatula for this. It doesn't take much time on the second side. Continue baking the rest of the pancakes like this. The pancakes do not fluff up like typical American-style pancakes. Top with your choice of applesauce, cinnamon sugar or syrup. After adding topping, fold pancakes in half with the topping on the inside and lightly sprinkle cinnamon sugar over top. Give it a try, Its delicious! | ||
Frumoasa Member Username: Frumoasa Post Number: 74 Registered: 03-2007 |
Metzger's is in my father's opinion...the most accurate Bavarian style food, and his parents are from south of Munich near the border with Austria, so they're as Bavarian as you can get. However...it is quite a drive and the Dakota Inn I have heard has a fun atmosphere. I drive by it once in a while, but I have a hard time spending money for food I can make at home exactly to my liking. And the best thing about Bavarian food is a fun little dish called "Semmel Knodel" (bread dumplings). They are made of stale bread, egg, salt, pepper and a bit of parsley and onion powder, formed into racquetball sized lumps and boiled. They are incredible when served with my father's famously delicious ketchup and onion gravy. Oh yeah, and for rouladen, the Polish Village on Yemans in Hamtramck has the best quality and price (8.50 for a 2 piece dinner with kopytka). *sigh* I love German food  | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 862 Registered: 03-2006 |
The Old German that used to be in Ann Arbor was my favorite, when they left I started going to Metzgers. I was fond of the Pork Shank. Since I have not been to Metzgers since they moved to Zeeb rd, I couldnt recommend it. However if it is the same food as the old location then its the best in the area by far. Heidelberg is ok but nothing like Metzgers. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 5656 Registered: 08-2004 |
The best German food is in mom's kitchen. At 85 she still makes the best Beef Rouladen... and yesterdays Schweinebraten (pork tenderloin) was outstanding! The best Beef Rouladen has paprika, onions and bacon in the center, not pickles! | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1965 Registered: 10-2006 |
"Metzger's is in my father's opinion...the most accurate Bavarian style food..." Actually, half of my German heritage comes from the region of Germany in the border with France (not sure off the top of my head about the other half). | ||
Nainrouge Member Username: Nainrouge Post Number: 301 Registered: 05-2006 |
Gistok, Can you get her to open a restaurant? I would love to go to a good German restaurant in this area but I have yet to find one. I have been to a few that have been mentioned here and was not impressed. Of course I am spoiled because my wife is German and we visit Germany often. My mother-in-law is the best source that I know, but I only see her about once a year! | ||
Raptor56 Member Username: Raptor56 Post Number: 150 Registered: 05-2007 |
Metzger's or Jacoby's in my humble, yet stubborn German opinion. Ate at both, numerous times. Greatly enjoyed both, numerous times. | ||
Charlottepaul Member Username: Charlottepaul Post Number: 1967 Registered: 10-2006 |
"The best German food is in mom's kitchen." Will it be open the day after Thanksgiving? | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 5657 Registered: 08-2004 |
^^^ LOL... sorry Charlottepaul... but mom's retired! She only cooks now on Sundays. The rest of the week it's either leftovers or Stouffer's entrees... My sisters mother-in-law passed away at age 82 2 years ago. Luckily before she passed, both my sister and niece both learned how to make her German Rum Torte. There's so much rum in that cake that you can get a buzz off of it... yummy! (Message edited by Gistok on November 05, 2007) | ||
Cinderpath Member Username: Cinderpath Post Number: 247 Registered: 05-2006 |
Well, for me the vote is easy: My Austrian wife, although she cooks Austrian food (Which does have a lot of differences ). I would vote for Metzger's. We had a rather disappointing meal at Jacoby's recently, a schnitzel that was grease city. Chicago has a fantastic Bavarian / Austrian restaurant: Glunz http://www.glunzbavarianhaus.c om/ Last time we were there my wife talked to the chef from Salzburg, as close as we have ever gotten to the real thing in the States. They even had Stiegl beer. In Chicago you can also hit the only Julis Meinl Cafe from Vienna in the entire US. Too good to be true, the food there is also outstanding, sigh.. http://www.meinl.com/southport /home.html I agree about the "Semmel Knodel", quite good! My wife makes a variant with cheese and ham in them, yum :-) | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 5661 Registered: 08-2004 |
... wiping the drool off my keyboard... My favorite places to visit in Germany/Austria are the Konditorei (sit down coffeehouse with bakery), as well as restaurants. The closest thing to a Konditorei that I've found is Josef's Bakery in Grosse Pointe Woods. I wonder why German/Austrian/Swiss restaurants aren't that popular in the USA? The food is outstanding. Ironically Chicken (a Frankemuth specialty) is not a big German specialty, where beef and pork are more popular. | ||
Kenp Member Username: Kenp Post Number: 864 Registered: 03-2006 |
Chicken isnt a German specialty? I wonder how they came up with Chicken as a big seller in Frankenmuth. Maybe they conned us all these years that they were German. | ||
Jams Member Username: Jams Post Number: 6824 Registered: 10-2003 |
The_rock Agreed, my last meal there was hasenpfeffer I still miss it. But, at least, the stein that sits on my desk holding my pens and pencils came from The Little Cafe. (I found it on ebay) Damn, now I'm going to crave that hasenpfeffer all week long. |
