Update: This business has ceased its operations.

Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant currently has two outlets in Klang Valley: Mid Valley Megamall and Sunway Pyramid. The latter is located just outside the shopping mall, on the right side of the mall’s iconic lion sculpture. Brotzeit serves German cuisine in a casual, family-friendly setting.

Brotzeit’s breakfast & brunch menu is available on Sundays and public holidays before 3:00pm. One of the bestselling choices is Smoked Salmon & Bacon Slider (RM29.00). The dish consists of toasted multigrain bread topped with smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and bacon. With a balanced taste, this breakfast dish serves as a universal crowd-pleaser.

Waffle & Nürnberger Sausages (RM29.00) is another popular breakfast dish. The base of each piece is a toasted Belgian waffle. Stacked on top is Nürnberger bratwurst, bacon, ham, tomatoes and cucumbers. I enjoy the mouthwatering texture of the sausages; they are satisfying to the last morsel!

Each dish on the breakfast & brunch menu comes with brewed coffee, tea or iced lemon tea. Customers can opt to upgrade the complimentary beverage to Cappuccino or Latte for an extra RM6.50.

Meanwhile, Brotzeit’s Dinner Specials are available from 6:00pm daily. Schnitzel Parmigiana (RM34.50) is a marriage of German and Italian cuisines. Boneless pork cutlet is pounded thin to make it tender. The schnitzel is then coated with crispy breading and fried with butter. Parmesan cheese and tomato sauce cover the top. The dish comes with rocket salad and a side of fries.

The next dish is Pork Fillets On Rösti (RM33.00), which is dressed with black peppercorn cream sauce. Rösti is a Swiss breakfast dish that is made of coarsely grated potato. The potato patty is pan-fried until it turns golden brown. Rösti has a similar texture to hashed browns. This dish includes bacon and rocket salad.

As for drinks, biermischgetränke (beer mixes) are perfect for any occasion. Affensaft (RM24.50 for 500 milliliters) comprises of weißbier (wheat beer) and mango juice with a foamy top. It is meant for casual drinkers who enjoy the cooling sensation of German beer. As for something sweeter, Caramel Brew (RM24.50) is concocted from dunkel lager (dark German lager) and lime juice.

Finally, Apfelküchle (RM24.00 for 4 pieces) is a traditional German pastry where apple slices are coated in batter and fried to a golden crisp. The apple fritters are dusted with cinnamon sugar to produce a tantalizing aroma. Other condiments for this dessert are cranberry sauce and vanilla sauce.

Overall, Brotzeit places emphasis on quality ingredients and food presentation. The kitchen does not cut corners when it comes to food preparation. In addition, the ambience here is welcoming for customers who appreciate good old German cooking.

Name: Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant
Address: OB.K4, Sunway Pyramid, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Contact: 03-5638-5516
Business hours: 11:00am-12:00am (Sunday-Thursday), 11:00am-1:00am (Friday-Saturday)
Website: http://brotzeit.my
Coordinates: 3.07329 N, 101.60789 E
Directions: Brotzeit is located just outside the main entrance of Sunway Pyramid. The restaurant is on the right side of the lion sculpture. Sunway Pyramid has multilevel parking.

Sigi’s Bar & Grill is one of the two main eateries of Golden Sands Resort; the other is Garden Cafe. The beachfront restaurant affords scenic views of the sea, not to mention the perpetual oceanic breeze that comes with al fresco dining. Nevertheless, indoor dining is also possible at Sigi’s.

This year is Golden Sands Resort’s Oktoberfest debut. Held in the evening of 17 October 2018, the beer garden (biergarten) outside Sigi’s is filled with rows of wooden tables and benches. Paying homage to Bavarian culture, the restaurant’s crew members are dressed in traditional lederhosen and dirndl costumes for the occasion.

Starting at the carving station, Brathendl is customarily served during Oktoberfest. The spit-roasted whole chicken goes well with Dijon mustard and honey mustard. I think the former may be too pungent for most Malaysians.

