Hello, Valter’s! It’s been a while.
Nearly a decade, to be precise. The last official visit was back in 2016 when it had just opened inside the headquarters of an iconic local institution, The Maennerchor. The Maennerchor itself is a 175 year-old local singing and social organization that celebrates German culture.
And Valter’s is right at home at the Maennerchor. Both the restaurant’s name and its location pretty much guarantee that its menu will feature German food. Valter’s stays true to form, showcasing a variety of dining options that demonstrate the extensive range within the culture’s traditional foods. To emphasize: German food is much more than schnitzel and wursts.
There are also Jagermeister Wings ($13).
Personal experiences with Jagermeister have been limited and somewhat unpleasant. On its own, the liquor can come off a little reminiscent of cough syrup, which is not a typical pairing for poultry. Authentically German, Jagermeister is proudly made with more than 56 ingredients that include ginseng, licorice and anise. Which explains a lot.
Surprisingly, Jagermeister works with wings. Its medicinal accents are wholly absent as rendered in Valter’s chicken wings, and the liquor’s double whammy of licorice and anise merge into a fragrant spiced accent. Embracing every stereotype of German culture, the wings are served neatly-stacked in an orderly, straight line. Each knob is fully bathed in the Jager-enhanced sauce.
If wing’s don’t hit the mark for you, then the appetizer menu also features an opportunity to explore the house sausage offerings with The Rhein Trio ($16).
As the name suggests, there are three: Bratwurst, Stout Bratwurst, and a potentially discomforting Weisswurst. “Weiss” is “white” in German, and the sausage is quite pale when seated next to the brats. That said, it’s also made from veal and pork, which are pale meats. Together, they make a charming, balanced trio, each with subtle savory differences, still unified with a lean-ness that comes across as high-quality sausage. The trio is served with a bed of sauerkraut and house-made mustard, both of which add some punchy variety to the experience.
Käsespätzle($23) can be found in the entree section. It also presents a geeked-out opportunity to bring real usefulness to four years of German language courses in high school. It’s fun to pronounce when ordering.
Literally, the dish translates as cheese pasta, but in execution, the thick, supple noodles hold much more than cheese. There’s a hefty mix of sausage and soft caramelized onions in there too – all thoroughly bathed in a full-bodied, omnipresent Kasseri cheese sauce.
Now for some Schnitzel. It’s available as both an entree or in something more informal when tucked inside a sandwich ($15). The lean pork is flattened, breaded and fried, then teamed with a good dose of cheddar and house mustard along with lettuce and tomato and paired with a poofy pretzel bun.
To wash it all down, a German beer in a giant mug appears be a popular choice, but Valter’s hosts a full bar…so more Jagermeister is an option as well.
Valter’s opens weekdays at 11 a.m. On weekends, it opens early at 9 a.m. with a special brunch menu. You can find it at 976 S. High St.
For more information, visit valtersatthemaennerchor.com.
All photos by Susan Post
