Löwenbräu Keller German Restaurant
Recently I had the opportunity to eat at Löwenbräu Keller, a German Restaurant in The Rocks area of Sydney. It is part of the Urban Purveyor Group which owns other similar places such as the Bavarian Beer Cafe, The Argyle and Sake.
As it was my partner’s birthday she was able to take advantage of the ‘free main meal with ID proof of same day birthday’ deal. If you have a birthday coming up and have at least one other with you ordering a main meal, you can get your main meal free. (Subject to change.)
My partner chose a medium rare steak and was very surprised and pleased to find that it actually really was cooked medium rare. A rarity in some restaurants.
She also had a 500ml glass of the Hofbräu Dunkel. A delicious dark beer with caramel, malt, vanilla and toasty notes.
Being sensitive to dairy and gluten I couldn’t find that much on the menu that I could eat. Most of the food was covered in creamy sauce or cheese of some sort. Thankfully there was one dish that didn’t have either. Nürnberger Rostbratwürste, otherwise known as Sausages and Sauerkraut for about $29.
I was very impressed with the taste of the sauerkraut . Just the right amount of vinegar, softness and fermentation made it a joy to eat. Never having been that interested in eating it before I now look forward to trying sauerkraut again sometime.
The sausages were a bit underwhelming, unfortunately. Having eaten the description in Freiburge, in Germany, I was a bit surprised to see how small they were. Even though they were quite filling, I was still hungry for more.
The Haus-Baked Rye Bread that accompanied the meal was also quite nice.
While I’m a big fan of wine and have an interest in craft beer, I haven’t really got into the schnapps area yet. And one drink that I’d been curious about but did not believe I’d ever tried was a Jägermeister. With 56 herbs and spices, how could I pass this up? Along with my Gewürztraminer (a not so sweet wine tasting similar to a semillon) I ordered one of these herbally shots and wasn’t disappointed. Amazing vanilla, caramel and chocolate flavours with hints of cinnamon, spice and coffee. Definitely not what I was expecting at all.
The Gewürztraminer was also better than I was expecting. I had feared something cloying and sweet but this was very drinkable with some luscious fruity notes, some pear, apricot and even a touch of lime. Probably not the ideal drink with some tiny little sausages on a bed of soft vinegary sour cabbage, but well worth the price.
I must add that the German gentleman that served us was pleasant, charming and helpful. If all the staff are trained like him then I believe everyone going there will have a great experience.
Löwenbräu Keller is one of those theme restaurants that are planted in the most expensive lease areas of the city and rely on their colour, atmosphere, dress, originality and appealing themes to generate interest and sales. The place is usually packed and bookings are essential, though the food is, of course, priced to cover the high costs of the location. If you’re looking for a full feed I’d recommend budgeting for at least $100 per person and getting entrees, mains, desserts and a few drinks. If you’re like me and tend to just go for a main and a drink, then you’ll probably remain hungry.
I may return for Oktoberfest!
(The restaurant is also known colloquially as Lowenbrau or That German Restaurant )
