- Words by Jane Mundy Photography by Don Denton
We know that a good cook can serve up memories from faraway places or offer a ticket back to childhood.
If youB次元官网网址檙e craving currywurst like you once scarfed down in Berlin, a pretzel at Oktoberfest, schnitzel at a Michelin-star restaurant in Munich or spaetzle that your mother lovingly made, go directly to , where chef Maxime Durand will transport you to Deutschland and satisfy your cravings.
But donB次元官网网址檛 just take my word for it. Patron Duane Bell had only just returned from Austria and Germany when I met him at EvaB次元官网网址檚.
B次元官网网址淕ermans and Austrians take their schnitzel seriously, so I was shocked at how good it was at an eatery in Victoria,B次元官网网址� said Duane. B次元官网网址淭he currywurst was so good that it took me back to the street stall in Berlin, and all four of us ordered secondsB次元官网网址攁s well as every appetizer on the menu.B次元官网网址�
Like most Austrians, Duane takes schnitzel seriously. B次元官网网址淵ou can tell thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of pride behind this food, and combined with great service we are thrilled to discover this eateryB次元官网网址攎y German and Austrian tastebuds zing.B次元官网网址�
EvaB次元官网网址檚 menu is simple and spare, but the flavours are complex and the portions are big. For instance, Maxime adds 10 spices, perfectly balanced, to his currywurst, and ginormous schnitzels barely fit on the dinner plate. The breading is crisp and greaseless and the meat so tender. YouB次元官网网址檒l find classic choices such as schweineschnitzel (German pork schnitzell), roesti and raclette, but with modern twists. Fresh, local produce and the eggplant schnitzelB次元官网网址攑repared sous vide with a side of rutabaga and sauerkrautB次元官网网址攚ill bring a vegetarian back for more. I will return for a plate of braised red cabbage alone.
You wonB次元官网网址檛 know from the menu that almost everything, from schnitzels and spaetzle to pretzels and pickles, are haus-made at EvaB次元官网网址檚 and thereB次元官网网址檚 even a smoker in the kitchen to smoke ham hocks and bacon, thanks to chef Maxime and his sous-chef Emile pulling double shifts.
One afternoon, I witnessed the pretzel prep. The dough is fermented overnight and chilled. Once about four dozen are shaped, they are dipped in an alkaline solution to caramelize the dough and proofed for half an hour before baking.
B次元官网网址淲e try to serve them hot-out-of-the-oven just before dinner time,B次元官网网址� Maxime explained.
And getting back to the currywurst, itB次元官网网址檚 classic Berlin street food, served with dollops of curried ketchup and potato chips. North AmericaB次元官网网址檚 equivalent is the steamed, smothered hot dog at the hockey game or street stallB次元官网网址攂ut itB次元官网网址檚 way better. Just for starters, MaximeB次元官网网址檚 ingredients donB次元官网网址檛 include preservatives.
Naturally, thereB次元官网网址檚 a decent beer selection at EvaB次元官网网址檚 with lager and pilsner on tap to wash down your wurst. And if youB次元官网网址檙e not starved for a full meal but want a snack with that stein anytime after 4 pm, go for the big and chewy, soft and twisty pretzel with mustard butter. But be warned: itB次元官网网址檚 addictive.
Breakfast is an important meal in Germany. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a German saying: Iss dein Fr眉hst眉ck wie ein Kaiser (eat your breakfast like a king), which at EvaB次元官网网址檚 refers to brunch; it will soon open for lunch as well.
Some items on the dinner menu are featured with a twist, such as schnitzel hollandaise and cured trout Benny with a mouth-watering sauerkraut pancakeB次元官网网址攈old the bread.
The space itself is like the menu: small and unpretentious with a low-key vibe, whimsical d茅cor with a nod to a ski chalet and just enough kitsch on the walls.
YouB次元官网网址檝e got to hand it to anyone opening a restaurant during the pandemic. Added to the fray, German food sometimes gets a bad rap, often perceived as heavy and stodgy: boiled sausages and potatoes and cabbage covered in cream and served by round men wearing lederhosen in beer halls. Austrian cuisine fares better perception-wise: considered more spa-like and sophisticated.
But when VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Rathskeller Schnitzel House said auf wiedersehen after half a century, there wasnB次元官网网址檛 much else in the city serving schnitzels and steins, and people crave comfort food in stressful times.
Chef Maxime, who previously helmed the kitchen at the award-winning Agrius, saw an opportunity. However, he says, it was nerve-wracking opening in November 2021 because nobody knew if the pandemic would get worse.
B次元官网网址淎t the same time, people wanted to experience something new, although we arenB次元官网网址檛 re-inventing the wheel. Sure, I have doubts sometimes when I wake up, but after a few beers they fade away, and questioning yourself is part of the learning experience,B次元官网网址� he said, laughing. B次元官网网址淎s well, restaurant restrictions were lifting, so we had a bit of momentum right off the batB次元官网网址攊t was like a slow opening and now we are ready for a busy summer.B次元官网网址�
Maxime chose not to deliver or offer take-out because B次元官网网址渟chnitzel doesnB次元官网网址檛 travel well.B次元官网网址� Comfort food is a source of hearty, warming pleasure year-round and that is something youB次元官网网址檒l find at Eva Schnitzelhaus.
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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