davidlatta

JUNE 28 2012 322 PM

Sometimes A Schnitzel Is More Than Just ASchnitzel Essen Restaurant And TheSchnitzilla Challenge

Rate This

There are many people who say therersquos a time and place for fried food And therersquos the rest of us who exclaim ldquoanytime

and anyplacerdquo For those in the latter category a trip to Essen a restaurant specialising in northern European cuisine is

a must Itrsquos located on Broadway close to Sydneyrsquos CBD

My love of this kind of food started in the early 1970s with regular visits to Unarsquos in Kings Cross Unarsquos has always been

dependable great breakfasts and especially great schnitzels including the jaeger schnitzel (with mushroom sauce) When

original owner Maggie sold out (and later opened a namesake operation just across from the El Alamein Fountain) the

new owners branched out with a couple of satellite Unarsquos One was on Broadway sandwiched between the University of

Sydney and UTS That was seven years ago a couple of years later the partnership that took over Unarsquos split and this

branch became Essen

Itrsquos been as dependable as the original Unarsquos great jaeger schnitzel (in a choice of pork veal or chicken) and superb slow-

roasted pork knuckle with bread dumpling and sauerkraut Essen is also notable for its excellent beers and ciders

including a malty dark Dreher Bak beer from Budapest (a brewery better known for its export Pilsner Urquell) Essen on

Broadway is especially good for those of us for whom Kings Cross has lost its charm

The Contenders Await The Challenge

As an aside itrsquos worth mentioning that Essenrsquos schnitzels are comparable to my all-time favourite the legendary

Figlmuumlller in Vienna Austria Itrsquos here that the humble wiener schnitzel has been elevated to an art form Figlmuumlller

opened on Wollzeile a short walk from St Stephenrsquos Cathedral in 1905 Irsquod often reflect on the famous (and infamous)

personalities who may have found their fried version of heaven within these walls ndash Freud (who undoubtedly would have

suggested that a schnitzel is sometimes just a schnitzel) an unsuccessful painter of watercolours who just missed out on

being named Schicklgruber and Orson Welles legendary lover of food in prodigious amounts who filmed The Third Man

in the streets nearby

Figlmuumlllerrsquos claim to eternal fame lies in a single piece of pork tenderloin pounded into wafer-thin submission crumbed

and fried At around 30cm in diameter it smothers the plate on which it is served It was always the first place Irsquod eat

whenever I arrived in Vienna and the memories stay with me today

When it comes to food as with so many things I claim observance to Dirty Harryrsquos creed that ldquoa manrsquos just gotta know his

limitationsrdquo and so it was at a recent media launch for Essenrsquos Schnitzilla challenge I was on hand to watch a bunch of

overly-ambitious journalists and media types attempt something no-one else had been able to achieve ndash defeating a man-

made mountain of schnitzel

Disbelief Sets In

The Schnitzilla is Essenrsquos newest menu item Inspired by the Man v Food television program it encompasses a 35kg

platter of chicken schnitzel side dishes such as roesti and cabbage salad and jaeger sauce The idea is that if the dish is

consumed within 45 minutes the diner gets a limited-edition ldquoI Got Schnit-Faced At Essenrdquo T-shirt (presumably Size

XXXL)

In the first month of the Schnitzilla 70 diners tried but none reached the goal the best performance was leaving 12kg

They get to take the leftovers home where they will undoubtedly be recreating their challenge for the next few days

There were more than enough contenders at the media launch They took their places their optimism as bright and eager

as little bunny rabbits But the Schnitzilla was the headlights on the highway All were flattened by the juggernaut of fried

meat The best performing diner left 139kg

Craig Donarski At Battle Stations

Human nature is such that we always believe we can conquer the impossible tackling Everest or visiting Ikea on

weekends being the most notable examples So the Schnitzilla will continue to seduce thrill-seekers but it appears unlikely

any will ever succeed

On the other hand the Schnitzilla ndash at $49 ndash can be seen as outstanding value It roughly equates to about four or five

servings so do your best but donrsquot overdo it the leftovers will feed a large family or 27 Russian supermodels

Essen

133-135 Broadway

Ultimo NSW Australia

Tel 612 9211 3805

The Schnitzel Will Always Win

Words and photos copy David Latta

Share this

2 Responses to Sometimes A Schnitzel Is MoreThan Just A Schnitzel Essen Restaurant And TheSchnitzilla Challenge

Print

More

Cliff BottJune 28 2012 at 336 pm

0

0

Rate This

Itrsquos walking distance from me ndash must visit Will they give me a discount if I show them a copy of this post

0 Essen Restaurant and Beer Cafe Ultimo

Possibly Sydneys best (and most likely biggest) Reuben sandwich

Fashimi May 28 2012 2 beer german ultimo Sponsored Sydney Food

Send 17people

Fashimi on Instagram

to search type and hit enter

Sydney Foodyum

Tokyo Foodoishii

Fashimi Bitesweekly eats

Fashionwearing stuff

Lifeoh lifehellip

Who is Fashimihello

Home Sponsored Essen Restaurant and Beer Cafe Ultimo

Relishes - a welcome condiment to my Reuben

Fashimi on Twitter

Sophia Fukunishi kalelnojutsu87 But I lovemy bike Maybe Ill have to suck it up and pay forshipping1 day ago

