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(June 18, 2010)
You know local politicians have
been throwing the word iconic around these days (think Las Manitas)
with impunity. But the slam-dunk winner on the iconic front has
to be Scholz Garten on San Jacinto. This joint was started 144 years
ago by German beer lover August Scholz. And through various transitions
and changes in ownership it remains alive and kicking today, about
as classic an example that we have of a truly Austintatious restaurant.
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The common denominator through all these years at
Scholz Garten has been the beer: from Germn Pilsners to India Pale Ales.
But that's evolved as well: Shiner Bock and even Bud Lite can be seen
on the massive bar. And the owner for the past 14 years, Tom Davis,
has evolved the menu as well. The German classics still have a presence
but lots of American comfort foods have found their way to the menu
as well. And Scholz is all about fun: come down here on a UT football
Saturday sometime and you'll see what I mean.
I doubt August Scholz would have contemplated Mesquite-Smoked
Wings as a menu offering but they work for me. Order a dozen of these
spicy doodads with just a requisite amount of heat and you're off and
running. Then we transition to a really nice Chicken Fried Chicken:
no knife needed and the batter and gravy are spot on. And the accompanying
German potato salad is a must order: the perfect complement. And you
want to talk Cheeseburgers? Scholz serves up a fine example of this
genre. The buns are moist (critical) and the flavors absolutely rock.
The accompanying French Fries are just right. Order it medium and then
pick your suds. It's a can't miss proposition. Another really good example
of Scholz comfort cuisine is the Pork Chops. Man, these are crispy and
tender and have a flavor rush that will make pork chop lovers ecstatic.
On the downside, I'm still not wild about the Jambalaya. The dish is
too meat heavy and could use more shrimp and a rounded continuity of
taste.
The German food at Scholz, while by no means epicurean,
is sturdy and uniformly tasty. The Grilled Bratwurst with spicy mustard
makes me wax rhapsodic. These are great brats with that wonderfully
aromatic flavor. These are MUST TRY. Likewise the Weinerschitzel, a
pounded and lightly-breaded pork loin holds its own. This Bavarian classic
is devoid of any gristle or toughness and goes down very easily. To
complement the Weinerschnitzel, there is the Jaegerschnitzel, a variation
on the theme with the addition of brown gravy and mushroom sauce. The
sauces really light up this dish, giving it a wider range of flavor
components.
BBQ and beer also go perfectly together and Scholz
has not ignored these essential menu ingredients. I like the Four Meat
platter with two sides when I am in a carnivorous mood. I'll take the
sausage, sliced beef, chicken and turkey. A liitle BBQ sauce and voila!!!
Scholz Garten may not have won any Escoffier awards
but it has endured these past 144 years for one basic reason: they know
what their customers like. Somewhere August Scholz is smiling, knowing
that his place is in good hands.
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