KOMM, ESSEN WIR BROTZEIT!

Food is a universal language.

If it speaks to your palate, it is easier to understand and appreciate its culture of origin. My language professor back in college believed in this. For our final exams, he took the class to a Schwarzwalder, a German restaurant where the Filipino waiters spoke fluent German. Truth be told, I only took up German as my elective language course because I heard about the professor's peculiar examination method. During the finals,  however, it proved difficult to concentrate on my tenses and  vocabulary when all I had in my mind was the platter of fat sausages waiting for me.  

Though I have not been back to the restaurant since then, I have come to love the spiced  ground meat encased in animal intestine lining that we have all come to know as the sausage. 

Recently, I came across a relatively new German concept casual dining restaurant in Shangri-La Mall, Brotzeit. 

The name literally means "bread time" in German and  loosely translates to "merienda" in Filipino (I think). I was intrigued because these days, with the proliferation of hotdogs dressed as authentic regional sausage, it's hard to find an honest to goodness German sausage, cooked the right way and served with the right condiments.

The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, which is a boon to smokers like myself. Which is why I was surprised to learn that the restaurant is a franchise from Singapore, the land where smoking (and bubble-gum chewing) is deeply abhorred.

The menu offers soups, starters, entrees and a variety of beer.  I sampled two of my favorite sausages: the homey Knoblauchwurst (Garlic Pork Sausage) and the traditional Weisswurst (Pork and Veal Sausage).  

Knoblauchwurst (Garlic Pork Sausage)

Fat, pink and juicy, the Garlic Pork Sausages  are served on top of sauerkraut (fermented chopped cabbage,  similar to our atchara) and Bratkartoffeln (roasted potatoes). The first time I tried the sauerkraut, it wasn't well fermented yet, so the acidity hadn't reached that sourness one comes to expect from this side dish. But the roasted potatoes were crisply done and well-spiced. It was the better accompaniment to the  sausage. 

Weisswurst (Pork and Veal Sausages)

I know that Pinoys are usually wary of any light-colored  meat but one has got to try the pork and veal sausage, which is poached in simmering water with spices and served with pretzel and sweet mustard. This cooking process brings out the buttery tenderness of the lightly spiced veal, which goes well with the sweet mustard. Though it may look wooden, the pretzel has a soft, chewy dough inside. 

And even if the sun was still up, I had lager with the sausages. Brotzeit boasts that all their beers are made with pure spring water and brewed according to the German Purity Law of 1516. Even if I am not a beer drinker, I enjoyed this glass of light and subtle brew.

Vegetarian Pizza

If you're  not into meat,  you can try the  Vegetarian Pizza which is topped with mozzarella, zucchini, olives, sun dried tomatoes and mushrooms. 

But if you're really into meat, then you should try the Schweinshaxn, roasted Pork Knuckle similar to our Crispy Pata. It actually reminds me of Judy Ann's Crispy Pata from Malabon except this is served with stone-ground mustard, horseradish and sauerkraut.

When you do go there, make sure to go with friends or family as it's not the type of place to dine alone in. Prost!

Address: Shangri-La Plaza, Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines
Phone: + 632 631 1489

Danke schön to Fraulein Lanie Sumalinog for the title translation.