Koto Izakaya

That's it. Rich Guy is heading back to Asia. It's a sad, sad day... I have lost a willing eating companion! It's not often you have someone who is willing to eat anytime, anywhere (well, almost) and at any cost. Talk about a foodie's dream come true. Fine, so be it. He'll be back. He always comes back. Then the eating begins once again! But to take advantage of his eating prowess one last time, I offered to drive him to the airport. Being a 10:00pm flight, I suggested we go eat first. And yes, he was all up for that. For some reason or another, every time I have dined with him, we've ended up at an Izakaya. There was Guu with Garlic, Nan Chuu then finally Guu Garden. So to keep the streak going, I suggested we try Manzo. So after checking in at the airport, we headed off to Alexandra Road to find that Manzo was not open! Luckily for us, while we were turning onto Alexandra from Hazelbridge, we noticed another Izakaya on the corner. We ended up going to Koto Izakaya as a result.

Honestly, we knew nothing of the place and took a chance. Upon entering the place, it sure looked nice and Japanese. However, I did notice the owners speaking in Cantonese. No matter, again, it's not important who makes the food, as long as it tastes good. At the suggestion of the owner lady(?), we started with the Ankimo (or Monkfish Liver). I've had it once before and in this particular case, the colour was a very dark orange (rather than the pale foie gras colour). I'm not exactly sure why that is, possibly due to the cooking process? It was topped off with cavier and bathed in a dark ponzu. Rich Guy was a bit nervous to try it; but he ended up liking it. Having similar properties as foie gras, there is a certain creaminess and slight hint of the sea that sets it apart. We really enjoyed eating this dish.

Next up was the Jellyfish Shark's Fin Salad. Both the jellyfish and "shark's fin" had the snap texture that makes it a joy to eat. Lightly seasoned with sesame oil and soy, this was pretty good, if not exhibiting a "Chinese" flavour. Of course Rich Guy chose the Salmon Carpaccio again. This particular version is a bit different since there is no ponzu; rather it's a vinaigrette with mayo, onions and fried taro. The salmon was fresh and the flavours worked (a bit sweet, tart and some saltiness); but we felt that it could've been sliced a tad thinner.

Another recommendation was the Pork Belly with lettuce and raw garlic slices. Tender slices of pork belly were grilled with some nice colour and charring. We couldn't help but noticed that it tasted a whole lot like Korean BBQ being a bit sweet and tad salty. Whatever the case, once wrapped in the crisp lettuce and accompanied by the sharp taste of raw garlic, this was quite tasty. Since Koto is not exactly a true Izakaya (they offer sushi too), we decided to try 2 of their many specialty rolls. The first being one of the most expensive - the Black Dragon. Essentially a dynamite/California roll with unagi, avocado, tobiko, mayo, unagi sauce and black sesame seeds on the outside, the roll was pretty good. We would've liked to see more bite in the sushi rice (on the softer side); but all-in-all, a tasty combination of textures and flavours (it was pricey though at $12.95). Another roll that caught our eye was the Volcano Roll. Another California roll topped with real crab mixed with sweet mayo then baked. Although we suspect only the mayo topping was baked, not the roll itself. The best way to describe this roll would be a California roll topped with motoyaki sauce full of crab meat. I was a bit nervous at first since motoyaki sauce is quite rich and overwhelming (in terms of fattiness). However, it was actually alright. I think the plethora of crab meat helped cut the greasiness. Not an outstanding roll by any stretch of the imagination; yet it was interesting and didn't offend.

Despite the fact that Rich Guy was nervous once again, I went ahead and ordered the Salmon Yuuke anyways. He wasn't that keen on the raw quail's egg on top. I explained once mixed in, he wouldn't even notice it. I have to say that the presentation of this dish is one of the nicest I've ever seen. It made for a great picture! The portion was also very good with lots of fresh salmon, avocado and tobiko on top. Nori was served on the side as eating vessels. In this particular case, I wished it were shrimp chips since they provide a nicer texture contrast to the soft ingredients. When the Beef Carpaccio arrived, we were a bit confused. It resembled Beef Tataki with it's slightly cooked sides. Topped with the same ingredients as the Salmon Carpaccio, this was an okay dish. Again, a ponzu type dressing would've probably provided more zing and impact than the vinaigrette. The beef itself was fairly tender, if not a tad stiff.

