Showing posts with label The Bier Garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Bier Garden. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

The Bier Garden, Portsmouth, Virginia

The Bier Garden
438 High Street, Portsmouth, Virginia 23704
Phone: 757-393-6022
Fax: 757-393-6021

On a recent afternoon, the AMW family headed to downtown Portsmouth for lunch. A few choices were debated until the Bier Garden's German fare was chosen.

The Bier Garden has a down to earth, welcoming entrance. There are three seating areas: outdoors, a heated area surrounded by a tent and indoor seating. The indoor seating, which is where we ate, had old wooden floors, wooden hutches, brick walls, a shelf of beer steins and various signs (old sayings, beer ads, etc).

The wait for a table was very short. We were offered a seat in the tented area until a table was vacated. Our drinks were brought while we waited. Our meal order was also taken at that time.

Once a table was available, we were moved to the indoor area. Here's what the AMW family thought of the meal:

Crusty white rolls and butter

The rolls were hot, warm and fresh.

Goulash Soup: Hungarian Beef Soup

Two people had this soup. The broth had a nice tomatoey flavor. There was plenty of tender beef in both bowls. However, only one person had vegetables in their soup.

Lentil Soup: Lentils, Carrots, Celery

The lentil soup was served in a glass mug. It was brown, thick and peppery. This soup was perfect on a chilly day.

Potato Soup

This soup was highly recommended to us by various people. However, it was not available that day.

Brotzeit Teller: Appetizer plate of bread, German meats and cheeses

The Brotzeit Teller was very large. It consisted of gelbwurst, bloodwurst,ham, turkey, salami, bologna, 2 spreads, Swiss, cheddar, tomato, onions, lettuce and 4 triangles of marbled bread on a wooden board.

The bread was soft and delicious. I was pleased with the amount of cheese.

The amount of meat was enough for several people. I didn't care for the bloodwurst and gelbwurst. Both had a jellied, overly soft taste. I liked the other meats, though.

I'm not sure what the two spreads were. One was orange, with a tomato flavor. It was delicious on the marbled bread. The second spread had the color and flavor of mushy, uncooked hot dogs. I did not care for it.

Over all, the AMW family was pleased with the Bier Garden. The decor was cozy. The servers were friendly and brought the food in a timely manner. The food itself was hearty and filling. A return trip is definitely in order.