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Volume CXXXII, Number 9 |
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Richard's bratwurst is no Octoberfest
KERRY ELSON
COLUMNIST
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| Richard's offers up German cuisine that lacks spice and flavor though the atmosphere is comfortable. Wienerschnitzel may be delicious for some, but fail to please the Foodie. (Hans Law, Bowdoin Orient) |
Unlike 15th century Mediterranean merchants, the chefs at Richard's Restaurant on Maine Street may purchase salt and other preservative spices at a cheap price. They don't have to hijack lobster boats to the West Indies; cartons of Morton's and McCormick line the shelves of Hannaford right across the street. Why, then, is Richard's food so bland?
The Foodie is unfamiliar with German cuisine. Perhaps it is dull by nature, in which case her complaints are invalid. Even if, however, this regional aliment is not as flavorful as that of nations lining the equator, it must still be pleasing to the palate. A lover of chili peppers, the Foodie tolerates tamer cuisines so long as they incorporate other flavors. She is sure that German food must have more flavor than Richard's would have her believe.
Bland dishes mirrored a lifeless dining environment. Not only was the Foodie dining alone, but she was also the only patron in the entire restaurant. What a lonely meal! Thank goodness she had her copy of Copenhagen, a play that coincidentally concerns Danish and German nuclear physicists, for company. Perhaps Werner Heisenberg, a central figure in Michael Frayn's play, consumed the very kinds of dishes described on Richard's menu.
If he were not just a figment of the Foodie's imagination, but actually sitting across from her, perhaps Heisenberg would have ordered one of Richard's sausage dishes with a side of garlic mashed potatoes, stewed red cabbage, spaeztle or green beans. He might also have been delighted by the various kinds of hamburgers, salads, and flaky turnovers presented on the menu. Heisenberg might have exploded like two unstable chemicals in a beaker if he knew that Richard's offers a German Sampler, which provides, as the menu describes, "a trip to Germany without even leaving Brunswick!"
The Foodie decided to order a dish less filling than bratwurst, knackwurst or Wienerschnitzel for her lunch.
Grilled chicken with leek and mushroom sauce filled her for the afternoon, despite the dish's supposed small portion size. Sour, slightly mushy stewed red cabbage and a tough whole-wheat dumpling the size of a golf ball accompanied the entrée. Although the mushrooms were not fresh, the sauce they swam in was warm and made on-site.
The plate of food was neatly presented, but the chicken needed a kick. Salt, a natural monosodium glutamate for its ability to enhance inherent flavors, was in desperate need.
Sadly, the Foodie took it upon herself to sprinkle some atop the breast.
The Foodie firmly believes that the addition of one's own salt and pepper is just not necessary in a proper dining establishment!
Supplements to the meal were also almost pleasurable. A cup of German Peasant Soup was thick and hearty, but bland like the entrée.
Two buttery popovers arrived with the Foodie's chicken in a black wire basket. Their heat and asymmetrical shape indicated their origin in a Richard's oven. More flaky than eggy, these pastries might not have been faithful popover renditions but they were nevertheless tasty.
Exposed brick, dark wood paneling, dim lights and "traditional" German music create a cozy, if not parodic, atmosphere. While the food is priced a bit high for Brunswick, service is fast and friendly, and the Foodie would most likely return to sample a German sausage if coerced.