Gravy Kind of Love

Schweinebrauten, sliced pork loin with garlic and caraway, didn't blow me away; I still prefer my own roast pork. Here, it needed the beer-enhanced gravy for moistness. No complaints about the thick potato dumpling that came with it, though. Rheinischer sauerbraten, wine- and vinegar-marinated sirloin, wasn't bad, either; sides of red cabbage and spaetzle definitely added to its appeal.

Meanwhile, kasseler rippchen — a thick smoked pork chop — was satisfying in a simple, old-fashioned way, like a Sunday dinner at Grandma's. Same goes with the choucroute garni, with three kinds of German sausage, all made next door at the aptly named German Sausage Company. Both plates came with roasted potatoes and more of that good sauerkraut.

After generous plates of food and an enormous mug of beer, dessert-time was brutal for me. I still ache just thinking about it. But there's nothing wrong with a taste, right?

In a contest between classic Black Forest cake (chocolate cake with layers of whipped cream and cherries) and the "chocolate volcano" — honestly, as unoriginal as it was — I preferred the volcano. It was warm, with a molten dark chocolate center, while the cool Black Forest cake evoked the fridge. Fresh, flaky apple strudel with vanilla ice cream tasted the best, though.

Like most good German food, it reminded me of home.