Since I can’t eat at Flour & Water every night, it’s important to keep checking out new places in the Mission. Th is especially true for one that prominently features German lagers. Schmidt’s is the latest addition to San Francisco’s burgeoning German food scene, joining the likes of Suppenküche and Walwerk.

So, how does this new location stack up?  They’re new, and still working out the kinks.  They have a decent (although not particularly exceptional compared to the other lager focused locations in the city) selection of German beers. The food shows promise, but a few details need work.  Yet these are minor complaints – the space is warm and inviting.  The staff is informed, friendly and excited to welcome new customers.  Haven’t tried a beer?  Ask for a sample and they’ll gladly provide it.   Don’t recognize some of the dishes on the menu?  They’re glad to help explain in plain English.  With more generous servings of mustard and a bit more salt in everything, they will grow into a  great local spot for a schwarzbier and hasenpfeffer.

The interior is a mix of cafe and restaurant, a service bar running along the back, a fairly exposed kitchen, and plenty of space in between tables.  Wood abounds on every surface.

The beer list is focused on german pilsners, with a nice selection of helles, kolsch, schwarzbiers and pilsners. They are carefully poured into the appropriate glassware (I love that) and priced reasonably.  They feature eight taps, plus a growing bottle collection. My Kostriker Schwarzbier had a nice color and hint of roasted malt against a crisp finish.  Elianna loved her crisp and fresh Kolsch.

We ordered a variety of dishes, trying to get as wide a selection of options as possible.  They feature a nice selection of homestyle german favorites, as well as charcuterie options. The charcuterie isn’t right now made in house, but is instead locally sourced.

Rabbit, braised in wine, served with red cabbage.  Pretty great – although it needed salt.  The rabbit was well prepared, and the sauce surprisingly delicate with a great wine backbone.

Cheese Spatzle – delicious as always, although not quite as indulgent as Suppenküche’s similar dish.

The “Slaughter Plate” – or charcuterie plate.  The German’s really have a poetic way with words, don’t they? Ours was made with two offerings – head cheese, and blood and tongue loaf.  While tasty, neither was as aggressively flavored as we hoped. It also came with a surprisingly stingy serving of mustards – which were delicious.

Schmidt’s also offers a great selection of sausages, with a total of twelve appearing on the menu.  Trying to take the most adventurous route, we opted for the blood sausage, which was served with braised apples (one of the favorite bites of the night).  The sausage was good, although not as over the top as some other local offerings.  It did go great with our giant black lagers.

So, how does Schmidt’s fit into the SF German restaurant scene? They offer the most affordable, relaxed atmosphere of many of the choices, nicely balancing an accessible menu with a decent beer list.  For fifteen dollars you can have a traditional lager and your choice of sausage, served with superbly crafted sides – a great deal for dinner. Given time, I think they’ll work out the few kinks they have and make a fine addition to the neighborhood. Their menu is a great reflection of the restaurant they want to be – each dish is labeled in traditional German, then explained in english right below – both traditional, and accessible, without compromising either.

Tags: german, lager

This entry was posted on Monday, August 3rd, 2009 at 5:48 pm and is filed under Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.