San Diego Spotlight : Kaiserhof: A Meaty Answer to ‘Where’s the Beef?’ Query

An American veteran of World War II once observed that the soldiers in his unit found France exotic, but felt quite at home when they crossed the Rhine into Germany.

It may be safe to suppose that the group included a number of Midwesterners, reminded of home by the Germans’ basic meat-and-potatoes qualities.

Fads and fashion may have led us down the paths of quenelles and pasta primavera, and the medical profession may have weaned us away from frequent indulgence in pot roast with gravy, but most of us still regard old-fashioned cooking as real food, and many of us truly hunger for it.

German cuisine of course fills the bill easily, given the long-cooked, savory meat dishes and the rich potato, noodle and cabbage garnishes. German restaurants never have been in over-supply in San Diego, but Kaiserhof has endured reliably for a decade or so. Fans had something of a scare earlier this year when this prime purveyor of sauerbraten and spaetzle vacated its quarters at the Eastern end of Mission Valley to make way for the reborn Nicolosi’s, but they were given a reprieve when Kaiserhof reopened in a handsomely refurbished structure in Ocean Beach.

The location has changed, and largely for the better. The smaller rooms are quieter and more attractive, and the blue cloths on the tables neatly complement the “Blue Danube” on the sound system, but what is most important is that Kaiserhof has maintained its stride in terms of cooking.

The menu continues to impress with its sheer breadth of choice, which occasionally heads in unexpected directions, and the restaurant remains a bastion of generous portions. This isn’t the place to go when you’re in the mood for something light.

Given the meaty orientation, several of the big deals of German cooking are listed under the beef heading. The most obvious of these would be the sauerbraten, recognized as the signature dish of German cuisine--in this country, at least--and rather glorious when it has been marinated into a piquantly sweet-sour state. Kaiserhof does a workmanlike job with the dish; the meat is tender, fatless, tart and noticeably spiced, which are all the qualities one looks for in sauerbraten; the sauce is lighter than many, and quite flavorful.

Every bit as typical, though less well-known, the beef rouladen offer flavors every bit as satisfying as the sauerbraten. These rolls of thinly sliced round steak enclose a savory stuffing of bacon, onion, dill pickle spears and minced meat, and are deeply browned and then braised to a rich tenderness. The filling is delightful, and it would be hard to conceive a preparation that more perfectly meets the requirements of meat-and-potatoes cooking.

The two dishes above typify the menu’s emphasis on long-cooked, richly sauced meats, and other examples would be the beef Stroganoff, the goulash and the zigeuner schnitzel, a plate of pork cutlets cooked in a creamy paprika sauce filled out with strips of onion, ham and red and green bell pepper. This last is a spicy, tasty dish, and every bit as colorful as the Gypsies for whom it is named, but it should be noted that the meat is not as tender as might be desired. The same comment applies to an occasional special of Swiss-style veal ( Zuricher geschmetzeltes ), or slivered veal cooked in a cream gravy. The meat, on the tough side, reposed in a sauce that lacked both delicacy and finesse, and was a rare example of the Kaiserhof kitchen sending out a disappointing dish.

The same general patterns prevail through several pages of entrees. Highlights would include the eisbein , or boiled pork shank, and the related roast shank called schweinhaxe ; several varieties of veal scallops, from the simple breaded Wiener schnitzel sauteed in butter to the Jaeger schnitzel in creamed mushroom sauce; the wurstplatte of knackwurst, bauernwurst and bratwurst sausages, served with sauerkraut and steamed potatoes, and the calf’s liver in Port sauce. There are several seafood offerings, including grilled and garnished halibut, salmon and swordfish, but while seafood may be much eaten in Germany--as it is in San Diego--Kaiserhof’s main appeal would seem to reside in the traditional meat offerings.

One of the interesting side journeys taken by the menu leads to a list of cold principal dishes, which rarely appear on menus here and are much to be appreciated. The choice includes platters of roast beef, or Black Forest ham, or assorted cold cuts, all garnished with potato salad, along with an entree-sized portion of steak Tartar. The latter, tasty if not universally beloved, is virtually impossible to find in local restaurants.

Half the pleasure of a German meal lies in the side dishes, of which Kaiserhof offers a formal list; most entrees include the choice of two. Typically, the selection includes apple sauce as a vegetable, although it might be preferable taken in more modest portion as an auxiliary to the small but crisp and elegant potato pancakes. The red cabbage should not be missed, since it is cooked to a fine softness and is perfectly balanced between sweet and tart sensations. The spaetzle, or dumpling-like fresh egg noodles, make a natural accompaniment to the sauerbraten and similar dishes, while the crisp, German-fried potatoes go well with other meats.

Meals also include a choice of the soup of the day, or a bowl of freshly pickled cucumbers (piquant, flavored with dill and quite good) or, rather tamely, a green salad. The kitchen has a way with soups, which seem ineffably German, especially the tomato bisque; although warm, it almost has the rich texture of jellied consomme. The split pea soup, garnished with croutons fried in butter at the moment of service, is richly savory.

Unsurprisingly, the restaurant exhausts itself by the time dessert comes into consideration; it is fairly hard in any case to contemplate this course after all the food that has come before. The cakes are catered and dull, but the kitchen does turn out an acceptable apple strudel.

JUST A TASTE

HIGHLIGHTS OF OTHER NELSON REVIEWS

HOPS!, University Towne Center, 4353 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, 587-6677. Although self-billed as a “bistro and brewery,” Hops takes a serious approach with both the menu and the wine list, the latter composed by an accredited sommelier and priced most reasonably for the times. The brewing vats, visible through broad interior windows, turn out five varieties of beer, including a rich, full Oktoberfest brew and a Bavarian-style wheat beer. The contemporary (and thus eclectic) menu ranges from snacks to serious fare, notably garlicky lamb with white beans, excellent spit-roasted chicken and equally good Alaskan halibut on herbed cannellini beans. There are also pizzas, salads and several rich, old-fashioned desserts. Pizzas and entrees priced from $8 to $19. Moderate to expensive.

OSTERIA PANEVINO, 722 Fifth Ave., Gaslamp Quarter, 595-7959. The Gaslamp Quarter may seem ready to overload on Italian restaurants, but there evidently is always room for one more really good establishment. Panevino, small, informal and innovative, makes the grade quite handily and deserves praise for such things as its fine daily specials list and the delicate stuffed “focaccia,” or rich crusts that sandwich light vegetable fillings. The cooking seems uniformly good, especially in the case of the sauteed trout over lentils and the braised lamb shank with white beans. The menu goes on and on and includes pastas, salads and fine vegetable hors d’oeuvres. The desserts, Sicilian fantasies all, are rich and creamy. Pastas and entrees $7.95 to $16.95. Moderate to expensive.

* KAISERHOF 2253 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Ocean Beach 224-0606 Lunch weekdays, dinner nightly Entrees $11.75 to $19.50. Dinner for two, including a glass of wine each, tax and tip, about $30 to $55. Credit cards accepted