Soup's on at SUPPENKUCHE, in San Francisco!
Written: Nov 25 '02 (Updated Nov 27 '02)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Food and Presentation: |
 |
|
| Ambiance and Decor: |
|
|
| Quality of Service: |
|
|
|
Pros: Excellent preparation, hearty food, friendly staff, excellent beer and wine list. Sunday Brunch.
Cons: Not open for lunch.
The Bottom Line: After a mediocre experience in years past, I was happily surprised by my experience at SUPPENKUCHE. It offers excellent Bavarian dishes, European beers, Worldwide wines, in an authentic, lively setting.
|
|
|
| macresarf1's Full Review: Suppenkuche |
Long before SUPPENKUCHE existed, when I first came to San Francisco, there were a few German restaurants. SPECKMANN'S and SCHROEDER'S were the best known. Given my family background, I came to German food with reluctance, Italian usually by chance or mistake; and who knew what Japanese food was in Northeastern Ohio, in my boyhood?
[Fortunately, as the years passed, I became more civilized.]
But the couple of times I tried the German places here, I was not impressed. Too much grease. Soggy potatoes. The Scots do similar things better, I thought. (Even our maligned Haggis was better than what I was served in these places.) Then, as now, the patrons drank a great deal of beer, which may explain why the food was pretty rough and ready. Most of those restaurants have disappeared, SPECKMANN'S just this past summer.
However, in recent years, fueled perhaps by a growing Nationwide interest in better beer, and the fixings to go with it, a new group of German establishments has risen in the City. One of the entrepreneurs, the owner-chef of THE GERMAN COOK on O'Farrell Street, has taken over *SCHROEDER'S downtown, and brought the menu back up to snuff. The *SCHNITZELHAUS has opened South of Market Street, as has the WALZVERK. The oldest of the really new places, I think, must be SUPPENKUCHE, over nine years in the Hayes Valley neighborhood.
SUPPENKUCHE is "so old" that I ate there shortly after it opened. Again, I was disappointed. The food seemed very ordinary. In fact, as I remember it, the soup was the best part of the meal.
Why I came back to SUPPENKUCHE again, I cannot say. I had stopped off, one late afternoon, down Hayes Street for a glass of sherry at the PLACE PIGALLE, whose owner, Gregg, I knew when he owned a book store. It was payday, and I decided to follow up nearby with some dinner. As I turned West, toward my home, the choices were the TERRA BRAZILIS BISTRO and SUPPENKUCHE. The Brazillian restaurant was quite good, I knew, but perversely, I turned left, to the German place.
SUPPENKUCHE may be entered from two doors, one on Laguna Street; and the other, a kitty-corner entrance facing slightly East on Hayes (perhaps the source of some confusion). The restaurant appears to occupy part of a larger beige-colored structure.
[I should have posted this review of SUPPENKUCHE six weeks ago, but Epinions had listed the restaurant as "Suppenkuchen," and I could not find it. All-thanks to my Category Leader megurrl, and Baron or Crystal at Epinions, that I am able to put this review together now in its proper place.]
-------------------
Walking into the Hayes Street entrance, I found SUPPENKUCHE much as I remembered: a long, rather narrow, roughly plastered, white room, with dark beams in its high ceiling; rows of tables and benches. The tables were stained brown, fairly crowded with a variety of diners, mostly male. In the center of the room, on the right, extending into a kind of alcove, was a U-shaped bar, equipped above the beer-pulls with traditional stained glass doors. The bar, as I think back to previous visits long ago, seems to me an addition. (I rather remember two rooms, but admittedly, some time has passed.) The scene reminded me of a German restaurant in Western Poland, at the beginning of Werner Herzog's recent movie, INVINCIBLE, where the strongman hero Zishe Breitbart brings his little brother for an ill-fated treat.
Toward me, in a long white apron, strode a tall, lean young man, with a shaved head and high cheekbones, like a candidate for "The Yul Brynner Story."
