Peachy Picks Heidelberg

Do you know somewhere in Manhattan every day is Octoberfest?
It is Heidelberg!
Their authentic tradition is heartwarming, as well as their cuisine, and Dieter the owner and his family have been running this Upper East side staple since 1966.

Earlier, we featured Heidelberg in Terrific Takeout:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2011/05/terrific-takeout-heidelberg.html

And it graduated to Tasty Tidbits:
http://www.whomyouknow.com/2011/07/tasty-tidbits-heidelberg.html

It truly is an original and with a history that dates back to 1902 which we find incredibly impressive, Heidelberg has graduated to Peachy's Picks.  They even have amazing German outfits!  We love it when a restaurant cares so much about details and authenticity.

 In 1902, it began with the name Vaterland which means Fatherland.  This area of New York is traditionally German, and Heidelberg is the most authentic spot in the city.  We find it touching that generations return time after time with their children for the Heidelberg experience.  In 1939, the name was changed from Vaterland to Heidelberg.  Peachy Deegan began with a traditional dish: Suelze-headcheese, very top, pork in aspic with viniagrette.  She must say that this is the first time she's had such a dish and we really enjoy sampling the cuisine that is new to us from other cultures...Peachy is a tiny bit German but had not tried this until Heidelberg.  The wurst salat-sliced leberkaese with onions and pickles, above, was a tasty starter and very festively presented.  We cannot emphasize enough that this time of year, you want to sit in the beer garden.  It is terrifically fun, and secluded from the banter of second avenue.  We consider it a treat to eat outside for three months out of the year here!

The Jaeger Schnitzel, a veal cutlet, sauteed mushrooms in cream and wine was simply divine.  It was tender, succulent, and flavorful.  You will not be able to eat it all! Another great thing about Heidelberg: it is a classy beer garden.  Look at the cuisine that is offered with the beer!  Peachy began with Warsteiner (light pilsner) and then went on to Hauf Brau Dunkel (dark).  If you think about most places in the city that have some kind of beer garden, it's definitely not as authentic as this, doesn't offer such fabulous cuisine, and doesn't exude such class and staying power. 

The grand finale?  Hot raspberries over vanilla ice cream.  A truly knockout dessert for a hot summer day!  Don't listen to only Peachy though...our esteemed panel adds:

Heidelberg Restaurant is an Upper East Side staple and fun throwback in time. If it's a nice day, it's definitely worth asking to sit in their casual Beergarten. It's a fun place to sit and enjoy a schtein with friends. I started with the Hof Brau Lager (light) which was a crisp, refreshing beer. For an appetizer, I had the traditional cucumber salad in oil and vinegar with sourcream. 

All of the portions at the Heidelberg are huge and good for sharing. I knew that we would be having a heavy meal, so I'm glad I started with the simple cucumber salad which was fresh and very vinegar-y, which I like a lot. I thought that the sourcream would be too heavy, but the flavor blended nicely. We also got to taste the Wurst Salat of sliced Leberkaese (liverworst) with onions and pickles. That was very tasty and glad I got to try it. 

 For my entree, I tried the Schweineshaxe which is a Bavarian specialty of roasted pork shank with sauerkraut and boiled potatos. The pork shank is served crispy on the outside in a dinosaur-sized portion. The pork had a nice balance of fat and meat to give it good flavor. I paired my entree with the Hof Brau Dunkel, the darker version of my first beer. This was a delicious beer that looks dark and manly, but is not heavy like a Guinness and really went nicely with the pork shank. The sauerkraut had really good flavor. For dessert, we shared the apple strudel. It was very heavy on cinnamon and definitely a portion for sharing with two or more people. The pastry dough had a nice texture and was a sweet way to end the evening.

Heidelberg is an authentic German eatery in the heart of Yorkville. Established a century ago, Heidelberg is one of the oldest continually running restaurants in Manhattan. The atmosphere, a darkly lit homage to Bavaria nicely compliments the great selection of food and German beer. The gracious owner Dieter and his well-trained staff are dressed in genuine lederhosen and German garb.  

I started with a mixed salad of greens, beats, cucumber and potato salad. This light faire was perfect for summer time and the heavier and large portioned cuisine to follow. For an entree, I ordered one of the traditional sausage platters comprised of Bauernwurst, Weisswurst, and Bratwurst with a side of potato pancakes. Off course sauerkraut was included as with most meals. As expected the sausage is made fresh and lives up to its big German taste. The Bauernwurst was spicy with a coarse texture and the Weisswurst, a white sausage was made from veal, had a smooth texture and a more mild taste. 

 My favorite, the Bratwurst was wonderfully spicy and perfectly cooked.  No visit to Heidelberg would be complete without sampling some authentic German beer. My favorite was the Hofbrau Dunkel. A dark beer amber beer, the Hofbrau Dunkel was surprising not heavy but rather smooth and quite easy to drink.  I highly recommend Heidelberg for its authentic atmosphere, wonderful staff, and excellent tradition German fare.

If "more is more" is what you live by, Heidelberg is your new destination.  The boots of draft beer (they take 7 minutes to pour) seemed to fill every table on the evening we were there and are among the most popular orders!  On a sultry summer evening, as we waited for the rest of our party, I sipped a Black Forest Baden Reisling, chilled, and enjoyed toothy breads, and extremely accomodating attention from the hostess and staff.  Mostly hailing from Germany,  and reasonable priced, the white wines (with a Moselbluemchen and a Liebraumilch both at 19.00) provide an alternative to the obvious: beer.  Tourists,  local regulars, and Europeans from all over fill the tables, the biergarten, and the bar.  

While some of my fellow critics enjoyed different beers, I changed  from my Reisling to a "Radler", recommended by a convivial grad student, seated with his friends.  A Radler is lemonade, capped with  beer.  A more refreshing summer drink would be hard to find, and is described by Deiter, our host, as the German soda pop.  Heidelberg, the restaurant, has been in situ for more than 100 years, providing german warmth, bratwurst, and schnitzel to all comers.  Tempted by the appetizers they are best known for, I chose instead one of the specials: a cherry soup. Dark, and not too sweet, with a dollop of sour cream,and chunks of cherries, the well-bred concoction was a great choice. Chicken schnitzel came next: a breaded, tender chicken breast, pounded flat and served with a wonderful red cabbage.  I had to try some of the potato salad: the vinegar, onion and potato side dish balances any of their entrees, especially in the summertime. 

Anna, our waitress, brought a healthy serving of spaetzle, with cheese, to the table.  It's a grown-up Mac-n-Cheese,an un-gourmet, tender version of the all-American side dish.  After a very satisfying meal, it would be impossible to down a portion of their strudel, so instead, I went back to the beginning, and had a cherry/berry fruit compote.  Served chilled, with vanilla cream, it's a happy ending to an easy dinner at Heidelberg.Go before Oktoberfest, when the crowds become too thick for reservations.  The season starts well in September, so run over there now to enjoy a summer beer.  And plan on going back in the winter, with close friends, for an evening of comfort food, and schnapps.

Peachy Picks Heidelberg!
http://www.heidelbergrestaurant.com/