Tasty German Food and Pastries

Restaurant:
Fork & Spoon
651 Interstate 35 Business
New Braunfels, TX
830-626-3999

Open
Monday - Tuesday 7am - 3pm
Wednesday - Friday 7am - 3pm, 5-10pm
Saturday - Sunday 8am - 3pm, 5-10 pm
Food: 4.5/5
Service: 5/5
Atmosphere 4.5/5
Overall 4.7/5

Hello! Val here! We had noticed this place, and the attached bakery a couple months ago, on one of our trips to Tobacco Haus, however they were always closed on the nights we would go by there, because we tended to get there late. However a nice person we met at Tobacco Haus (Toby of Toby West's Auto Repair) encouraged us to make a point of trying it.

She said:
Today we decided to go out to dinner with our daughter, Goggles, and I remembered the suggestion. We went in, and were sat down right away. The interior was rather charming, much like New Braunfels itself, it had a mixture of old world feel and new construction, natural polished wood and corrugated metal.

Our waiter Roger was energetic, enthusiastic and very funny. He was happy to explain, with some amused sarcasm, anything on the menu. Really, we had a lot of fun chatting with him, and he was always quick to make sure we had everything we needed. The drinks were refilled promptly, and Uwe, the owner, was also ready to jump in and help out.

People like Uwe are why we do what we do here at "...and that is what he/she said" - people who work hard, create a business doing what they love, and share their dreams with the community. He is very knowledgeable as a person and as a chef, and his son works with him as a talented chef himself.

Jaeger Schnitzel

I had the Jaeger Schnitzel, which tends to be the first meal I order at any German Restaurant. It was very tasty, it came with steak fries and a brown gravy with onions, chopped pieces of bacon and mushrooms in it. It was a thinner sauce than the gravy-like sauce I see at many places, but that meant it soaked into the steak fries well, which was rather tasty. At first I was unsure of the sauce, as on its own it tasted different, but once tasted on the meat, it complimented the crispy breading and the tender pork quite nicely. A very balanced flavor with just enough salt to not need any, nor to taste overly salty. The only thing that would make it better would be to have some delicious German fried potatoes with onions, and I think next time I will order the golden Yukon roasted potatoes and see how that tastes.

Goggles here:

Curry wurst

I had the Curry Wurst -
It was very very tasty. Or as I put it at the time, OMNOMNOMNOM
The serving size was good - 2 pieces of bratwurst, they were cooked well without being dried out, and the sauce was excellent. The sauce was a dark golden curry sauce, that was savory and slightly spicy, with a nice warm feeling in my tummy. Very tasty.
The steak fries were lightly salted and very good when dipped in the sauce.





Okay... last time I hand the keyboard to a teenager (sigh)

Pumpkin Turtle cheesecake

This is Val again...
I wanted dessert, as I had been sitting across from the bakery counter throughout the meal. I tried the Pumpkin turtle cheesecake. Thomas got the bienenstich, and Uwe also brought us some of his cream cheese mandarin orange cake and his punch cake (his personal favorite) to try.

I loved the pumpkin turtle cheesecake. It had a softer, creamer texture than I expected from a cheesecake, almost like mousse. It was delicious and had a good balance between the spices, sweetness and the pumpkin, and the caramel and pecan topping complimented it nicely. The cheesecake was more expensive than the other desserts, but it was a very large slice. I would say it is definitely a dessert worth splitting with someone special.

 I thought the bienenstich was a bit dry, but I have never had it before, so I would not know what to compare it to. The almond topping was excellent with a carmelized flavor, and Thomas and Goggles seemed to like it.

mandarin cake on the left, punch cake on the right

I thought the mandarin cake was light and tasty, with an interesting blend of flavors.

I have to agree with Uwe's assessment though. The punch cake is incredible, and I wish I had ordered a cup of coffee to go along with it. It was a wonderful mix of flavors, with vanilla and chocolate and marzipan and some type of alcohol, but I am not sure what. It made me want to sit outside with a cup of coffee and a fine cigar, and I plan on doing so some Saturday afternoon.

Uwe mentioned that the mandarin and the punch cake are much lower in sugar than the other cakes, that I believe he said it would take 43 pieces of punch cake to equal one piece of the Italian cake's sugar content. I thought that was interesting, because both of these cakes were sweet, but without the sinful richness of the other cakes. If you want a smaller dessert that won't leave you feeling guilty about over indulging, I would recommend one of these.











Overall we found the food and the company to be delightful, and it's location makes it the perfect place to have dinner or brunch before heading to the Tobacco Haus for a cigar. We will definitely be returning.

Old World  charm with a Texas twist.

He Said:

We've been looking for a good place near the Tobacco Haus to grab dinner on our occasional night out and were interested in The Fork and Spoon/Theis Bakery for awhile. They were just closed fairly early.

Like Val said, we met Toby having cigars and he let us know his friend Uwe was going to be open later. We were popping up to New Braunfels to do some research for one of her Architectural reports and stopped in here for dinner.

I have to be careful at dining establishments to avoid beef or seafood exposures. They have a varied menu and follow great food hygiene. Robert (our waiter) was ready with information about the dishes and was very entertaining. My glass never got empty and he was conversational without being intrusive.

Speaking of the menu: it was a great mix of some fusion dishes and Old World cuisine. I got the vienna schnitzel to contrast the jaeger schnitzel Val was having and the curry wurst Goggles got.

Vienna schnitzel

Thomas and the bienenstich

This schnitzel is schnitzel at its purest. Just a quick squeeze of lemon and the pork steak.