Interesting, despite our initial concerns that Koto was not an authentic Japanese Izakaya, the food turned out to be pretty good. Sure, some of the flavours were not the familiar ones we'd expect from a Guu or Gyoza King; but they mostly worked. If we look at it from a purely dining enjoyment point of view, we liked our meal, especially with the decent portion sizes and reasonable prices. The friendly lady made it even more enjoyable.

The Good:
- Reasonably-priced (except for some of the specialty rolls)
- Decent portions
- Food is actually quite good

The Bad:
- Some of the flavours are a bit different
- Some of the specialty rolls can be pricey
- Not a true Izakaya

East Side Mario's (Coquitlam)

*This location is now closed*

The good ol' family restaurant... So often, we look at these places as only the last resort to appease the kids while still eating acceptable food (most of the time at least). Within this category of restaurants, you have the decent, bad and ugly. Yah, I guess it's really hard to find excellent food at a chain restaurant. I'm not being biased, it's just difficult to get away from generic food when the whole premise behind a chain restaurant is consistency. Of course consistency among these restaurants are in theory only. Let's just assume that consistency is a virtue in this argument. And that alone makes it attractive to families. Hey, everyone knows what to expect, right down to the kiddies (who might be picky, like mine). As such, there is a formula that the kitchen staff follow to replicate the same dishes consistently throughout the whole chain. So, for those who argue that chain restaurants lack creativity, uniqueness and overall "good" food, I think they are missing the mark. With that being said, there are better choices among the many chain restaurants.

If you know me, I just don't have a great love for ABC Country Restaurant. Yes, I'm picking on them and some might say that it is unfair, particularly my friend Pomegranate. However, from a personal point of view, I just don't like the place. It's quite possible the food is just too "home cooking" for me, albeit pretty bad home cooking. So, the family chain restaurant discussion has brought us to East Side Mario's. Yes, I know, it's not authentic Italian food. Tell me a chain restaurant that serves truly authentic food and I'll tell you that Showgirls is a good movie. Before we had any locations of ESM here in BC, I had already heard about their locations in Ontario. Strangely enough, it was on Redflagdeals' hot deals forum where people would post about ESM. There were people who loved it and those who loathe it. For me, it seemed like another version of the Olive Garden.

I have to admit, the first time I visited ESM, I didn't mind it. Subsequent visits made me realize it wasn't really all that cheap eating there despite the unlimited soup, salad and garlic loaf. But there I was again, visiting ESM in Kelowna on our road trip 2 years ago. It was convenient and good for the kiddies. Today, the whole family including the grandparents stopped by ESM for lunch. Being that it was a Wednesday, the kiddies got to eat for free assuming for each, we order a full dinner entree. So, instead of their inexpensive lunch specials, I ordered a Spaghetti con Funghi for $14.99 (more on that later). Yah, some might argue that I essentially paid for the kids meal right there; but whatever, by virtue of ordering a dinner entree, I got unlimited salad or soup and garlic loaf. And about that Garlic Loaf, it is pretty darn good. Hot out of the oven, it's crusty on the outside, soft and fluffy on the inside. I decided to have the Italian Wedding Soup and despite its oily appearance, I like this soup with its tiny meatballs, orzo and greens.

Viv had the 1/2 Mariboli Wrap which consists of chicken breast, lettuce, peppers, bruschetta, cheese and pesto mayo in a grilled sun dried tomato wrap. Nothing Earth-shattering by any stretch of the imagination. The bottom line is that Viv liked it. It included a full-sized salad and a cup of soup. Not bad for $10.50. My dad had the Half Rotisserie Chicken with roast potatoes. I've had this countless times in the past and it can be hit and miss. It really depends on your luck. Sometimes it turns our tender and other times, dry and not-so-good. It could possibly depend how long the chicken has been sitting around for I suppose. Fortunately, this time around, it was moist and flavourful. Since this was a full-sized dinner entree, he had the choice of unlimited soup or salad. He decided on the Minestrone which in my mind is passable. I've had much better, albeit in a real Italian restaurant and that's not a fair comparison.

For my main, I had the aforementioned Spaghetti con Funghi which, as the name implies, consists of mushrooms (portobello and white) sauteed with roasted tomatoes, arugula and basil then tossed with Parmesan, Romano and olive oil. When I often mention the trendy, oilier pastas, this would be a prime example. With little to no sauce at all, this is essentially pasta tossed in olive oil and ingredients which include tomato, not tomato sauce per se. I personally like this type of pasta and this one was okay. I would've wished that the pasta was a bit more al dente and maybe a bit less oil. However, given where I was eating, it was fine. Plenty of flavours abound including the mushrooms, herbs in the olive oil and tangy tomatoes. Again, for those who will want to flame me for not bashing the pasta at East Side Mario's, I must reiterate that my expectations are tempered. I'm not expecting the same type of pasta that I would find at a real pasta house.

