The German Side of Miami Beach
Germans, they say, have little sense of humor. Of course we do not believe that for a second. How can a country that dedicates an entire month to drinking beer while dressed like the St. Pauli Girl not have a sense of humor?
South Beach welcomes it’s German Tourists with open arms and a few decent beer halls to celebrate in, so grab your steins and let’s get started with a quick lesson in Bier Speak:
1) Bitsburger is a light-bodied lager.
2) Erdinger is a crisp, refreshing wheat.
3) Diebels is a mild malty ale.
4) Kostriber is rich, dark and deliciously creamy.
Fortified with this important Lexicon of Libations, we start the fest at Hofbräu München Bierhall 943 Lincoln Road. This New Kid on the Bloc is suffering a few growing pains in the kitchen, but the beer is great and the location cannot be beat. The sidewalk tables are as far from the cold winds of Deutchland as you’re likely to find, but they’ve stocked up on the extra large “mass” sized beer mugs (34 ounces = liter) and the taps are already flowing with the wheaty beers of the Rhineland. If you need a little sustenance to help offset the higher alcohol content, the large soft pretzels and spicy mustard should do the trick. The full dinner menu has not been received warmly so it’s best to hold off on the German grub until later. Do no worse than a wurst with a side of potato salad and you’ll be filled with the spirit of the season.
Drink, snack and get ready for some Schuhplattling!
The only other reliable spot on Lincoln Mall for a truly German beer is Zeke’s Roadhouse at 625 Lincoln Road. If you ask a regular Zeke’s customer, they’re likely to point out that at $3 for any brew on the extensive menu, nobody bothers to wait for Oktoberfest to celebrate. Thelma, the friendly owner of this hole-in-the-wall-in-paradise, knows her brews and keeps over 80 brands in the cooler - just chillin’ for her customers. While escalating South Beach drink prices are a sobering reality, Zeke’s keeps the cheap buzz alive. To that we hoist our bottles and say:
A toast, a toast to Gemütlichkeit…
The crawl continues northwestward from here. German food is a pairing of opposites both light and heavy. There are few options for German dining on the seaside of town, but the Royal Bavarian Schnitzel Haus is just a Causeway away at 1085 NE 79th Street. Stepping inside this unassuming concrete-block bunker of a building transports you to a twinkly biergarten of culinary delights. We seldom use the word “whimsical” to describe a favorite restaurant, but the kitsch-factor is so high in this place we are at a loss for a better description.
German music oom-pah-pahs from every corner, bunting hangs from every alcove and old world charm just oozes from each platter of wurst and schnitzel. Start your meal with the sampler plate of German sausages from mild to wild. Try not to fill up on the steaming bread basket because each entree is served with a small house salad and you’ll definitely want an order of the crisp potato pancakes to share with the table. If the special board features roast duckling topped with black cherries, go no further. Tender crispy duck quarters are propped on a scoop of lush mashed potatoes and the rich bittersweet sauce - heaven on a plate. If you must do schnitzel, each delicate breaded morsel on the menu is better than the next. These are the recipes only a grandmother could master.
The temptation to fill up on zesty brews and hearty fare at a German restaurant can be overwhelming, but there’s a simple rule you must remember going in - save room for the strudel. The Royal Bavarian serves a classic Apfelstrudel with just-melting scoop of vanilla ice cream that will make you weep for the old country. Even if you’ve never been closer to Germany than a 6 pack of Beck’s, an evening at the Royal Bavarian is like a trip down the Rhine River.
EIN PROSIT - A toast to you!
Hofbräu München Bierhall
943 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL
Zeke’s Roadhouse
625 Lincoln Road
Miami Beach, FL
Royal Bavarian Schnitzel Haus
1085 NE 79th Street
Miami, FL
For more info on the German side of Miami, log onto…
www.germanamericanclub-miami.org
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