After a long day hiking with 22K steps and approx 31 flights of stairs, I was ready for a hearty…read moredinner and cold beer.
I arrived when most tables were full and yet was quickly seated within 10 minutes. The servers were all super friendly and as I knew already what I wanted to eat, it was choosing my beer flight from Hüsi brewery that was "hard." I ordered a flight with the Helles, Hefeweizen, Strawberry Cider (sadly they were all tapped out it's so popular, so I went with traditional hard cider) and the Double IPA.
I love beer. Especially when it's served super cold on a hot and humid day with exercise. There wasn't a beer (or cider) in this bunch that I did not LOVE. Mind you, if I wasn't so tired and a lightweight, I would have tried more of the offerings on the menu.
The Helles was so light, clean and crisp-as it should be. The Hefeweizen had all the right aromas and flavors. The Cider was very good: not too dry, but definitely not sweet. The double IPA was also excellent. I am not a huge fan of IPAs (often taste like the pith of a grapefruit to me due to the Hops), but I do like doubles and triples and this one hit the spot, with a gentle citrusy taste and crisp mouthfeel.
While I waited for my ribs, I saw a couple near me got the Schweinhaxe, aka Pork Knuckle. Mind you, this is one of my favorite Bavarian Dishes that I can also get in Rhineland and it never disappoints. The one I saw served (and took a photo of), was the LARGEST I have ever seen. The skin looked perfectly brown and crisped and the meat was fork tender (from my observation). The German man seated between the couple and me, said it was the largest he'd ever seen as well. It looked amazing and the couple offered me a taste, but I politely declined-I knew I had a large meal ahead of me. I joked that it must have been some large pig to have had a knuckle that large.
My ribs came and they were piping hot (no complaint). The sauce was excellent, as it was tomato forward and not sweet with a hint of spice.
The ribs themselves were PERFECTLY cooked. I know someone else who reviewed said theirs were tough (I ordered them anyway) and they were so tender and moist that they literally fell off the bones.
The coleslaw was vinegar based (THANK YOU) and refreshing. The fries were perfectly crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
If you can't tell by now, I loved everything about this meal. It was also clear I was starving because I inhaled the entire plate of ribs and downed the beers in about 20 minutes. Not very European style of eating, but hunger took precedence.
The music was fantastic: a lot of 90s grunge and also some U2, a few other cool bands that ahem, you know, was from my youth.
The servers hustle and do a thorough job of being both friendly and helpful. One stopped to have a quick chat with a couple and their cute dog. Two came by to see if my meal was okay. I watched them rush around with food, drinks, and also two different servers cleaned a table after a couple left (the one cleared and cleaned while the other cleaned it again even though it was bare)-so there's no hygiene issues here.
I was surprised to see the place cleared out by around 19:15-I expected it to be slammed all night. It was a Monday though and I'm sure the late night crowd was still napping.
I would have loved to sit and drink another one of the amazing beer offerings, but as I said, I was beyond tired and worried someone would have to roll me back to my hotel, an 11-minute walk away.
Lastly, the prices are unreal for this area. My meal, beer flight and 10% tip (come on, people, 5-10% is welcome in Switzerland-don't forget to show your appreciation), came to 51CHF. That's a bargain.
I would absolutely come back here in heartbeat. It's truly a gem.
Now to see if they sell their beers in the COOP or Migros so I can take them home...