Something that isn't remotely Italian is the 1/2 Chicken Club which also included a full-sized salad and cup of soup. I know, it's not a real Italian restaurant, so a good chicken club was not really a stretch. In fact, it not was bad (even though they used deli turkey meat). Look at it, it looks good to me at least. Now for the real reason we were here in the first place, the free kid's meals! Seeing that there is no grilled cheese on the menu, my son opted for his second "go to" food - Cheese Pizza. I gotta hand it to ESM, the kid's portions are pretty big. The day that my son can finish that pizza is the day he gets his driver's license. Nothing special about the pizza really. It's got a relatively thin crust, sauce and lots of cheese. Pretty standard. The meal includes choice of beverage and ice cream for dessert. My daughter really didn't decide on her order, we just picked something for her which was the Cheese Cappalletti. I have to say this is almost as big as the actual entree size version. Actually, I'm not a big fan of this particular pasta. No, it's not because there is too much sauce (LOL...). I just find the cappalletti too doughy.

So really, ESM is a family restaurant, plain and simple. With that being said, I don't mind the food here despite what others think. Sure, it's not going to strike any fear into authentic Italian eateries and it's quite reasonable for me to visit one over ESM. However, if I want to just go out with the family, with the kids eating free and have reasonable expectations, then ESM fits the bill.

The Good:
- Good for families
- If you like unlimited bread, soup and salad
- It's safe food

The Bad:
- Of course it's not authentic Italian...
- Some items are a bit pricey even with unlimited bread, soup and salad

Neul Bom

*Restaurant is now closed*

The buffet. A cornucopia of food meant to satisfy even the most cavernous of appetites. Not exactly the best way to experience any type of cuisine. Ultimately buffets serve a purpose and they seem to thrive in some places more than others. To me at least, the all-American buffet (ribs, chicken, roast beef etc...) don't do so hot up here. Rather, we see the all-you-can-eat ethnic foods such as Japanese, Thai and Indian. There also seems to be a trend towards AYCE which is served rather than the buffet line. Due to the prevalence of good Chinese food for cheap, it seems that the Chinese buffet (a la Dragon Inn) have no market in the GVRD. It appears that the Korean AYCE is beginning to catch on and they succeed in varying degrees. I've been to Kim Ga Nae and it was alright. Mando tipped me off of a new Korean AYCE in Surrey called Neul Bom. A search on Google yielded nothing. Apparently it's brand spanking new.

Tonight, Viv and I met up with Mando and Motown (he loves the Red Wings... BOOOO!!!) for some gluttony in Surrey. Being an exclusively AYCE restaurant, we were a bit confused at being presented each a menu. There are only 2 choices: Buffet ($19.95) or Buffet + Korean BBQ ($24.95). I found the prices to be a bit high compared to a place like Kim Ga Nae. But with little in the way of competition nearby, I guess they can charge that. Well, Oriental Buffet is across the street; but I can hardly say that is competition... Keeping with the buffet line leftover from the previous Indian buffet restaurant, the entire place has been nicely renovated with built-in burners and required high power vents.

Although we could help ourselves to the food in the buffet line, we had to order the meat for our BBQ. I guess they don't want people wasting it. We got all the meats which included Kalbi (short ribs), Bulgogi (Beef), Spicy Chicken and Pork Belly. There was a really, really nice older Korean lady who wanted to cook the meat for us; but we insisted to do it ourselves. She was almost like a mother who was watching over us to make sure everything was alright. To her credit, she offered us romaine lettuce, hot sauce and raw garlic slices to wrap our BBQ'd meat. That is the Korean way of eating BBQ. Although I would've preferred bean paste in place of the gochujang. Make sure you slightly grill the garlic first! It's quite sharp if you don't. The beef and short ribs were quite good, while the spicy chicken completely confused us. Normally, we get spicy pork and the flavours work well with the texture of the meat. However, we all thought that the chicken meat did not stand up well to the spicy marinade. We really wished it was just regular chicken. In theory, the pork belly should've been the crown jewel of the meal; yet it was probably cut a bit too thick. Thus it was a bit hard to eat once cooked. With that being said, we thought the BBQ portion was not bad. We kept ordering more and more short ribs and they happily brought it for us as well as replacing the grilling surface 5 times.

