You may not think it very imaginative to name your German restaurant “The German Restaurant.” Once you leave that thought behind, the imagination completely takes over.

Entering the small building, you are enveloped in a cozy, colorful environment, playfully decorated in German décor. Pale blue and yellow fabrics and patterns offset the glossy white woodwork and walls, providing a storybook ambience. And, yes, we were seated under a cuckoo clock.

A family-run business, we were greeted by the owner, Dagmar. Her husband, Uwe, is the chef. We had a very pleasant waitress who proved to be efficient, funny and capable, all at the same time.

We started by sharing Kartoffelpuffer.  These potato pancakes, prepared almost like hash browns with coarsely grated potatoes, were light and crisp and served with a fine-textured applesauce. A salad followed; lettuce topped with four-bean salad, served with a creamy onion dressing. I selected Haehnchen Schnitzel as my entrée. The chicken cutlet was pounded thin, breaded and fried crisp with a hint of lemon and served with spaetzle. My dining companion had sauerbraten; beef roasted and served with a rich, tangy brown sweet-and-sour sauce, served with spaetzle and apple-flavored red cabbage.

Both of our entrees were available on the a la carte menu at very reasonable prices, but, in keeping with Florida tradition, Dagmar and Uwe also offer Early Bird Specials between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Here, early diners may find many of their favorites at a price that makes it an excellent value.

The German Restaurant also offers an extensive selection of German beer and wines. And, to exemplify their seriousness about beer, each selection is served in it’s proper glass.

The German Restaurant
www.the-german-restaurant.com

2616 US Highway 19 N
Holiday, FL 34691
(727) 937-7400

Hours:

Tues – Sat 4:00 - 10:00 pm
Sunday 1:00 - 9:00 pm
Closed Monday