VISIT THE WORLD LARGEST
SALT-GLAZED RELIEF
AT THE SCHNITZELHAUS.
Voted "Best German Food" by Weekly Planet & Tampa Bay Magazine
Critically acclaimed by The Tampa Tribune & The St. Petersburg Times
Critically acclaimed by The Tampa Tribune & The St. Petersburg Times
You have reached the award-winning Schnitzelhaus Restaurant, located in Tampa, Florida. Come in and discover for yourself why it is an absolute must to sample our "wunderbar" true German cuisine and great imported beers and wines, all at reasonable prices.
Dress is casual, and reservations are strongly recommended on Friday & Saturday evenings. As our seating is limited, we suggest to make reservations for groups of 5 to 8 on the same day, groups up to16 a few days in advance.
Tampa, Florida 33614
(813) 884-5634
Sunday, 12 to 8 p.m.
Read the Tampa Tribune's recent review right here:
Schnitzelhaus Cooks Best Of The Wurst
By Kurt Loft
Published: 8/8/01
TAMPA - A sip of Dinkel Acker and bite of bauerwurst on a bed of fresh kraut is a taste married in culinary heaven. The danger is overindulging on appetizers, then making a courageous bid at finishing dinner and dessert without busting the gut.
Diets aren't honored at the Schnitzelhaus, a cozy German restaurant in northwest Tampa that rises above the American stereotype of Teutonic fare. Owners Mike, Susi and Ralph Jacobi serve comfort food in generous portions, so anyone considering a few months of hibernation might want to pay a visit.
In general, German food gets a bad rap. Germany borders nine countries and two seas, absorbing a variety of influences. But these traditions too often are dismissed by restaurants catering to narrow tourist tastes. The Schnitzelhaus pays homage to the homeland, although its limited menu and wine list can't possibly reflect the scope of Germany's heritage.
A good start is an order of potato pancakes, two large fried patties served with applesauce or sauerkraut. They also go well with sour cream. We loved the goulash soup, a thick and luscious concoction of beef, onions, tomatoes and tangy spices. Consider the cream of potato Kartoffelsuppe, or the beef broth and liver dumpling Leberknodelsuppe.
The dinner menu features traditional pork, chicken, lamb, venison and veal dishes, one of the more popular being Jagerschnitzel ... breaded pork or chicken smothered in a dark mushroom sauce with lots of spaetzle. The goulash dinner, creamy beef served with red cabbage and spaetzle, will appeal to anyone who loves spice. And a paprika sauce with bell peppers perks up the Zigeunerschnitzel, which can be made from pork, chicken or veal.
The Schnitzel Gourmet Dinner includes Wiener Schnitzel with white asparagus spears in a tarragon sauce. A delicious leg of lamb simmers in a rich garlic gravy, while the kitchen frames its venison roast in a heavy wine-and-cream sauce. The marinated beef sauerbraten, like many other entrees, comes with red cabbage and spaetzle.
If your appetite beckons, consider a filling special-of-the-day: Jagerschnitzel a la Black Forest. The feast features salad with a piquant house dressing, veal schnitzel with spaetzle and wild mushrooms sauteed in wine and flambed tableside in brandy.
Beer options include Spaten, Dinkelacker, Warsteiner, Diebel's Alt, Pilsner Urquell, Bitburger, Kristallklar and Dunkel. The wine selection, unfortunately, doesn't reflect the range or quality of German Rieslings.
It wouldn't be a German dinner without such desserts as Vienna apple strudel, poppy seed cake or hot raspberries. The owners are gracious hosts, full of good humor and willing to adapt the menu to suit special needs.
Tribune reviewers eat anonymously. Kurt Loft can be reached at (813) 259-7570.
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