Endlich! Ein gutes Deutsches Restaurant in Seattle!

(That’s “Finally!  A good German restaurant in Seattle!”)

This is NOT a review for Feierabend “German” restaurant in downtown Seattle.  If it were, it’s say something like “the spätzle tastes like cardboard, the waitress can’t speak a word of German (nor does she care -- or try), and the ambiance seems phony.”

And this is not a review of our own German cooking.  If it were… well here and here and here and here and OMG – HERE!

(We have never found sauerbraten or spätzle that even comes close in deliciousness to our own sauerbraten and käsespätzle – not even in Germany!  And believe me, we looked, and tasted – all over Germany!  Conceited, perhaps --but oh, so true!)

This is a review of Bratz’s German Restaurant in Seattle’s University district.  In a word (or two), “Lecker schmecker!!” 

The food was excellent, genuine German food, personally prepared and served by the very friendly owners, John, Robert, and their mother Veronicka, from Zweibrücken, Germany. 

After we placed our orders, we we enjoyed the genuine ambiance of this relatively small, but very cozy place.

(There’s a German TV feed on one TV and German soccer on another.  How can you NOT feel like you’re in Germany?  I like this better than Polka music playing over some Musak speakers.)

Not too long after we ordered, Friendly John brought us our food…

Aleks and I had the Jägerschnitzel which is referred to as “Hunter’s Schnitzel” on the menu, but hey John, I think you should be genuinely German and list it with it’s real name!)

It was excellent!  The rotkraut was perfect – just like Mom’s.  The schniztel was perfectly crispy with a just-right gravy, and the spätzle was quite good.  Not like ours, because apparently no one on earth can make it like we do.  But quite good.

Kat had the Wienerschnitzel Pretzel (or as my mom used to call it, “Bräääääää-tzl”)…

…and Tom had the Wienerschnitzel:

(I just love the touch of the Bavarian paper!)

We all agreed that the whole experience – from the food to the atmosphere to the people, was first-rate!

(How often do you see an expression like that on Tom’s face?!  Or like that on Kat’s face? “No more pictures, Mom… I want to EAT!”)

Next time (and there will definitely be many next times), I’ll have to try the rouladen, which my mom used to make at least a few times a month!

 

(Truth be told, I was afraid that would make me cry, because I haven’t had it since Mom died, and you know how taste and smell can bring back memories…)

Just like I did in my childhood, though, I’d ask them to hold the pickles.

Bratz is at 4759 Brooklyn Ave NE in the University District.  Blink, and you’ll miss it. 

And missing it would definitely be a mistake!