Now this is where the meal gets interesting... The buffet station is a mishmash of Korean, Japanese, Chinese and Western food. Personally, I think they should stick to Korean cuisine exclusively. So the buffet line starts with a few soups including Cream of Mushroom? I skipped that one. Okay, let's start with the Korean food first. The Japchae was actually quite decent. The noodles were not overcooked and there was a sweet sesame flavour. Rather than a seafood pancake, there was a Kimchi Pancake. It was crispy and not too oily. If we didn't have enough short ribs already, there was Braised Shortribs. Exhibiting a pale unappetizing colour, these ribs were actually quite good. They were tender and had a nice meat flavour. The last "Korean" item was the salad bar. No, not the salad, but their limited selection of Banchan - Kimchi and Pickled Daikon.

Alright, here is where the buffet gets a bit interesting and confusing. If you look at the picture, yes that's Takoyaki. To me, it was a bit hard and I didn't notice any octopus in mine (maybe I was unlucky?). From what I can gather, the sauce on top was chili mayo. Surprisingly, the Tonkatsu was decent. It was crispy with moist meat inside and also came with the proper sauce on the side. I didn't try the Tempura since it looked a little over-battered. I can't comment how it really was. The last Japanese item appeared to be Oden with daikon, squash and fatty pork. Although it really didn't taste like Oden, the pork was quite good. It was tender and fatty! Now moving to another cuisine, we have some Chinese food. There was Honey Garlic Chicken. It was alright. Pretty much the same as food fair Chinese. Looking like a gummy mess, we had the Sweet Chili Shrimp. Despite looking strange, they were alright too. The shrimp was crunchy and well, the sauce is your typical sweet chili sauce. In a category all by itself, we had Chicken Wings in a sauce I couldn't figure out. It seemed to be BBQ? They were cold and not that great.

Lastly, we have Sushi. Yah, I went in with reasonable expectations. The good news? The salmon and ebi were okay, the rice, not-so-much. It was a bit hard and dry. It can partially be attributed to being made in large quantities and left out in a buffet station. The 2 rolls were also quite interesting. There was a Ham Roll and a Smoked Salmon Roll. Both were forgettable and are probably there to satisfy the "safe" crowd. But again, this is a Korean buffet, so we shouldn't expect great sushi. We weren't going to have dessert since we filled up on so much short ribs; but the nice lady insisted we try it. What we got were Popsicles, one was red bean, one was melon. Not the most conventional dessert; but a nice treat nonetheless. This to me was a truly bizarre buffet. I thought that the BBQ portion was quite decent and authentic. However the buffet station itself was much too diverse and unfocused which leads to items that get lost in translation. Some of the food was actually decent mixed in with some that were not. There is potential here. I'm not sure how they can incorporate Bibimbap, Pork Bone Soup, Mandu (dumplings) and more Banchan; but if they can concentrate on making items that is their specialty, this would work.

The Good:
- Decent Korean BBQ
- Friendly service
- Clean with proper BBQ setup

The Bad:
- Pricey for what you get if you only have the buffet (with no BBQ)
- Too many different cuisines, things get lost in translation

Relish Gastropub

Tonight, along with other foodies and professional writers, I was invited to a tasting at the newly revamped Relish Gastropub. Prior to the current renovations and subsequent downsizing, Relish was much larger and had a significantly different gastronomical focus. Relish "rebooted" is solely focused on being a pub offering good food at reasonable prices. Meshing traditional comfort foods from many different cuisines, Executive Chef Patchan Gallagher (formerly of the Glowbal Group and Deacon's Corner) puts his stamp on the menu. And oh what a stamp it is, we might as well call it a big boot or pick axe. There is nothing timid about the food here at Relish. However, at the same time, there is a level of refinement due to the influence of its classically French-trained sous chef.

Of course when I am afforded a free meal, it always brings up the notion of my obligations to the restaurant. Well, there are no obligations. I think the only obligation to myself is to eat lots and report what I experienced. Joining me tonight were Crystal (Yelp), Rebecca (Fashion Magazine), Heather (Blackbook), Cassandra (Good Life Vancouver), May (Confessions of a Fashion Fanatic), Colleen (Miss Manifesto), Stephanie and Henry. Our host tonight was Ryan (Ryan Bazeley Public Relations), who organized the tasting.

