Stein’s – Bavarian restaurant

Stein’s only has a few locations in the UK, but they are well worth hunting down for a very different dining experience, combining Bavarian-inspired chalet-style interiors with riverside outside dining areas.

At first glance, it all may seem a bit “gimmicky”, with the staff dressed in traditional Bavarian-style outfits – but this is all very authentic, with the food and drink all imported directly from Germany.  The selection of German beers is pretty impressive, and everything right down to the condiments feels like the real deal.

Starter:  “Mini Käsefondue” (mini cheese fondue)

This was part of their seasonal menu, and was a great way to start the meal.  The cheese fondue itself was served in a mini iron pot, and was the perfect consistency for fondue – not so thick that it feels like you’re just eating melted cheese, but thick enough to fully coat whatever you’re dipping into it without it dribbling everywhere.  There was a nice selection of things to dip in the fondue too, each bringing a little something different – from the sweetness of the grapes, to the sharpness of the gherkins, to the earthiness of the rye bread pieces.

I accompanied my starter with a Paulaner Dunkel dark lager, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Mini Cheese Fondue

Main:  “Bayerische Schlachtplatte” (Bavarian sharing platter – for two)

This sharing platter was a great way to try a full selection of Bavarian sausages – Nürnberger, Bratwurst and Polish – together with a number of German side dishes.  The four Nürnberger pork sausages were small, thin and flavoured with marjoram, while the jumbo Polish sausage had a slightly smoky taste, and the two larger Bratwurst were coarser and meatier in comparison.  All three types of sausages went really well with the selection of German mustards that were provided, as well as the large portion of sauerkraut, which added a pleasant counterpoint to the richness of the rest of the dish.  In addition to the sausages, there were also generous portions of crispy bacon slices, and chunks of German meatloaf (although the meatloaf was a little bland if eaten without the mustard).  The revelation, however, was the mashed potato, which was probably the nicest mashed potato I’ve ever had.  I’m not even a particular fan of mashed potato – but I could happily eat my way through the huge mound included with this dish!

I washed my main course down with a Paulaner Helles, a refreshing lager perfect for a summer’s evening.

Bavarian sharing platter

Dessert:  “Karamellisierter Kaiserschmarrn” (caramelised shredded pancakes – for two)

This traditional German sharing dessert was dished up in a cast iron dish, and consisted of pieces of thick, fluffy pancakes (much chunkier than our usual “flat” pancakes) tossed in caramelised sugar, raisins and roasted almonds.  It was served with an apple compote, that added a sharpness and some additional moisture to the dish, which could otherwise have been a bit too sweet and cloying.  As it was, it was a very tasty – and refreshingly different – way to end the meal (even if, after all that cheese fondue and mashed potato, it might have been a better idea to go for something lighter!).

Caramelised shredded pancakes

“…Stein’s offers a dining experience quite unlike any other…”

Overall impression:  Given that the restaurant sector is becoming increasingly saturated with chain restaurants with very similar menus (be they Italian-themed, American-themed or whatever), it’s really nice to see a restaurant that brings something new to the table (no pun intended).  In this respect, Stein’s offers a dining experience quite unlike any other I’ve had – from the traditional Bavarian outfits to the riverside dining, and from the selection of German beers to try, to the authentic Bavarian dishes – this was not only a really tasty and satisfying meal, but also a great night out.