Next, schnitzel was originally an Austrian dish but it is now popular in neighboring countries like Germany. The Crispy Chicken Schnitzel is thinned by pounding it with a meat tenderizer. The cutlet is then breaded and fried to give it a light crisp on the surface.

I am also infatuated with the exquisite German sausages this evening. Shown here are Veal Bratwurst and Beef Garlic Banger, both succulent to the last morsel. Also served is a popular street food called Currywurst. Currywurst is seasoned with spicy ketchup and is often enjoyed with French fries and mayonnaise.

The grilling station prepares more delicacies from the Deutschland, including the ever-popular Chicken Bratwurst and Wiener Würstchen (Vienna sausage). Each type of sausage is gratifying in its own right; I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed sausages so much.

Bratkartoffeln, commonly known as German Fries, is a dish of pan-fried potato slices cooked with turkey bacon, onions and scallions. Bratkartoffeln is often served alongside schnitzel or bratwurst.

Sauerkraut is another iconic German dish thanks to its distinctive sour taste. Before the advent of refrigeration, fermenting cabbage was the only way to preserve it through winter. In modern times, sauerkraut is typically eaten as a side dish.

Spätzle literally means “little sparrows”. It consists of small pieces of dough made from eggs and flour. The Käsespätzle (cheese & herbs spätzle) is soft and creamy, delighting my cheese-loving palate.

Goulash is the national dish of Hungary. Originally eaten by shepherds, this savory stew has become popular throughout Central Europe. The Rindergulasch (beef goulash) contains beef chunks, potatoes, carrots, paprika and other spices.

Obatzda is a traditional Bavarian dish that is often served in beer gardens. The cheese delicacy is prepared from Camembert, butter, beer and paprika. Obatzda is typically eaten with crackers and pretzels.

As for salads, there are Kartoffelsalat (German potato salad), Rote Beete Salat (beetroot salad), Krautsalat (coleslaw) and Caesar Salad. I also enjoy the assorted cold cuts and cheese platter.

Kaiserschmarrn is a dish of Austrian origin. Its name translates to “Emperor’s mess”. This refers to the fact that the fried pancake is shredded before being served. The pancake batter consists of flour, eggs, butter and sugar. Icing sugar is sprinkled on top for extra sweetness. Kaiserschmarrn is commonly enjoyed with apple sauce.

Also hailing from Austria is Apple Strudel (apfelstrudel). Made from layered pastry, the strudel contains sweet apple filling and dusted with icing sugar. A scoop of vanilla ice cream makes this pastry the perfect dessert this evening.

Other sweet confections include Black Forest Cake (schwarzwälder kirschtorte), Pretzels (brezeln), Cheesecakes (käsekuchen), Cream Puffs (windbeutel), Fruit Tartlets and Petits Fours.

A beer garden is not be complete without an endless flow of beer. To this end, Bavarian beers such as Erdinger Weißbier, Erdinger Dunkel and Löwenbräu Original are poured by the bottle. As for souvenirs, guests may purchase commemorative beer steins for RM15.00 only.

Live music is an integral part of Oktoberfest celebration. Entertaining the crowd throughout the night is Frankenräuber, a 5-piece band from Germany. The evening is filled with catchy folk songs from the heartland of Bavaria and neighboring countries. The highlight of Frankenräuber’s performance is with a 5-meter long alphorn. This musical instrument has become almost synonymous with the Alps.

Name: Sigi’s Bar & Grill
Address: Golden Sands Resort, Jalan Batu Ferringhi, 11100 Batu Ferringhi, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-886-1852
Business hours: 11:00am-12:00am
Website: Click here
Coordinates: 5.47751 N, 100.25162 E
Directions: Driving from George Town and upon arriving Batu Ferringhi, Golden Sands Resort is located on the right at the first traffic junction. Sigi’s Bar & Grill is located towards the far side of the resort, after the pools and facing the beach.