We started off with a Charcuterie Plate consisting of smoked mussels paired with fresh-made cocktail sauce, smoked duck with a balsamic reduction & Grand Marnier orange marmalade and smoked salmon with a dill/duck fat sauce topped with fried capers. The mussels and salmon were pretty standard while the duck played a staring role. The duck was plenty smoky and slightly salty where the accompanying sweet orange marmalade helped balance the flavours. My personal favourite for the night was the Fried Oyster in Duck Fat. No, this is not a misprint. The breaded oyster was indeed fried in duck fat. Neither something good for someone on a diet or high cholesterol. But hey, the darn thing was tasty! Within the perfectly fried breaded exterior lay a large succulent oyster. The richness of the duck fat gave the entire oyster a whole lot of body. Dipped into the dill tartar sauce, this was a decadent appy. Although the tartar sauce lacked zing, the lemon wedge made up for it (probably the intent?).

Next up were the Slambers which is a unique twist on mini-sliders. Rather than a bun, there is choux pastry and braised lamb cheek replacing the humble ground beef. The result is something lighter, definitely more upscale and ultimately tastier. The star of this dish is definitely the lamb cheeks. Cooked until melt-in-your-mouth tender, the slammer didn't require much chewing. If the lamb slammers were a bit interesting, the Gnocchi Poutine was intriguing. Not something I would ever think of combining into one dish, it certainly piqued my interest. Fresh off the memories of the sub par gnocchi from Society, the one here at Relish erased it. These ones were a reasonable medium size while being soft and fluffy. I didn't get to experience any squeak from the cheese curds since most of them had melted from the hot red wine demi-glace. For me, the rich and luxurious gravy really brought the dish together and made it work, despite the obvious repetition of textures (soft and soft).

If the oyster was my favourite dish, then the Duck Confit Salad was a very close second. With a mix of arugula, melt-in-your-mouth duck and polenta croutons, every bit had flavour and texture. I particularly liked the polenta croutons since they were not only a departure from the usual, they were good too, being soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. By now I was already getting full. However, this was very far from the end of the meal. The first of 3 entrees to arrive was the Shortrib Shepard's Pie. The portion size of this pie was quite generous and personally, I would have a hard time finishing it. It's partially due in part to the large amount of tender short rib underneath the potatoes. Other than some carrot and corn, there are no other fillers. It's all shortrib! This was a solid shepard's pie. I thought the meat was seasoned just enough and there was the right amount of moisture. Served on the side were... surprise, surprise, duck-fat fried potatoes.

Prepared in the same dish as the pie, the Tourtiere was humongous. The filling consisted of pork, chicken and sweetbreads. Once again, there were no fillers here, just meat and lots of it. The meat was not overseasoned and complimented the buttery crust quite well. Although it is sacrilegious to say so, we thought it would've been more successful as a smaller pie. However, that would erode the value of the dish. A compromise would probably be 2 smaller tourtieres? If that wasn't enough meat, how about a slice of Bacon-Wrapped Prime Rib Meat Loaf? As you can see in the picture, the mash potatoes are incorporated into the meatloaf itself and the entire thing is wrapped in bacon. The meat is a mixture of both beef and veggies. How about that. A balanced meal in a meatloaf (well... sort of...)! Served on the side was caramelized onion gravy and beets. I wanted to like this dish; but in the end, it was only alright. The bacon only succeeding in adding saltiness to an already well-seasoned meatloaf. I liked the gravy; however, it was unnecessary since the meatloaf was already salty and moist.

Of course there was still dessert... and we had 2 to try. The first one was the Chocolate Bread Pudding with Chantilly cream. I liked the semi-sweet flavour of the pudding, it was just enough without blowing our taste buds with sugar. However, I found it a tad on the drier side despite what my fellow diners thought. Maybe it could be personal preference since I like my bread pudding moist. Profiteroles with a Van Gogh-infused caramel rounded out the food for the evening. The perfectly cooked choux pastry was excellently complimented by the semi-sweet caramel. I have to admit that it was an impressive meal, especially since I wasn't expecting it. Sure, the meal was complimentary; but honestly, most of it was quite good. If you factor in the prices (nothing more than $15.00), the portion-size, overall quality and execution, it's a winner. And all this in the heart of Downtown! Where Society tried to introduce us to upscale comfort food and ultimately fell flat, Relish throws it in our face and succeeds.

