Lutter & Wegner
August 1, 2010 6 Comments
I have probably eaten here at least a half dozen times so far. No joke! It probably has something to do with my hubby being Austrian or the great view over Gendarmenmarkt. The food can be decent although be forwarned, it’s on the pricey side.
We almost always get the same thing Wiener schnitzel - again to appease the schnitzel fanatics in the family. It’s big, it’s thin, it’s crispy and it’s fried. It comes with that peculiar concoction of warm potato / cucumber salad, which I am still on the fence about. Do I like it? I can’t decide.
Somehow I feel I go for the wrong reasons - we happen to be in the neighborhood (Mitte is our neighborhood) or we have guests in town and the waiters at Lutter & Wegner have just the right pedigree for this kind of entertaining. But I never get excited about a meal there. I never think “Ooooo! I should make this at home! I love this!”
If this restaurant was a boyfriend, I certainly wouldn’t be looking to get hitched - but you know, it works for now.
I like sitting outside in the summer but I almost prefer Lutter in the winter, when it’s cold and blustery outside and you step into the warm, dark, wood-paneled dinning room with all the clinks of glasses and silverware and you order some stew or other. Something with one of those absurdly large dumplings they favor here. Then Lutter and Wegner really comes into its own.
If you do go in the winter, I do thoroughly recomend you try the Kaiserschmarrn (which translates as “Emperor’s mishmash”) which is the queerest and tastiest Austrian dessert type thing. It is a rich fluffy pancake that is cut up in pieces, sprinkled with icing sugar and then served with a compote (usually a plum and vanilla ice cream at L&W). You have to wait 20 min for this dessert but in the winter, after you have had a rich stew this dessert really hits the spot. OK - maybe I would want to make this at home.
Lutter & Wegner. Das Stammhaus am Gendarmenmarkt, Charlotennstrasse 56, Berlin 10117. T. 030 20 29 54 0
I agree with your description. I wasn’t too thrilled the first time, but the second, it was good, so I have mixed feelings about L&W.
I’ve eaten at the one on Gendarmenmarkt only once, and they had nothing vegetarian on the menu, but they were gracious enough to boil a few potatoes and vegetables and lay a sprig of thyme on top. Despite my asking they saute me vegetables in butter.
The next time was at the Potsdamer Platz location, and I found it way better. I don’t remember what I had, but I do remember it was absolutely delicious. Odd, no? I’ve yet to try the other two locations.
: ) Great minds think alike and all that… But your comment makes me realize that I should list the other addresses as well!
Try the restaurant, “Austria” in Kreuzberg. It has a great atmosphere and also good schnitzel.
Great post…If I ever get to travel I will give it a try:)
The Weinhandlung at Lutter & Wegner is a must too.
Just ate there this week at Gendarmenmarkt location. Agree that it’s one of the best desserts I ever ate and wish I could figure out the spice combination for the plum that is absolutely yummy. I will definitely try to recreate this at home.