The Big Guy was on his motorhome trip again, which means we get FIT for a week. Which means trying new food.
We learned recently that a German restaurant is right down the street from us! So we decided to take advantage of the fact that the picky one was out of earshot to see if it was worth anything. Have I mentioned I make the best spaetzle around? I do. And it is so easy to do. The clean up? That's another story. So I liked the idea of finding a place that had good German food that someone else would clean up. Plus I was curious what they would serve with their spaetzle -- to me that's the hard part. But it is so good it should really be its own meal. So it's not a huge issue.
First up, a sausage plate. It was pretty good! We also had a pretzel that I knew The Big Guy would tolerate. It was looking like this place could work after all.
So then we ordered a schnitzel plate that included red cabbage and potatoes. Or if you were willing to pay extra, spaetzle. Of COURSE I'll pay extra!
When it came to the table it was grey. No kidding... grey. And it didn't look like it was put through a spaetzle maker or even a colander. In fact, it didn't look homemade at all. Truth be told it didn't look like spaetzle. And it didn't look good. So I did the only thing a reasonable loving mother would do. I asked my 6 year old to taste it for me. Yes, really.
I said, "Ok, taste this and tell me if this is better than mine." And he made a face and said "NO WAY!" and I would have been super proud except that I feel like I completely betrayed my child. So then I tasted it... barely, before I spit it out. I swear it was rancid, which makes no sense to me whatsoever. I know I should have told them it was horrible and sent it back and had it removed from my bill. But I couldn't. I felt bad for the server and the poor chef in the back who hadn't been taught how to make spaetzle by someone who owns a German restaurant! All I could do was ask if it was made in house. The answer was no... it was mailed in from a box. A box!
I am a home cook. I do not work in commercial kitchens and I don't know anything about prepping for a dinner service. But I do know that spaetzle has to be the cheapest thing to make in that kitchen -- egg, flour, salt, pepper, nutmeg, milk, and butter. I add other delciousness to mine like bacon and shallots and parsley, but that's the base of it. Really. And if they are buying a product and shipping it in (and it sits around long enough to spoil) they are losing tons of money.
Someday when I have time, I really want to write a respectful letter to the owner requesting the chance to teach their staff how to make an easy quick spaetzle recipe. I might do it too.... if I can figure out a way to do so without being so patronizing.
It's a shame. I really wanted to be able to return. Looks like that won't happen anytime soon though. That memory is not a good one.