"Sit vere you like," he said. "Ve are friendly here."
I took a seat near the bar, with the menu he handed me, and immediately concluded that, in my absence, SUPPENKUCHE had become an after-work destination. The chatter was loud and lively, and many a stein was being raised in the honor of individuals and causes. The seating was in a communal style, and I could see friends were being made. [The menu, after all, listed about 20 beers -- and those were only the ones on tap.]
I asked the waiter for a half-liter of Warsteiner ($4.50), and when he brought it, he sat in a relaxed fashion beside me. "Haf you decided to stay vis us, zen?"
By all means, I said: A bowl of Kartoffelsuppe (Potato Soup, $5.00), for starters.
Dennis -- [Dennis!!??] -- explained to me the Specials, and pork chops with Spatzle appealed to me. When I asked for substitution of roasted potatoes, he said, take the Spatzle and see how I liked them.
Okay . . .
The beer was cold and delicious, the atmosphere happy, and while I waited for my soup, I looked at the rest of the fare . . . .
A Linsensuppe (Lentil Soup) was also available for $5.00 a bowl.
The Salat was Carrots, Cabbage, potatoes, Beets and Butter Lettuce ($6.50 small; $10.50 large).
For Appetizers: Reibukuchen mit Hausgemachtem Apfelmus -- Potato Pancakes with Homemade Applesauce ($9.00); Maultaschen in PilzrahmsoBe -- German Ravioli filled with Pork and Vegetables, served with Mushroom Sauce ($10.50); Hering nach Hausfraunart mit Schmand, Zwiebein, Gurken und Karoffein -- Pickled Herring with Sour Cream, Onions, Pickles and Potatoes ($9.50); Semmelknodel mit PilzrahmsoBe -- Bread Dumping with Mushroom Sauce ($10.50); Vesperplatte mit Schinken, Blutwurst, Kabanossi, Bulette, Salami und Kase -- A plate of Ham, Blood Sausage, Kabanossi, Meatball, Salami and Cheese ($13.50).
There were Vegetarian Selections: Kasespatzle mit Ziebel-ButtersoBe und gemischtem Salat -- Cheese Spatzle in Onion Butter Sauce, served with a small mixed Salad ($12.00); Krauterquark mit geschmolzener Butter und Persilienkartoffein -- Herbed Fresh Cheese [Quark], with melted butter and Bouillon Potatoes ($10.50); Champignon gefult mit Spinat und Schafskase auf PapriksoBe --Portobella Mushroom, stuffed with Spinach and Feta Cheese, served on a Pepper Sauce ($10.50).
I was half way through the List of Entrees before my Potato Soup arrived. The soup was beautifully different. It was rich and thick with riced potatoes, in a slightly red shade, with lots of little bits of pork. I slurped up about half of it, aided by beautiful thick, herb-buttered slices of what seemed homebaked dark Rye Bread, and thin slices of Pumpernickel.
The entrees were extensive: Wiener Schnitzel vom Schwein mit Bratkartoffein und grunem Salat -- Breaded and Sauteed Porkloin with Roasted Potatoes and a Green Salad ($16.00); Jagerschnitzel in ChampignonsoBe mit Spatzle und grunem Salat -- Sauteed Porkloin in Mushroom Sauce, with Spatzle and a Green Salad ($16.50); Saurbraten mit Preiselbeerkonfiture, serviert mit Rotkohl und Spatzle --Marinated and Braised Beef with Cranberries, served with Red Cabbage and Spatzle ($17.00); Gebratene Rehmedaillions in Rotwein-PflaumensoBe mit Rotkohl und Spatzle -- Sauteed Venison Medallions in Red Wine Plum Sauce with Red Cabbbage and Spatzle ($17.50); Kassler vom Grill mit Sauerkraut und Kartoffelbrei -- Grilled Cured Pork Chop with Sauerkraut and Mashed Potatoes ($14.50); Gegrilte Nunberger Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut und Kartoffelbrei -- Grilled Pork Sausage with Saurkraut and mashed potatoes ($13.50); Faischer Hase mit ZwiebelsoBe und Kartoffelbrei -- Meatloaf with Bacon and Egg, served with Onion Sauce and Mashed Potatoes ($12.50); Gebratenes halbes Huhnchen in Rotwein-SpecksoBe mit Reibekuchen -- Roasted half chicken in Red Wine Bacon Sauce with Potato Pancakes ($15.50); Linseneintopf, suB-sauer, mit Gemuse und Bauernwurst --Lentil Stew, sweet and sour, with Vegetables and Farmers Bratwurst ($8.50); Bebratene Forelle in Zitronen ButtersoBe mit Kartofein und Spinat -- Sauteed Trout in Lemon Butter Sauce with Bouillon Potatoes and Spinach ($15.50).
