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Restaurant: German Inn 歐美廚房

By Ho Yi
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Mar 31, 2006, Page 15

German Inn also does a tasty beef short rib. PHOTO: HO YI, TAIPEI TIMES

The area around Yungkang Street (永康街) is full of restaurants offering semi-authentic flavors from a slew of international cuisines. Hidden among them is the German Inn, which has been quietly offering first-class German cuisine to people in the know for the decade.

The aim of owner Zhao Fu-xing (趙福興), who has studied European regional cooking for almost 30 years, is to provide the people of Taipei with authentic German food at affordable prices.

Zhao's culinary mastery has gained endorsement from celebrities such as food critic Zhu Zhen-fan (朱振藩), novelist Li Ang (李昂) and the late Chinese general Zhang Xue-liang (張學良).

German Inn's signature dish is its pork knuckle (NT$570), which is available in three styles: roasted, boiled and the combination of the two. Preparation takes two hours to achieve the crisp skin and tender flesh.

Simplicity is the key to Zhao's cooking. "As a northern country, Germany doesn't have a rich history of herb-using. We use only salt and black pepper to bring out the flavor of the meat," Zhao said.

The same philosophy is applied to the highly acclaimed short rib (NT$690). Even without fancy seasoning and sauces, the dish is surprisingly tasty, and even appealed to this reviewer, who is anything but a fan of heavy meat dishes.

Another favorite are the four kinds of German sausage, all made to traditional recipes. "I don't believe in creative cooking. Each dish has to be genuine and prepared according to the traditions that have been passed down for hundreds of years," Zhao said.

The breaded pork fillet stuffed in ham and cheese (NT$420) must also be mentioned. Although a relatively simple dish, its preparation demands considerable control over heat, so that the melted cheese will flow out from the meat when it is cut.

With its wooden walls, red-tile floor and warm lighting, German Inn feels more like a home than a restaurant. The many regular customers add to this sense of homeliness, chatting with the attentive waiting staff. And Zhao is always willing to share his knowledge of European cuisine and its history in Taiwan and give you instruction on how to enjoy the meals.

"No need to stand on ceremony here, just enjoy the meat, beer and sauerkraut. That's how you enjoy a German meal," Zhao said with a big smile.
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