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant is a Singapore-based German restaurant chain. There are currently two outlets in Malaysia: in Mid Valley Megamall and Sunway Pyramid. The restaurant specializes in authentic German food with emphasis on Bavarian cuisine. The German word “Brotzeit” literally translates as “bread time” – referring to a traditional Bavarian meal that consists of bread, cheese, sausages, smoked meat and pickles.

The Mid Valley Megamall outlet is located at the exterior section of the mall, facing The Gardens Mall just across the road. The restaurant presents a lively ambience with wood as the primary theme. Customers may also choose al fresco dining, or opt to be seated at the bar where a wide range of Paulaner beers flow from the tap.

Adapting to the modern lifestyle of Kuala Lumpur, Brotzeit offers a breakfast menu which is available around the clock. One of the most popular choices from this menu is the Brotzeit Signature Breakfast (RM32.50). Although meant for one person, the portion is remarkably huge for most people.

The main highlight of this breakfast platter is the Nürnberger Bratwurst. A renowned delicacy from Nuremberg, the pork sausage is served over a bed of kartoffelpüree (mashed potatoes). This wholesome potato dish is made by hand. On the side are two fried eggs that are cooked sunny side up.

Ham, cheese and cherry tomatoes are prepared over two slices of multigrain bread. Streaky bacon and fried onions are presented on the side. The platter is further garnished with chopped scallion, lettuce and arugula (rocket salad). On a separate saucer are 3 types of sauces: mustard, ketchup and honey mustard.

Each breakfast meal includes a hot cup of coffee or tea, or a glass of chilled fruit juice. Coffee is brewed from Caffè Vergnano beans from Italy. It comes with a butter cookie on the side.

Schweinshaxn (RM105.00) is undoubtedly the most recognizable dish from Bavaria. The name is spelled in Bavarian slang, for the proper German word is “Schweinshaxe“. This dish calls for the hind leg of the swine; the front limb is seldom used because it is way too lean.

The pork knuckle needs to be marinated upfront to allow the flesh to tenderize. Then, pork is roasted at a low temperature to allow the surface to become crispy without getting burnt. Once cooked, Schweinshaxn has an interesting combination of crispy fatty layers, soft lean meat and jelly-like cartilage. The overall taste is simply heavenly. Scrumptious dishes like this are few and far between.

As per tradition, Schweinshaxn is typically served with sauerkraut and kartoffelpüree. Lettuce, arugula and pickled cucumber are used as garnish. The pork is best enjoyed with gravy. Two types of gravy are presented. The former is the traditional one that is usually served in Germany; the latter is more flavorful and therefore more suited to the local palate. This popular pork knuckle dish is meant for 2 or 3 persons, but half portion is also available for RM68.00.

Germans are known for their affinity for beers. Biermischgetränke is a popular choice among casual drinkers. These beers are mixed with carbonated water in order to reduce their alcohol content. Nevertheless, they still maintain their refreshing character.

Interesting choices of Biermischgetränke (RM33.00 for 500 millilitres) are Apfelbier (Münchner lager with apple juice), Affensaft (weißbier with a mango juice), Russ’n (weißbier with lemonade) and Radler (Münchner lager with lemonade). Radler means “cyclists” and was originally formulated for cyclists.

Brotzeit has an affordable lunch menu which is available from 11:00am to 3:00pm every day – except on Sundays and public holidays. Daily Roasted Pork (RM22.00) is the bestselling dish from this menu. Dressed with delectable gravy, juicy slices of pork are gently rested over a bed of sauerkraut. Sauerkraut, or fermented cabbage, is a traditional Eastern European food that originally served to preserve vegetables over winter.

Each item from the lunch menu comes with a bowl of tagessuppe (soup of the day), which turns out to be pumpkin soup today. The soup’s flavor is quite balanced and does a great job in drawing appetite. A slice of sourdough bread on the side goes well with the soup. The meal also includes a glass of ice lemon tea.

Meanwhile from the dinner specials menu, Quarter Ribs With A Twist (RM57.00) is a great choice for pork lovers. The delicious pork ribs, 5 or so pieces, are marinated with honey and grilled to golden perfection. Thanks to the fine balance between lean and fatty flesh, the ribs are succulent down to the very bones.

