Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Das Schnitzel Haus

We have driven by Das Schnitzel Haus so many times that it's impossible to count. Parma is an errand destination for us often, so I've always been curious as we passed the restaurant.
Fridays in Cleveland mean one thing...Fish Fry. We had tried to get in to Wexler's, close to home, but the line was out the door at 6:00pm. So, that left us driving around, looking for food. "R" still had his heart set on a fish fry. Das Schnitzel Haus killed two birds with one stone. We finally tried the restaurant, and "R" still got his classic fish fry ($10.95).
They were offering cod or perch, and he went with the cod. I'm a perch girl, myself! He chose Cabbage and Noodles as his side dish, and we both liked it. The fish was heavy on the breading, but it had great crunch to it without over-drying the fish inside.

When I started looking at the menu, I was drawn to the standard German dishes featured.
One of my favorite dishes that my mom makes is her Wiener Schnitzel, so I had to give theirs a try.
For $16.95, it comes with two sides of your choice. I had a hard time selecting, because there were a lot of "carb" options, but not one vegetable side dish available. I guess you can count Red Cabbage or Cooked Kraut, but come on. I ended up with the Cooked Kraut and Mashed and Gravy. The kraut was what you'd expect. The mashed potatoes had the texture of boxed potato flakes, but the gravy saved this side. It was one of the richest, most flavorful gravies that I've ever had. A squeeze of lemon over the schnitzel, and I dug in. While it wasn't as good as mom's, it was a darn good, classic schnitzel.

I think Sterle's still stands out in my mind for this type of cuisine, but this was a fun experience and I'd go back to sit in their heated Beer Garden. I hear that they have a good brunch too! They have a mid-sized parking lot adjacent to the building, and the atmosphere inside is very predictable. Vinyl booths, dark wood, red and green decor, and lots of German knickknacks. It is family-friendly, with a Kids Menu and wipe-able surfaces at the table. The portions are big for the price, and you won't walk away hungry.

Who has your favorite German food in the Cleveland area? 

Das Schnitzel Haus
5728 Pearl Road
Parma, OH

7 comments:

Angel said...

Fun! I don't particularly love this kind of food (although I enjoy it), but my partner does, so I will definitely give it a try. Thanks for the discovery.

Unknown said...

I lived in Austria for two years and trust me what they are cooking at that restaurant is not typical German food. I tried it once and did not care for anything I tasted. For great authentic German cooking go to Der Braumeister at 130th and Lorain.

Unknown said...

I lived in Austria for three years and Der Braumeister at 130th and Lorain has authentic German food.

Bite Buff said...

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Patty! Will have to give Der B a try.

Bite Buff said...

Angel- try Sterle's if you haven't been there yet too! Better, in my opinion. But we enjoyed the meal.

Unknown said...

I've eaten at all three - Sterle's, Schnitzel Haus, and Der Braumeister. Of the three, Sterle's is my LEAST favorite. The schnitzel was dry, and the sides were mediocre at best. Schnitzel Haus is very tasty, but as Patty said, not necessarily "authentic German" (I can't remember exactly which Eastern European country the owners hail from, but it does account for some of the "oddities" on the menu). Der Braumeister is definitely the the most authentic of the three. I will be interested to see how the new Hansa Haus restaurant compares when it opens.

Bite Buff said...

Karyn, thanks for posting. Looks like I'll need to head to SH next to round out all three. Yes, I'm interested to see what HH does downtown too.