Geman food is caters to a niche market here in the Philippines. Most Filipinos have never tasted the stuff ever. I am one of these people. Having been given the opportunity to try German food, I instantly jumped at the chance to do so. Enter Wagner German Bakery, a German restaurant located in the heart of Makati. It was established just last year by the brilliant restaurateur Angelo, who was of German and Filipino descent.
According to Angelo, he wanted to retain as much of the authenticity of German food back home; hence most of his ingredients were imported from the bread up to the viand. He also said that the food was inclusive for expat Germans and other people who want to experience a new kind of cuisine. The ingredients were also of the highest quality.
The interiors:
Well-lit and ambient.
The large sign of Wagner German Bakery
The food was not limited to bread. They had a wide selection of viand ranging from authentic German dishes to a few international favorites. For the sake of this food review, we tried their German food.
The Germans are some of the biggest alcohol consumers in the world. Some would even start or end a meal by consuming a tall glass or mug of beer. Angelo gave us the experience by offering us a tall glass of Paulanner wheat beer. Wheat beer was originally made as a drink that could be allowed during Lent due to its filling nature and its low alcohol content. I loved its sweetness and full-bodied taste, though.
This beer was pretty light and easy to drink compared to the stereotypical German beers that will knock you down in one glass. I wanted to have more of it.
"One more glass, but then I'm done." is a popular German phrase used when ending a night of drinking.
The Nurnburger Bratwurste was a mix of traditional German Pork Sausage with Sauerkraut. The latter was the German version of Atsara or pickled vegetables. Sauerkraut was composed of pickled cabbage in a mildly sweet vinegar. This was way better than Atsara due to the less acrid taste and the mildly sweet flavor. The Pork Sausage exemplified the German fixation with the best sausages in the world. Every bite was packed with juicy and tasty pork bits of the highest quality. It was also fried well and not too oily.
The Schnitzel is the German version of fried chicken strips with thick breading. The chicken was mashed to a thin sheet for easy cooking. The breading was truly crisp and tasty even. Add to that the tangy potato salad side dish, and you truly have a winner. I liked the Schnitzel
The Leberkas Burger was made out of special meatloaf, lettuce, cinnamon bread, and sauerkraut. It came with a huge surplus of fries. The cinnamon bread was pretty sweet and blended well with the meatloaf. The meatloaf was pretty soft; and it was pretty easy to savor. It was unlike the other German meat that was intense on the taste.
The Flaker Goulash was combo of Beef Goulash, fried egg, bread dumplings,chicken sausage, and bell peppers. According to Angelo, the goulash was originally popular among coach drivers who had to stay out in the cold. Served hot, this dish was composed of beef fried in a mildly spicy sauce. It was pretty homey and savory at the same time. The bread dumplings that came with the meat mixed and tasted well when dipped with the sauce. The chicken sausage was also excellent.
The Kasespatzle was composed of fried egg nodles with a cheese layer. It was topped with onion rings. It was quite oily, but tasty at the same time. the noodles were pretty thick and brimmed with cheese in every bite.
The dishes in one huge array
The pretzels were pretty thick. According to Angelo, each region in Germany has its own way of making pretzels. His variant came from Munich, the home of BMW. The lower part was smaller while the upper part was huge. These were chewy and salty at the same time partly because of the lye.
The Kaiserschmarnn or the Emperor's mess was a pancake chopped into pieces. The dish came about when a chef served the Holy Roman Emperor a botched-up pancake. The Emperor enjoyed every bite of the pancake despite its ugly appearance. This variant came with raisin fillings and frosted sugar. I enjoyed it even if it was a tad sweet.
This was the sourdough bread. The filling was chewy while the crust was a bit hard on the teeth. It was pretty tasty nonetheless, with the nuts and the distinct sour flavor.
This was the Lumberjack bread. A whole loaf had the appearance of a log with an axe chip, reminiscent of lumber. This was a bit bitter. However, it tasted better with a helping of Wagner's special pistachio ice cream.
There you have it folks. Wagner German Bakery is a restaurant enveloped in a lot of European history and culture. The recipes that they use are quite excellent even if it was my first time tasting them.
Wagner German Bakery is located at Ground Floor, Two Central Building, Valero Street, Salcedo Village, Makati City.
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