FOOD REVIEW: Excellent German Fare, Brotzeit Style

A recent visit to some trade exhibitions in Manila took us to a really super German restaurant, Brotzeit, in the popular Ortigas area.

Being situated on the fourth-floor rooftop, it offers both indoor and alfresco style dining of the very highest order.

The interior is trendy, extremely comfortable and spacious, and made for an evening that we’ll remember fondly when thinking back about our trip to Manila.

German food is hearty, filling fare that, once you get to enjoy, has you coming back to look for more. This is where Brotzeit excels. The extensive menu offers an excellent selection of starters, mains and an interesting array of fine desserts. Being of German origin and design, they also have one of the best selections of good beers that you’ll find in this sprawling metropolis.

The menu, prepared by head chef Ivan Maminta, is exciting, especially when you are hungry after a long and tiring day fighting your way through traffic in what can often be an exhausting city. But a great selection of cold beers, excellent wines and hearty German food soon dispels any negative feelings.

I was travelling with my wife on this occasion, and she plumped for the Huhner, a delightful dish of perfectly grilled and plump chicken breast, roasted vegetables, and tasty buttered rice. The portion is well-sized, and the flavours blend excellently.

It took me a while to decide as the choices are aplenty, but I decided upon a dish called Schweinemedallions, which is pork medallions wrapped in bacon and nicely grilled to still retain a degree of moisture, and being served with a mixture of roast vegetables and fried potatoes, it’s a meal that completely satisfies one's appetite. This, I must say, was really a treat, both visually and to taste.

Chef Ivan excels with this type of cuisine.

After a while, and having somewhat digested these sumptuous meals, we were ready for dessert. There were quite a few to choose from, so upon some friendly expert advice, we wholeheartedly chose the house special, Brotzeit-Dessert Platte Zum Teilen. A huge serving of Apple Strudel, Chocolate Cake, Black Forest Cake, Creme Brulee, and a jug of Bavarian Cream. This, I must say, was almost too much for just the two of us - but we somehow managed, and savoured each and every spoonful.

Exemplary Brotzeit waiter, Von Joshua Esmao

The service here is exemplary, also. And I must make mention of one young man in particular, as he stood out. Head waiter, Von Joshua Esmao (he told us he wasn’t a head waiter - but he certainly should be), paid great attention to every detail and offered excellent advice on the food selections when asked. He worked the floor exceptionally well and contributed to an excellent evening of fine dining.

Next time you’re in Manila, drop by this excellent restaurant.

You’ll find it at:

Brotzeit

4th Floor, The Podium

Ortigas

Manila.