What could be better on a summer afternoon or evening than sitting outside at a beer garden, enjoying a cold, frothy brew?
When the Pilsner Haus Biergarten appeared on the Upper West Side about a year ago, it was an immediate hit—just what der Doktor ordered.
07030 contributor Amanda Staab was a perfect dinner companion. She’s second-generation German-American and said the ambience accurately reproduced the real thing back in Europe. Though it was late spring, we visited on a cool, rainy evening. With beautiful wood beams and long tables, fashioned from reclaimed barns in Pennsylvania, the interior has a warm, ski lodgey feel.
Now, let’s talk beer. Pilsner Haus offers more than 20 premium imported drafts and 50 European and American craft beers by the bottle. To start, I chose the Radeberger pilsner on draft, described on the menu as a “crisp, fluffy-headed golden lager, brisk in bitterness and mellow in malt.” OK, let’s just say it was really good and really refreshing.
Amanda chose the Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen, a “wheat beer with a big bready base, filled with banana, toffee, and tropical fruit.” Hmm, maybe not so much banana, Amanda said, but a delicious brew.
A lot of beer gardens are so consumed with the brew, they blow off the food. Not this one. It has the more traditional, self-serve grill and rotisserie with everything from hot dogs and burgers to kielbasa, sausage, and bratwurst. But on weeknights, it offers a full menu, from salads to desserts, and we were astonished at the high quality of the selections.
We started with the haus salad, a brisk, vinegary blend of marinated lentils, beets, cucumbers, and red cabbage on a bed of watercress.
For an entrée, Amanda chose the chicken paprikash, local farm-raised chicken, braised in paprika, lemon zest, and sour cream, served with a kind of noodle called spatzle.
Amanda, who had traveled in Prague, observed that the chicken had a Czech feel to it. Indeed, when owner Ladi Sebestyan sat down with us, he revealed that some of the menu items reflected his roots in the Czech Republic.
I chose a classic wiener schnitzel, pork cutlet served with parsley potatoes, cucumber salad, and lingonberries. There were actually two tender, lightly breaded cutlets, so I was able to take one home.
We ordered a side of sauerkraut that took the traditional to a new level with caraway seeds and a pinch of red pepper.
Ladi suggested we try his favorite beer, the Staropramen, a light but robust dark amber beer brewed in his homeland. It’s strong but has a smooth finish. Our favorite was probably the Paulaner Salvator, “majestically malty, nutty with a deliciously dry finish,” which was light enough to drink with a hearty dinner.
Ladi’s advice on dessert was the palatschinken, a crepe with chocolate sauce and hazelnuts, and a classic apple strudel with ice cream. Both were surprisingly light and came with fresh whipped cream.
In the unlikely event that you are not a beer lover, the restaurant has a solid wine list. It also offers weekend brunch and entertainment throughout the week, including festivals, films, live music, and beer tastings.
If you’re looking for me this summer, you’ll probably find me in the garden of the Pilsner Haus. Prost!—Kate Rounds
Pilsner Haus Biergarten
1422 Grand St.
201) 683-5465
info@pilsnerhaus.com
pilsnerhaus.com