The crust was just crisp enough and kept the pork moist. Uwe's balance of spices were masterful. The only thing that would have made this better would have been some German fried potatoes instead of steak fries. However, even the fries were well done: very crispy without being over cooked.

This plate came with a salad of greens with croutons and a great Bleu Cheese dressing.

After enjoying our main dish, dessert was in order. All the cakes, pies, and pastries were sitting there beckoning us to eat them. So, after getting the lowdown on everything, I decided to get the bienenstich. Two layer of firm cake with a toasty almond topping separated by whipped cream.

To be honest, it was different at first. But, after a few bites I was hooked. Taking a bite of everyone else's dessert settled it, come here at least for the bakery. Uwe sent us samples of a couple of his desserts to try. This man knows his baking!

As I paid the bill I nearly got some cheese or bacon rolls that were over at the bakery side of the restaurant. But decided I needed to save something for next time.

Goggles really liked the cheesecake

We got a chance to chat with out Host and he is truly a great guy. He came to Texas from Germany and loves his community. He has worked hard to get where he is and still loves his job. Another reason to try and eat local.

Bavarian food - and cakes - to die for at Bavarian Restaurant

The Bavarian Restaurant at 5512 FM 78 in Kirby is THE place to go for amazing Bavarian food

Atmosphere 4/5 stars - like eating at someone's home
Noise - fairly quiet, with cool music in German. It is easy to converse in there.
Service - 5/5 excellent! The servers and owners remember returning customers.
Food - 6/5 - We really love this place
Value - 5/5 - great prices, and very large portions

This restaurant can be a bit tricky to find, it is easy to pass, and in an odd part of town, but it is WELL worth the effort to find.

Val here - Do you like Schnitzel?  How about Schnitzel as big around as your head?  I am not joking here, generally Thomas and I cut it in half, and put it in a to-go box, then eat what is left on our plate (the rest makes an awesome breakfast the next day).

My favorite dish there is the Jaeger Schnitzel, with brown gravy and mushrooms.  Thomas tends to get a variety of things, such as the Gypsy Schnitzel and the Curry Schnitzel (which is rather yummy too). The potatoes are a must - they are just right - carmelized with onions...

The best nights are Wednesday and Thursday when they often have a special where if you purchase a drink, your meal is only 10.00, which is a savings of about 4.00 a plate.  Spend that on dessert, you won't regret it.

This cake weighed a ton.  It was amazing.

Horace is the owner, and primary genius behind the recipes at the Bavarian Restaurant.  He moved here from Germany and has lived a really interesting life.  He told me some great stories last weekend while I was picking up a cake for Thomas' birthday.  What I thought I was getting - a simple hazelnut cake that would be tasty - what I got - the ambrosia of cakes that would make a god weep for joy and has forever ruined all other cakes in our minds - there can only be one cake - a cake from Bavarian Restaurant - no really - it was that good.

I might have cried a little when I had the last bite. I mean, look at that.

Not two, not three, but six amazing layers of thin, moist chocolate cake with a rich, but somehow still delicate tasting hazelnut frosting, topped with whole hazelnuts.  There are no words that can encompass the amazing mind-blowing flavor of this cake. For only 35.00. Seriously one of the best values in town. (Call at least a week in advance for specific cakes, or to order a whole one.)

In fact Thomas and I should be nominated for sainthood because there was one piece left and we let Goggles have it even though she had gone out for the day and it was sitting
 in the fridge, taunting us with its deliciousness.

With the economy being the way it is, Horace could use more business - they are open for dinner Tuesday - Saturday night 5 - 9, and Fridays for lunch 11 - 2.  They accept reservations, and do some small scale catering (pick up only, not full service) for events.

Thomas here:

My Dad took me here a couple years ago. We LOVE German food and love it even better when it is like a home cooked meal. Some places you go feel stuffy or overly "Germanized" (like some tourist trap or a overly done kitsch hole)...

The Bavarian Restaurant is neither. It is like eating an exceptional home cooked meal at the home of a favourite Uncle. Horace and his staff go over and beyond to make the food tasty, atmosphere relaxed, and everyone comfortable.

If you know nothing about German food, the staff here will answer all your questions and even make recommendations about personal favourites.

Speaking of personal favourites, try the Curry Schnitzel! A Hearty/Sweet red curry sauce on one of Horace's incredible schnitzels. Ask for a "to go" box as soon as it hits the table. That way you don't eat the whole thing and hurt yourself. Plus, It makes a great companion to your eggs for breakfast the next morning.

Seriously though, everything on the menu is wonderful. Bratwurst with a crispy skin but moist inside, Slow roasted pork shoulder with caramelized skin, Home fried potatoes that make you homesick for that German Grandma you never had (or did), rotkraut, spatzle, potato dumplings, German potato salad, and even the green beans are to die for.

The lunch menu for Friday is clean and concise. You can get the best of the best and get back to work full of Germanic bliss without being so stuffed you need a nap.

Besides the food, Horace the owner/chef comes out whenever he can to talk to his customers and share his life with you, Will tell you most of his recipes, and even make suggestions to help your cooking style. All of the waitstaff chat with customers and it becomes a second home. Even John signs for the hearing impaired.

After everything is said and done, save the room and get dessert! If you put a slice of the Black Forest cake on a plate and balance it on your head, your tongue will beat your brains out trying to get to it. Fresh cherries, moist cake, and savoury chocolate... Hazelnut cake. strudel. stollen...

Now I'm going to have to go soon.

PS. Here's a picture of the Birthday cake that Val got for my Birthday Party recently. 6 layers of chocolate and hazelnut heaven. At a very reasonable price.