Auerbachs Keller was made famous by Goethe's great work Faust, and this historic restaurant offers…read morea menu of traditional Saxon dishes in an atmospheric cellar setting. To start, Kalte Köstlichkeiten were a selection of housemade cold appetizers: smoked duck, pork, jellied beef, Wurstsalat (sausage salad), Leberwurst, boiled egg, hot smoked salmon, cured salmon, and three different soft cheeses, along with a side of bread and crispy potato pancakes (similar to hashbrowns). This was definitely my favorite dish thanks to the huge variety of flavors, textures, meats, and preparation methods.
Since it was asparagus season during my visit, we ordered Spargel von einem Pfund, a pound of white asparagus served with butter and new potatoes. The white asparagus had a subtle, slightly sweet flavor, which was accented by the melted butter. The daily special was the Wildschweinbraten, slow-cooked pieces of pork covered in a creamy mushroom gravy, served with red cabbage and chewy, buttery potato dumplings. Finally, Martens Gartensalat was a huge mixed salad made of various leaves, along with pickled vegetables, rice salad, lentils, roasted broccoli, marinated mushrooms, dried root vegetable chips, and house smoked/cured salmon--a delicious, refreshing, crunchy mixture featuring so many different flavors!
Overall, Auerbach's Keller was a great restaurant to experience traditional German cuisine. The food exceeded my expectations, and the service and traditional atmosphere were highlights too!