The pork ribs are served with schwenkgemüse (sautéed mixed vegetables) and kartoffelhappen (spicy potato wedges). The accompanying saucer of pork gravy is meant to go with pork ribs, but I feel that it also works well with the wedges.

Brotzeit has a wide selection of Paulaner draft beers – all imported from Germany. At Paulaner, beers are brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot, commonly known as the German Beer Purity Law of 1516. According to this regulation, beer must be produced from malt, hops, yeast and natural spring water only. It is difficult to find a drink more natural than this.

For novice drinkers, the Paulaner Bier Sampler (RM35.00) offers 4 types of Paulaner beer to begin with. Served on a wooden sampler tray are chilling glasses of Original Münchner Urtyp, Hefe-Weißbier, Original Münchner Dunkel Lager and Dunkel Hefe-Weißbier. Paulaner beers contain around 5% alcohol content, which is sufficiently low to appeal to casual drinkers.

Should customers prefer salad, Backhendlsalat (RM52.00) is a sound choice. The bowl of salad comprises of crispy chicken fillet, kartoffelsalat (potato salad), arugula, lettuce, cucumber, semi-dried tomato and sweet corn. This chicken salad is held together by pumpkin seed oil and tangy dressing. Finely-chopped rosemary helps to elevate aroma. If the serving size is too big for comfort, ask for a smaller portion for RM37.00.

As for alcohol-free beer, try a bottle of Paulaner Hefe-Weißbier Alkoholfrei. Using de-alcoholization techniques, alcohol content is reduced to trace amounts without affecting the taste too significantly. This alcohol-free beer goes particularly well with soups and salads.

Moving on to desserts, Weißer Lavakuchen (RM25.00) is the chef’s interpretation of chocolate lava cake. Made from white chocolate, butter, eggs and sugar, the cake enjoys soft texture with a subtle layer of crisp on the surface. Meanwhile, the interior of the cake remains runny. Viscous liquid chocolate oozes out as soon as the outer layer is punctured.

The chocolate lava cake is served with chocolate sauce, icing sugar, blueberry sauce and juniper berry sauce. Overall, the individual components integrate well with one another, presenting a scrumptious treat after a satisfying meal.

Name: Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant
Address: G(E)-018, Mid Valley Megamall, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur
Contact: 03-2287-5516
Business hours: 10:00am-12:00am (Sunday), 11:00am-12:00am (Monday-Thursday), 11:00am-1:00am (Friday-Saturday)
Website: http://brotzeit.com.my
Coordinates: 3.11878 N, 101.67734 E
Directions: Brotzeit is located at the Ground Floor of Mid Valley Megamall. The restaurant faces The Gardens Mall and is sandwiched between Grand Harbour and Reminisce. Mid Valley Megamall provides parking at the Basement levels.

Das Rad Cafe is located at King Street (Lebuh King), directly behind Gem Restaurant. Opened earlier this year, this restaurant is operated by a couple of German-Malaysian heritage. “Das Rad” means “the bicycle” in German, which is befitting as the proprietors are cycling enthusiasts themselves.

Located within the heritage zone of George Town, Das Rad Cafe retains most of the building’s original facade as well as its quaint partitions and backdrops. There are several bicycles on display to reaffirm the proprietors’ passion towards this competitive sport.

At this point, it should not come as a surprise that Das Rad Cafe serves German food. Familiar dishes such as schnitzel (boneless meat) and bratwurst (German sausage) make their mark at this restaurant. The presence of Das Rad Cafe is certainly welcoming as there aren’t many German restaurants in Penang.

My choice for lunch is the Pork Schnitzel With Potato Salad (RM25.00). The platter includes a pair of pork cutlets with matching paprika sauce, potato salad and salad greens on the side.

To prepare pork schnitzel, pork cutlets are beaten to make them tenderer. Next, the cutlets are coated with crispy breading made from crumbs, eggs and flour. The cutlets are immersed in hot oil and fried to golden perfection.

