Ample Meat and Bona Fide Bavarian Delicacies at Lucky Street's Bodensee Kitchen

Walking up the wooden steps to Bodensee Kitchen, which shares the same entrance to the South German Bakery on the Chaoyang Park-adjacent Lucky Street, its difficult to know what to expect. Despite having been in business for 12 years, the humble restaurant has since taken on new ownership who have injected the enterprise with a fresh dose of German vigor and an entirely upgraded menu.

The decor has for now remained unchanged from its previous incarnation as Bodenseestube Café Konstanz and features framed pictures (a deer in a suit?) and murals (bucolic scenes of Central European hills and streams) that imbue the space with a certain kitschiness that could certainly have come straight out of a 1980's Brauhaus or a remote Alpine log cabin. Candles, red and white gingham tablecloths, wooden furniture and a matching bar bring a homey ambiance to the authentic but borderline musty space.

The food, however, is anything but musty. While Bodensee Kitchen embodies the firm Bavarian tradition of meat and potato dishes at its core, there's enough variation on the theme (read: over 10 pages) plus a rotating specials menu to keep famished patrons coming back.

During our visit, the specials menu was dedicated to game meat (available until Feb 15), a comparative rarity in Beijing and a welcome opportunity to try imported New Zealand venison made into a goulash (RMB 138) with poached pear, cranberry jelly, and spätzle, a type of soft egg noodle found in southern Germany and neighboring countries. The goulash itself is a panacea for winter ailments, the deep and rich red wine notes pairing well with the chunks of venison – some of which were disappointingly a little dry – and the sweetness from the pear and cranberry combo. The bouncy spätzle was nothing special but did the trick in mopping up any remaining sauce.

The simpler main of sausage, pan-fried potatoes, and sauerkraut (RMB 68) comes stacked with five juicy local Austrian butcher-sourced sausages on a bed of creamy, sliced potato. Sadly, the tepid sauerkraut proved a little limp and didn't have the vinegary punch of a fresh batch.

However, the side of Austrian dumplings aka schlutzkrapfen were cooked to perfection, with each pocket of white flour dough giving a moreish bite that gave way to a balanced stuffing of finely chopped spinach, garlic, and a healthy coating of nutty parmesan. Expect these to vanish immediately among a group.

Finally, the dessert of cinnamon parfait with cherry sauce (also on the specials menu, RMB 58) stood out for its neat presentation (German mains don't always aid themselves to nuanced plating). Light enough not to completely send us off the deep end, each scoop of cherry-tinged parfait provided a welcome burst of tartness to reinvigorate the tastebuds after the meatier dishes that preceded it.

The revamped menu and attention detail at Bodensee Kitchen secure its place among the top of a niche group of restaurants (like Liangma River's Georgia's Feast or Dongzhimen's White Knights) that cater to serving authentic and lesser-found rustic European and Eurasian fare. With a bulging menu and a monthly rotating selection of Bavarian delicacies, there's plenty to explore on repeat visits – we'll be back for you, flammkuchen and schnitzel! – and with a few upgrades to the design, we could see Bodensee quickly becoming the go-to spot for Germans looking for a home away from home.

Bodensee Kitchen
Daily, 8am-midnight. 2/F, South German Bakery, 27 Lucky Street, Chaoyang Park Road, Chaoyang District (131 4685 2613; WeChat: 德南餐厅BodenseeKitchen)
德南餐厅:朝阳区朝阳公园路好运街27号德南面包房二楼

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Email: tomarnstein@thebeijinger.com
WeChat: tenglish_

Photos: Meng Luyue