The Bavarian has been around for ages, and is still hugely popular. Change can be a good thing but sometimes when you’re doing something right, you should stick to it, and that’s exactly what the German Restaurant has done.
Food
We’re actually quite surprised there haven’t been more German restaurants establishing themselves in Colombo, seeing how successful the Bavarian has been. Things here haven’t changed much at all during the past years, and we’re cool with that. The menu is quite extensive and covers pretty much all carnivorous needs. They’ve also got some imported beers and ciders which are a nice change from the local stuff (which we still love). The prices have gone up a bit, so expect to pay somewhere around Rs. 2000+ per head. Taxes are pretty high so keep that in mind as well.
We ordered the ever popular crispy pork knuckle (Rs. 1780), mixed grill (Rs. 1800) and the steak stack (Rs. 1500). They also have a pretty good 3 course lunch menu for about Rs. 1500 per head, but they’ll only give it to you if you ask the waiters specifically. It’s pricey, but you get what you pay for. All the portion sizes were pretty massive and in most cases takes a bit of effort and time to finish.
The pork knuckle is arguably their most popular dish, and for good reason. It’s served with sauteed potatoes, sauerkraut and gravy. The knuckle was cooked perfectly with a crispy crackling, tender meat and fat rendered perfectly to the point where it just melts in your mouth. The gravy also enhanced the flavour of the pork brilliantly and we ended up putting it on pretty much everything. Personally I would have preferred a mash over the potatoes but that’s me being picky.
The steak stack came with 2 steaks topped with fried onions, cheese and a large side of fries. The portion size was pretty big but we do definitely think a little more effort into the presentation on this one wouldn’t have hurt. The steak was cooked medium rare and was seasoned well. It was stacked like a sandwich with the cheese and fried onions in the middle and on top, so there was plenty of textures and flavours in every mouthful.
As we didn’t have enough meats on the table already, we went ahead and got a mixed grill as well. It had chicken, beef, lamb, and sausages topped with fried egg, served with fries and veges. We were pretty happy with it overall, but the only gripe we had was that of the 2 pieces of steak, one was cooked well done and the other was closer to medium.
Ambience and Service
The Bavarian has a classic pub theme, with it’s mostly wooden interior. While the wooden furniture adds a great aesthetic, it doesn’t make for the most comfortable experience. Maybe a few more cushions would help. It’s quite a small space so it does tend to get a bit stuffy when it’s at capacity, specially during dinner.
The service was pretty fast and the waiter was efficient, but he didn’t seem particularly happy about us being there for some reason (maybe I bumped into him on the road?).
Conclusion
The Bavarian has stuck with what they do best, which is giving us hardy, no-compromise, carnivorous meals. If you’re a meat lover who’s looking to stuff his face, then this is the place for you.
