Dinner - Friday Evening, April 17, 2009

Last year, Hanna treated us to dinner at Gustav's German Pub & Grill in Tigard, south west Portland area, so we could experience some German food.   We had been there once before with Amber and Christopher and knew that the food was very good, but this time, since Hanna was with us, we knew we would get an expert opinion as to how authentic the food was.   Hanna said it was OK and pretty close to some of the food she has had at home.

Hanna still wanted to try another German restaurant to show us more authentic German food. So, Friday night, Hanna took us to the Berlin Inn in Portland for dinner, as a Christmas/Anniversary gift.    We discovered the Berlin Inn when we looked for German restaurants on the Internet and were also told by a good friend from Germany who lives near us in Scappoose that the Berlin Inn was a great place for authentic German food.   When we arrived at the restaurant, Hanna said that the smell of food cooking when we entered reminded her of home and the interior decor looked like the inside of a German restaurant.

DeeDee had the Swabian Pork Sparerib - a boneless pork sparerib, grilled and slow roasted in a homemade European tomato and onion sweet-n-sour sauce, served over classic spatzle and sauerkraut.

Hanna had the Schweinshaxe - a traditional Bavarian dish of oven roasted knuckle of pork (crispy & golden on the outside and fork tender on the inside), served over a bed of sauerkraut with bratkartoffel potatoes.

I had a Beef Rouladen - pickles, onions, bacon, mustard, and seasonings wrapped in thinly sliced top round of beef, braised and baked, and topped with a pan gravy made from the roasting juices; served with spatzle and sweet-n-sour red cabbage.

Needless to say, we came away full, contented, and introduced to several authentic German dishes.    Unfortunately, since I was driving, I did not sample any of the wonderful looking dark German beers that were available - guess I will have to either go next time with a designated driver or wait until we visit Hanna and her family next year in Germany.

Thank you Hanna for a great evening out.