Pork schnitzel is often enjoyed with paprikaschnitzel, a condiment made from paprika, bell peppers, tomatoes and onions. Eaten with the cutlets, each bite presents a unique sense of savoriness with mildly sour undertones.

Potato salad is nicely prepared. Seasoned with salad dressing and chopped coriander, the diced potato cubes are in agreement with my palate.

A cup of latte (RM11.00) comes with a piece of breadstick. The coffee drink itself is quite enjoyable. The latte presents milky composition which soothes the throat during every sip.

Although the food menu is not as full-fledged as other German restaurants, Das Rad Cafe provides a reasonable compromise under casual dining setting.

Address: 10B, Lebuh King, 10200 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 017-570-1839
Business hours: 10:00am-6:00pm (Tuesday-Friday), 9:00am-6:00pm (Saturday-Sunday), closed on Mondays
Taste

Presentation

Ambience

Hospitality

Value

Update: This business has ceased its operations.

Tucked along Burmah Road (Jalan Burma) is a dainty restaurant Lecker Ecke German Cuisine. It is somewhere between Chok Dee Thai and Chocolate Passion, all located on the left side of the one-way Burmah Road.

“Lecker Ecke” means “Delicious Corner” in German. The name was deliberately chosen so that it is easy to pronounce and catchy to remember. Many German words sound very alien to Malaysians, especially when there are diacritic letters like ä, ö and ü.

As a nation, the culinary style in Deutschland is rather diverse. Most German restaurants in Malaysia feature dishes from Bavaria, a more rural German state to the southeast. These Bavarian restaurants are most noticeable during Oktoberfest celebration, which is Bavarian in origin.

Hamburg is the second-largest city in Germany after Berlin. This northern German city-state is best known for its Frikadelle, from which the ubiquitous American hamburger is derived from. Meanwhile, Franzbrötchen is Hamburg’s pastry dessert which looks like a flattened croissant.

Lecker Ecke is operated by siblings. Nicolas has spent many years working in restaurant business in Hamburg, Germany. With extensive experience in his résumé, his return to Penang certainly contributes to culinary diversity here. While Nicolas handles most cooking in the kitchen, his sister Angie runs the drinks counter and waits the tables.

For appetizers, we started with the Onion Soup (Zwiebelsuppe, RM12.90), which is French in origin in its modern form, but also popular across Europe and the United States. Made from flavorful meat stock and plenty of onions, the soup has a mild sense of sourness. Several pieces of cubed crouton are added for crispy appeal.

Next dish served is the Lentil Soup (Linsen Suppe, RM15.90). This German-inspired appetizer is boiled with diced bacon and sausages, giving the occasional sensation of chunky meat. Similar to the Indian dal, the texture of this Lentil Soup is very starchy. Fortunately the soup comes in a small bowl, otherwise it would have been too filling as an appetizer.

Now that appetizers are out of the way, it is time to bring out the big guns: Pork Knuckle (Schweinshaxe, RM70.00)! This is one of the most iconic dishes in German cookbooks. Definitely the highlight for today’s lunch too! The Pork Knuckle is actually the ham hock, which is located between the lower limb and the foot of the swine. This serving is considered half portion and is ideal for 3-4 people. The full portion is available for RM130.00. This order of Pork Knuckle includes a serving of sauerkraut or “sour cabbage”, which is pickled white cabbage.

My favorite aspect of the Pork Knuckle is the jelly-like texture of its soft tissues and cartilage. The crisp of the skin is just perfect, although I feel that it is too salty at places. This order of Pork Knuckle includes dipping sauce made from herbal stew with some beer added. There is no danger of intoxication because most alcohol has evaporated during cooking.

The next dish to delight our palate is Rinderrouladen (RM28.90). Rouladen is a popular central European dish made by wrapping thinly-sliced meat with onion, celery, gherkin (pickled cucumber), duck and bacon. The word “rinder” means “beef”, which highlights that beef is used as the meat. However, pork and veal are also popular choices for Rouladen.

This Rinderrouladen stew is cooked with red wine, which serves to accentuate the savory flavors of the beef roll. On the side is rotkraut, which is made from pickled red cabbage.

