Cuisine:

• Others
• German
• Contemporary

Schmidt's Description:
The authentic yet refined fare at Schmidt's scuttles a widespread public misconception that German restaurants must traffic in gut-busting sausages, schnitzels and gargantuan boots of lager. Schmidt's does serve sausages and schnitzel, and its minimalist digs even evoke an elegant white walled beer hall---unlike Walzwerk, the owner's long-running traditional East German joint on the other side of the Mission District, which is as colorful and cluttered as Schmidt's is austere. But although German cuisine rarely appears in California's parade of adopted culinary traditions, Schmidt's makes a pretty good case that it could, utilizing offal and game alongside delicate, nuanced, season-sensitive preparations of vegetables. Yes, there's that schnitzel---a beauty smothered in anchovies, capers and a fried egg, bolstered with a hearty cauliflower gratin. Yet, in early spring, there's also a salad of raw asparagus shavings tangled with Gruyère slivers and chopped hard-cooked egg, and perhaps an appetizer of fresh pea pancakes draped in house-cured salmon and tangy dollops of sour cream. With great beers, a pleasant weekend lunch scene, only brief waits at peak times and reasonable prices, Schmidt's is becoming a neighborhood treasure. On the slight downside: service varies from cordial and welcoming to curt and occasionally oblivious.


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