Brotzeit's Sausages and German Beer Make it a Strong Best New Restaurant Contender
Beijing’s latest German restaurant is, surprisingly enough, from Singapore. Brotzeit (which opened its first capital location in Liangmaqiao’s Grand Summit this past fall) is a decade-old chain founded in the Lion City that aims to introduce Asia to “authentic German cuisine accompanied by world famous quality German beer in a contemporary setting,” (according to its website).
That description seemed quite apt during our recent visit, in lieu of Brotzeit’s nomination for Best New Restaurant in the Beijinger's 2016 Reader Restaurant Awards (vote here!). Patrons should be sure to try one of the restaurant’s hearty sausage platters. Among those choices are a serving of four huhnerwurst spicy chicken sausages, which come with a side of potato salad and sauerkraut (RMB 98); an offering of five kasekrainer pork cheese sausages that also have potato salad and sauerkraut on the side; and a gargantuan currywurst pork sausage (suppress your giggles) laced with chilli-curry tomato sauce and accompanied by thick, delectably pepper dusted potato wedges. We opted for the currywurst, which was undeniably delicious and portioned perfectly for one hungry customer. An ideal pairing for those platters is a glass of high grade German suds. Light premium lager and premium plus are both on hand, along with malty dark Schwarzbier and the sweetly cloudy, banana-tinged Hefe. An RMB 58 0.3L Klein glass is enough to quench one customer’s thirst throughout a meal, but more parched patrons can choose an RMB 68 0.5L Halbe, or an RMB 118 1L Mass if they’re feeling especially celebratory.
The beer is authentically delicious, as expected (but not always fulfilled) from any German eatery. But what sets Brotzeit apart is the relative lightness of its fare and the wide selection of its menu, when compared to more established Beijing counterparts like the nearby South German Bakery, Schindler’s, and the U-Town-adjacent Hopfenstube (although those older venues aren’t as pricey). Brotzeit’s sausages are hearty without being overly greasy, and the menu boasts numerous soups and salads (like RMB 49 goulash and an especially tempting smoked salmon, seared tuna and prawns-laden Meeresfruchtesalat seafood salad, priced at RMB 78 for a small and RMB 108 for a large).
Other fitting starters include the highly affordable and wholesomely satisfying (but poorly titled) “Brezn typical bavarian pretzel” (RMB 12), or the Brotkorb basket of selected German breads (RMB 38). But the trio of bland napkin dumplings should be skipped (despite their low RMB 38 price tag and their tempting appearance). Big, ambitious parties might instead opt for the aesthetically pleasing Brotzeit Brot hors d’oeuvre platter (consisting of half a dozen toothpick-impaled canapés topped with leg ham, belly bacon, Emmental cheese and more for a slightly steep RMB 118). An array of gorgeously tempting desserts are also available, like a drool-inducing RMB 68 apple strudel; a hunk of RMB 68 Schokokuchen chocolate cake and ice cream; or a RMB 88 shredded Emperor’s pancake, riddled with rum and raisins that comes with a side of apple sauce.
Brotzeit’s biggest surprise is a section of six pizzas, which is a rarity at Beijing’s German restaurants, to say the least. These square pies are all priced at RMB 98 and come in standard salami, chicken, and spinach varieties, though a much more intriguing option is the leg ham Bavarian pizza. But parties of four or five will have a more distinctive experience by opting for the Brotzeit platter, which boasts an oven roasted pork knuckle, pork schnitzels, six sausages and more for RMB 459. Especially famished groups can also upgrade to a RMB 518 Brotzeit platter with ribs.
This vast array of options are sure to entice curious customers. But the sausage platters appear to have the highest value of all the aforementioned choices, considering their price-to-portion ratio and their varied flavors. Regardless of what you try, this distinctly upscale, creatively eclectic eatery more than holds its own, not only among Beijing's other German venues but also its fellow Best New Restaurant nominees.
Have you visited Brotzeit? Is it worth endoring as one of Beijing's Best New Restaurants? Head over to our Reader Restaurant Awards voting page to vote for it and all your favorite restaurants before the polls close this weekend.
Photos: Kyle Mullin
