Bierkeller
306 Bridge Road, Richmond
03 8657 8578
Austrian, German
$$
Food
- Charcuterie Platter
- Beer Pretzel
- Pork Schnitzel
- Crispy Pork Belly
- Beef Gulash
- Knackwurst
- Apple Strudel
- Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
- Potato Salad
- Baked Ricotta Pancake
The Good
Starting off with the pretzel. Wow. What a sight and was it giant. Served warm as if fresh out of the oven. Slight crunchy outer enclosed a soft inner. The dough was seasoned perfectly and went extremely well with the salt sprinkled on top.
The Charcuterie Platter was also rather enjoyable. The cured meats were bursting with flavour and had great depth which made for brilliant aftertaste. The large variety presented was much welcomed and allowed you to sample a wide range of different meats, from salami to prosciutto, as well as pickles and olives
The mains also didn't disappoint. The Pork Schnitzel was tender and flavourful, only let down by the crunchy batter that was a tad too thick. Perfect otherwise.
The Crispy Pork Belly was another highlight. Perfectly distributed layers of pork and fat, this pork belly was exceedingly soft and flavourful. The added crunch of the pork skin crackle on top provided great contrast in texture. The bold flavour of quality pork was simply divine.
We also enjoyed the Dessert Platter. Pancake was fluffy and exceedingly soft while having a slight crunchy outer skin. This combined rather well with the sourness of the jam and the slight sweetness of the cream.
The Apple Strudel though was to die for. Flakey, paper thin pastry enclosed soft, gooey and flavourful apple chunks. Both flsvour and texture were flawless and I'd rank it even better than ones I've sampled in Austria. This is literally an apple pie on steroids.
The Vanilla Bean Ice Cream was also rather enjoyable. Rich, vanilla flavour was well complemented by the crunchy bits Styrian pumpkin seed topping. The diversity in texture was extremely palatable and it was a perfect end to the meal.
The Mediocre
Unfortunately the Beef Gulash was not to my liking. It was akin to a thick, slightly goupy gravy with chunks of beef within. The boiled and unflavoured pasta sprinkled on top added little in terms of flavours or texture. It wasn't unpleasant per se, but I'm unsure what's the appeal of this dish to be honest.
The Bad
Nothing.
The Verdict
Overall an outstanding tasting menu that allowed you to sample a wide variety of Austrian and Hungarian specialties.
Portion sizes were more than generous and tasted absolutely spot on for the most part.
Would Penguin Eat Again?
Most definitely. I will be back to try the pork knuckle next time!