The Good:
- Moderately-priced
- Big portions
- Carefully crafted food by chef Patchan Gallagher

The Bad:
- Location is a bit hidden
- After downsizing, the dining space is quite small
- Gotta admit, not diet food here

Deutsches Haus

The Alpen Club. This place has been here forever on the corner of Victoria & 33rd. Ever since I was a kid, the place intrigued me. What is in there? How is the food? Well, my friend Polka King knows the place quite well. Not only has he eaten there countless times, he actually performs German music on Friday nights. Nothing unusual eh? Unless you think a German-singing Chinese musician is quite common. He claims to be the "sideshow" of the band. Actually, I think he's the sideshow of our hockey team; but that's another matter altogether... Finally, I got my chance to visit this mysterious place. Kim graciously took the responsibility of organizing a blogger's dinner at the Duetsches Haus at the Alpen Club. I gotta hand it to him, it was quite the turnout. Including myself, these people were in attendance:

Kim (I'm Only Here for the Food!), Joyce & Mr. (Vanfoodies), Jessica and Mark (Yum-O-Rama),
Victoria (Victoria's Food Secrets), Ethan (Tastes Better with Friends), Dee & Ann (Me Plus Food), Karl (The Friday Lunch), Jonathan (Food & Tell), Anita (La Petite Foodie), Yen (OMNOMics), Jenny & Ricky (My Secret Eden)

Although he had visited the Deutsches Haus before, all along, Kim has been wanting to share the Festplatte. Yes, it's quite excessive for one person to actually try this themselves. The darn thing is huge and is intended to serve 4 people. Hey, I'm game, a big plate of meat? Give it to me! Included in this platter were: 1 Eisbein, 2 Kassler, 2 Bratwurst, 2 Leberkäse, 1 Schweineschnitzel, mashed potatoes, dumplings, red cabbage and sauerkraut.

We'll start first with the Eisbein, which is a pickled ham hock. Smack dab and majestically in the middle of the platter, this big piece of pork was quite good. Probably braised for quite a long time, most of the meat was fall-off-the-bone tender and not as salty as you would think. A thick layer of fat kept the meat moist. Resting on top was the obligatory Schweineschnitzel. It looks exactly like a Wienerschnitzel but I'm pretty sure the difference is that the Schwinerschnitzel uses pork as opposed to veal. In this case, I really enjoyed the moistness of the meat. Simple item really; but good nonetheless. However, probably the best item on the plate was the Bratwurst. Yah, I know it's a sausage; but it was good. Meaty and flavourful, it went well with the provided mustard.

We weren't as enthusiastic about the Kassler, which is a smoke cured pork loin. I thought it was both dry and chewy. Due to the lean cut of meat, I am sure that it is almost unavoidable; but personally, it was not my favourite. On that note, I wasn't a big fan of the Leberkäse as well. Karl explained it is a type of meatloaf that resembles bologna. Honestly, he is bang on because both the flavour and texture was pretty close to it. No offense to bologna; but not a big fan of this. I'm sure many people do like it and it is by no means a poor reflection of the Duetsches Haus, it's purely personal preference. Continuing on the personally not liking theme, I really didn't care for the Dumplings. Again, I'm not sure if the dumplings were supposed to be the way they were; but I found them dry, hard and bland. As for the Mashed Potatoes and Red Cabbage, they were pretty standard. I thought the potatoes could've been a bit fluffier; yet then again, this is not French cuisine, so that may not be the norm. The red cabbage was pretty much similar to all the red cabbage I've had in the past, so not too much to comment about them other than that they were soft and slightly tart.

For $80.00, I found the Festplatte to be of pretty good value. Remember, other than the sides, the platter is all meat. It doesn't look like much in the pictures; but believe me, there is enough for 4 people. There were a few items that I personally didn't prefer; yet it may not be fair to pin it on the Deutsches Haus. After all, it could be that I'm more used to meat that is "just" barely cooked as in Chinese cuisine. Just like my experience at the Balkan House, the meats are generally well-done. If I had to compare schnitzel alone, I liked the one here over the Old Bavaria Haus and Balkan House since it was more moist and tender. I also liked the homey atmosphere of the place. Not many of these gems exist anymore since it is the trend to go upscale and modern. Overall, it was a good meal and I'd gladly comeback for more. Maybe next time it'll be a Friday night, so that I can catch Polka King in action!

The Good:
- Decent portions
- Something a little bit different
- If you like meat...

The Bad:
- Not cheap
- Service is a bit indifferent
- If you don't like meat...