Restaurant Review

Nuernberg Brauhaus

Owners Silke and Jeremiah Dye opened Nuernberg Brauhaus with one goal – bring great family-style German food to Pflugerville – and they’ve succeeded deliciously. With Nuern­berg native Sonja Vogt manning the stove as head chef, we couldn’t be any more pleased with the food. Vogt’s daughter and Jeremiah’s mom are servers who know the food intimately, and they can provide any details necessary while making you feel like a regular. The restaurant is small and cozy, with 10 tables, six bar stools, and an outdoor patio.

We started with a bowl of the rich, meaty, and paprika-kissed goulash ($4.50) and loved every bite. Next arrived bratwurst and sauerkraut ($9.50): two excellent homemade pork sausages served with perfectly balanced sauerkraut with succulent pork chunks and a pile of buttered potatoes. We all but wept in joy over the combination of the three. Currywurst with fries ($6.50) is two juicy pork and turkey sausages and a mountain of crispy fries resting on a lake of homemade curry-flavored ketchup (a classic German street treat condiment).

Jaeger schnitzel ($12.95, also available in a smaller portion as a sandwich) is a large half-inch-thick slab of perfectly crusted, juicy, and tender pork steak bathed in a rich brown sauce of mushroom and onion. Normally jaeger schnitzel looks like a tired, thin patty beaten to within an inch of its life, but not at Nuernberg. That same cut of meat can be had with several different sauces. We had it with a bowl of the blaukraut (red cabbage and apple kraut) that was ideally seasoned and not too sweet, as it so often is. If the previous dishes hadn’t already impressed us, this last combination certainly did, as we almost came to blows over the last bite. We had it with some Spaten Optimator ($4.50), a well-syncopated match.

Our next visit started with three large potato pancakes ($4.50) served with apple sauce and rich sour cream. The interior is moist while the exterior is golden brown and crispy, a nice foil for either sauce. We wanted to try the chicken schnitzel, but it’s only served on Wednesdays. We settled on the platter of pork and beef patties ($7.95, also available in burger form) accompanied by the German potato salad. The patties are nicely crusted on the outside, well-seasoned, and surprisingly light. The flavor is addictive; a burger awaits my next visit.

The German potato salad is a perfect sweet-tart combination, with tender potatoes bathed in a parsley-flecked dressing. We expected to find some bacon in it, but the dish doesn’t need it. The sauerkraut was so good the first time that we could not pass it up on the return. This time we were less frenzied and more rational in our assessment, able to taste nuances of caraway and clove. I know that every time I eat there, a bowl of that kraut will be on my table; it’s that good.

Homestyle potatoes ($3.50) are a big mound of crispy cubes, with a zesty seasoning on the exterior. The cabbage salad ($3.95) is Vogt’s version of coleslaw, with crispy vegetables and a dressing that complements without smothering. The cucumber salad ($3.50) is crunchy slices of cucumber and onion, with a slightly sweet yogurt dressing. We loved it.

Our only disappointment was the apple pancakes ($3.95). We found them a little bland, not living up to our expectations. The only thing we’ve found missing at Nuernberg is some pumpernickel or dark rye bread, and the restaurant’s considering it. Service is fantastic, the food is amazing, prices are very reasonable, and portions are huge. What’s not to like? Forget New Braunfels and Fredericksburg or any other local magnet for German food. If you want the best, head to the east side of Pflugerville.

This article appears in July 16 • 2010.