My Pork Chops came with Red Cabbage and Applesauce. The Spatzle was excellent, and I was just into the entree, when Dennis appeared with a generous bowl of glistening, crisp, hot roast potatoes. "Ze Cook vanted you to haf zis," Dennis said. He twisted my arm, as they used to say, to have a half-liter of Paulander Oktoberfest with my dinner.
I might also have had O.5Ls of Hefe Weizen (Wheat Beer) at $5.00: Franziskaner, Erdinger, Erdinger Dunkel; 0.4Ls of Pilsner for $4.50: Bitburger, Spaten Pils, Pilsner Urquell; 0.5Ls of Spaten Oktoberfest (in addition to the Paulaner); 0.5Ls of Helles at $5.00: Spaten, Weltenburer, Hacker Pschorr; 0.5 Ls of Dunkle at $5.00: Weltenburger, Kostritzer (0.3L); 0.5Ls of Bock Beer at $5.00: Spaten Optimator, Salvator; 0.5Ls of Alt at $5.00: Buten Alt; Belgian Draft at $5.00: Leffe Blonde (0.4L), Maredsous Abbey (0.3L). Mabs of 1.0 Liter are $9.50; Pitchers of 1.5 Liters are $14.00; and Boots of 2.0 Liters for $21.00. Bottled Beer is $6.00 a bottle: Aventinus, Berliner Weive (with Raspberry or Woodruff), Celebrator, Edinger Kristall, Julius Echter, Schneider, Weihentephaner, Weltenburger Asam, Weltenburg Pilz, Chimay Red Label and Duvel. Bitburger Drive and Erdinger Weibbier (Wheat) Non-Alcoholic Beers are $4.00 and $5.00, respectively.
German, Californian, Italian and Australian WeiBwein (White Wine) are offered by the glass or the bottle: For instance, JuHA Strub Riewling Kabinett ($5/20.00); Louis Latour Chardonnay ($6/22.00); Prosecco Sparking Wine ($5.50/20.00); Oxford Landing Sauvignon Blanc ($5.50/20.00).
The eight Rotweins (Red Wines) are mostly Californian: For instance, Bogle Merlot ($5.50/20.00); Seghesio Zinfandel ($6.50/24.00); Carmenet Old Vine Zinfandel ($8.50/$32.00). Santa Rita Reserve Cabernet (Chile) at $5.50/$20 and IBY Zweigelt Classique (Australia) for $5.50/20.00 help round out an interesting list, aimed at various pockets.
A selection of milk, coffees, tea, juices, soft drinks, waters, Mimosas, ports and dessert wines are available.
A nice cup of coffee, and I was ready to go home.
-------------------
SUPPENKUCHE is open for dinner daily from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. It does not presently serve lunch, but does offer Brunch from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., on Sunday.
The Brunch menu is in several sections, which may be interchanged freely.
