Puttin' On The Schnitzel
Schnitzel & Things Food Truck | Various Locations | schnitzelandthings.com
| [mappress] |
WHO KNEW? WHO knew that living in the foodie homogenous Upper East Side—with it's myriad sushi, Chinese, Thai, Italian, pizza, burgers spots, and little else—would wind up being a benefit. I had this revelation today as I was convenienced by the close proximity of a client's place of employ to the formerly elusive Schnitzel & Things truck in Midtown, and, after a few bitefuls of their signature German/Austrian schnitzel, found myself unfortunately grateful that I lived only a few footsteps from the most authentic German restaurant in all of Manhattan, the Heidelberg.
Having read that the Schnitzel & Things trucks had received several positive write-ups—from the New York Times to TimeOut NY—and had also won a Vendy Award for Rookie of the Year, I was more than excited to come upon the truck this afternoon on 54th and Lexington Avenue, already managing a line of customers, curiously enough, all guys.
Their menu offers some appetizing main course lunch options, if limited (the present foodie trend is of a singular food item ideology), offer schnitzels—hand pounded, breaded and fried meat—in chicken, pork, and cod varieties, as bratwurst and something they are calling a "Schnitz Burger with Cheese.
This afternoon, they offered a special Veal Schnitzel, which is what I ordered, as a platter, meaning I got to select two sides and a condiment to go with it. I chose the Austrian Potato Salad and Braised Sauerkraut as my sides and the Alfonso Olive Sauce as my condiment.
After the first bite of the decent-ish schnitzel I, by subconscious default, compared it to the Heidelberg's version, which, to be fair, is much more of the realized traditional meal, with seemingly more seasoning because I was surprised how that element seemed to be lacking just a bit with each part of the platter.
The textures were all close to spot on; the schnitzel was thin and crisp on the outside,with the veal on the inside being tender enough to easily cut and bite through. The shreds of cabbage were cool and crisp, and the nuggets of potato in salad were comfortably malleable between my tongue and the roof of my mouth.
Not overwhelmed by the taste, however, I only ate about a third of it—a little sore that this food truck purchase ran me twelve dollars (the regular schnitzel platters cost $10)—and finished the last of it while writing this post. Yet, as I finish the last few bites, I honestly can only think how soon I must get back to the Heidelberg, where the so-old-it's-new-again singularity of German/Austrian cuisine—in the former Old Germantown—isn't in the burgeoning food mecca that is the Lower East Side, but just a 60 second walk from my front door.
Bun Apple Tea!
.kac.
Schnitzel & Things Food Truck | Various Locations | schnitzelandthings.com