This is followed by the Lammgulasch (RM29.90) which includes fusilli pasta on the side. This is a curry stew with lamb cubes, very similar in appearance to its Indian counterpart. The stew, which is made from paprika, is often associated with Hungarian cuisine, from which this German version was inspired from.

Paprika is native to the Americas, so this ingredient is a relatively new in German recipes. Due to artificial selection, cultivated paprika comes in wide range of spiciness. This Lammgulasch dish here is mildly spicy so that the lamb’s savoriness takes the center stage. Overall-wise, the lamb stew is bold in flavor and quite succulent. I am not sure whether fusilli pasta is the right choice here, though.

Moving on, we have Rinderbraten (RM38.90) or “roast beef”. To prepare the meat, raw beef is first marinated with salt, pepper and other spices. It is then baked in the oven, followed by thorough roast. Small amount of red wine is added for extra fragrant appeal. The beef is served au jus with thyme.

On the side, I am intrigued by bacon rolls with string beans. It is a nice meld of meaty-saltiness and vegetable-sweetness. Also kudos on the mashed potato; the texture is refined and delightful to go with beef jus.

Taking a detour to poultry, we sampled a serving of Duck (Ente, RM38.90). In Europe, it is common to eat duck during Christmas, as opposed to turkey in America. Today’s braised duck cutlet is delectable by itself, but the use of apple cinnamon sauce certainly pays off.

Served alongside are three hearty pieces of baked potato cookies. I find it interesting to take a departure from mashed potato, which is so common that it has become a cliché. Nevertheless, I think the potato cookies would be nicer if they were baked till toastier.

The last entrée is Schnitzel Mit Bratkartoffel (RM26.90), which is German for “pork cutlet with roasted potatoes”. The highlight of this dish is the large slab of pork cutlet. It is served over pan-fried potato with bacon and onion. On the side is a small serving of mustard cream and salad.

To prepare Schnitzel, deboned pork is first coated with flour, beaten eggs and bread crumbs. Then, the battered cutlet is deep-fried to golden perfection. The Schnitzel is served with a twist of lime for the juicy appeal. Mustard cream serves to enhance the flavor. I personally feel that the amount of salt should be toned down because the overall taste has been dominated by saltiness.

In the beverage section, Lecker Ecke has a number of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

First and foremost is Alsterwasser (RM11.90) which comes in a tall glass of 300 millilitres. Popular in northern Germany, Alsterwasser is very similar to Radlermass in Bavaria. It is a concoction of equal parts of lager and lemonade, therefore has lower alcohol content than most beer. This makes Alsterwasser ideal for casual drinkers like myself.

Looking for a fancy drink but need to stay sober? Try the Fresh Apple + Sparkling Water (RM6.90). This carbonated beverage is ideal for a hot sunny day.

If pure juice is your cup of tea, there are a number of choices like Fresh Banana + Pomegranate (RM7.90), Fresh Banana + Mixed Berries (RM8.90) and Fresh Banana + Apple Juice (RM6.90).

Lecker Ecke also carries a collection of house wines. Wines are sold by the glass.

In departure from Bavarian-style restaurants, Lecker Ecke presents an entirely new facet of German cuisine with more emphasis in northern German delicacies. It is definitely a lovely restaurant to patronize in my pursuit of multi-cultural food diversity.

Name: Lecker Ecke
Address: 233C, Jalan Burma, 10050 George Town, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 04-226-5372
Business hours: 12:00pm-3:00pm, 6:00pm-11:00pm
Website: https://www.facebook.com/lecker.ecke
Coordinates: 5.42476 N, 100.31928 E
Directions: Drive along the one-way Burmah Road (Jalan Burma) towards Pulau Tikus. Lecker Ecke is located on the left, just opposite Malaysian Buddhist Association. There are limited parking spaces in front of Lecker Ecke. During dinner time, you may park in front of adjacent shops after they had closed for the day. Additional parking is available along Jalan Loh Boon Siew.