Cold Dishes: GroBes Fruhstuck mit Aufschnitt, Kase und gekochtem Ei -- A Large Breakfast with Cold Cuts Cheese, Marmalade and a Soft Boiled Egg ($8.00); Musli mit quark, Joghurt, Milch nud frischen Fruchten -- Musli with Quark, Yogurt and Fresh Fruit ($7.00); Gebeizter Lachs mit Dill-SenfsoBe und einem gekochten Ei -- Cured Gravlox with Dill Mustard Sauce and a Sof Boiled Egg ($8.00); Krauterquark mit geschomizener Butter und Petersilienkartoffein -- Herbed Quark with Melted Butter and Bouillon Potatoes ($7.50).
Egg Dishes: Bauernfruhstuck mit Gewurzgurken -- Farmers Omelette with Potatoes, Bacon and Cheese, served with Pickles and Pork Sausage; Gerostete Maultaschen mit Zwiebein, Ei und Gurkensalat -- Sauteed German Ravioli scrambled with Eggs and Onions , served with a Cucumber Salad; Wurstgerostiel mit Ei, Kartoffein, Speck und Gurkensalat -- Roasted Pork Sausages scrambled with Eggs, Potatoes and Bacon, served with a Cucumber Salad. All at $8.00. Kaiserschmarrn mit Apfel und Pflaumenmus -- Emperor's Pancake with Brandied Raisins, served with Apple and Plum Compote; Reibekuchen mit hausgemachtem Apfelmus -- Potato Pancakes with Housemade Apple Sauce. Both at $7.00.
Lunch Dishes: Leberkase mit Spiegelei und Bratkartoffein -- Sauteed Bavarian Meatloaf with one Egg sunnyside up and Roasted Potatoes ($7.50); Wiener Schnitzel vom Schwein mit Bratkartoffein und grunem Salat -- Breaded Sauteed Porkloin with Roasted Potatoes and a Green Salad ($$9.50; Kassler vom Grill mit Sauerkraut und kartoffelbrei -- Grilled Cured Pork Chop with Sauerkraut and Mashed Potatoes ($10.50); Jagerschnitzel in ChampignonsoBe mit Spatzle und grunem Salat -- Sauteed Porkloin in Mushroom Sauce, with Spatzle and a Green Salad ($9.50); Gegrilte Nurnberger Bratwurst mit Sauerkraut und Kartoffelbrei -- Grilled Pork Sausage with Saurkraut and mashed potatoes ($8.50).
Side Orders are available: 2 Eggs, any style ($3.00); Green Salad ($2.50); 3 Small Bratwurst ($3.00); Cucumber Salad ($2.50); Sauteed Bacon ($3.00); Roasted Potatoes ($2.50) with Bacon $3.00.
Tagesuppe (Soup of the Day) and Tagesnachtisch (Dessert of the Day) are $4.00 each.
There is an 18% gratuity for parties of six or more, and there is only one bill issued per party.
Reservations may be had at (415) 252-9289.
SUPPENKUCHE is located at 529 Laguna Street (at Hayes), in Hayes Valley, sometimes identified as the Civic Center neighborhood. Convenient to the Opera House, Symphony Hall, and Herbst Theater.
Recommended.
--------------------------
For reviews of a couple of other German restaurants mentioned above go to the following URL's:
*SCHNITZELHAUS --
http://www.epinions.com/content_73157676676
*SCHROEDER'S --
http://www.epinions.com/rest-review-50C9-350CA348-3A0E0DF0-prod6
-----------------------------------------
If you wish to explore all of Macresarf1's reviews, indexed by title and category, many with URL's, paste to your browser and go to the following --
http://www.epinions.com/content_2514526340
Recommended:
Yes
Kid Friendliness: No
Vegetarian Friendly: No
Notes, Tips or Menu Recommendations Trust Dennis or the other waiters. They know the food, and the beers or wines.
Best Suited For: Friends
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
macresarf1
|
 - Top 100 |
|
Location: San Francisco, Ca.
Reviews written: 562
Trusted by: 378 members
About Me:
11/7/09: Another Bloody November.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.