Sophia Fukunishi timriley You know thatthought seriously crossed my mind today1 day ago

Sophia Fukunishi mixedupworld Steve tried toget it boxed but they refused to So annoying1 day ago

Cider and beer

Message

Contact Fashimi

Your name

Your email

Denis

Lipstickand

Lisa

326 people like

Submit formSubmit form

Deep fried camembert Yummmmm

Poached salmon with dill mayonaise

Crispy pork belly

Apple and pear schnapps

Sophias giant hand or tiny schnapps bottle

Apple and pear strudel Das ist sehr gut

So homely

When I think of German food I think of BIG portions loads of meat and a beer on the side And I donʼt think Iʼm allthat wrong in thinking this At Essen this is exactly the case and Iʼm not complaining one bit Perfect for a cold andrainy night this northern European home style restaurant serves classic German dishes at classic German sizes(read huge)

The menu has a good range of food including some vegetarian options and a whole page dedicated to schnitzelsI was there to try the Reuben sandwich which seems to be the sandwich of the moment here in Sydney but I alsocouldnʼt go past the pork belly with roesti sauerkraut and red wine jus ($2750)

But first let me talk about the Reuben OH MY GOD Did you see the photo above This was the biggestsandwich Iʼve ever seen and it was so full of delicious pastrami gruyere cheese sauerkraut and mayonnaise that Isat there for a few moments wondering how that beast of a sandwich was going to fit in my belly let alone mymouth There was no neat way to do this you just have to go in it knowing that youʼre going to get messy and yourdinner partner is going to laugh at you and then Instagram you when youʼre at your messiest (thanks Derek)

Beyond the massive size and the fact it was served dramatically with a knife through it this was a really reallygood sandwich served with 2 kinds of relish (horseradish and beetroot) and I think it could be the best Reuben Iʼvehad in Sydney Yes I said it Only available for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays the monster sandwich comes withwedges pickles and a small beer for only $2250

Before I gorged on the the meat tower that was the Reuben sandwich I couldnʼt resist in partaking in one of myfavourite things ndash deep fried cheese ($10) Served with cranberry compote it was every bit guiltily tasty as I washoping for The poached salmon with dill mayonnaise ($15) was another winner and surprisingly light compared tothe other items on the menu Crispy pork belly was exactly that ndash so crispy and fatty (but in a good way) servedwith lots of sauerkraut and potato Yum

I was feeling quite food drunk by this point but how can I say no to apple and pear strudel How Somehow Imanaged to regroup within the 20 minutes it took to prepare the dessert and thank goodness I did because this

Poached salmon with dill mayonaise

Crispy pork belly

Apple and pear schnapps

Sophias giant hand or tiny schnapps bottle

Apple and pear strudel Das ist sehr gut

So homely

When I think of German food I think of BIG portions loads of meat and a beer on the side And I donʼt think Iʼm allthat wrong in thinking this At Essen this is exactly the case and Iʼm not complaining one bit Perfect for a cold andrainy night this northern European home style restaurant serves classic German dishes at classic German sizes(read huge)

The menu has a good range of food including some vegetarian options and a whole page dedicated to schnitzelsI was there to try the Reuben sandwich which seems to be the sandwich of the moment here in Sydney but I alsocouldnʼt go past the pork belly with roesti sauerkraut and red wine jus ($2750)

But first let me talk about the Reuben OH MY GOD Did you see the photo above This was the biggestsandwich Iʼve ever seen and it was so full of delicious pastrami gruyere cheese sauerkraut and mayonnaise that Isat there for a few moments wondering how that beast of a sandwich was going to fit in my belly let alone mymouth There was no neat way to do this you just have to go in it knowing that youʼre going to get messy and yourdinner partner is going to laugh at you and then Instagram you when youʼre at your messiest (thanks Derek)

Beyond the massive size and the fact it was served dramatically with a knife through it this was a really reallygood sandwich served with 2 kinds of relish (horseradish and beetroot) and I think it could be the best Reuben Iʼvehad in Sydney Yes I said it Only available for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays the monster sandwich comes withwedges pickles and a small beer for only $2250

Before I gorged on the the meat tower that was the Reuben sandwich I couldnʼt resist in partaking in one of myfavourite things ndash deep fried cheese ($10) Served with cranberry compote it was every bit guiltily tasty as I washoping for The poached salmon with dill mayonnaise ($15) was another winner and surprisingly light compared tothe other items on the menu Crispy pork belly was exactly that ndash so crispy and fatty (but in a good way) servedwith lots of sauerkraut and potato Yum

I was feeling quite food drunk by this point but how can I say no to apple and pear strudel How Somehow Imanaged to regroup within the 20 minutes it took to prepare the dessert and thank goodness I did because this

Crispy pork belly

Apple and pear schnapps

Sophias giant hand or tiny schnapps bottle

Apple and pear strudel Das ist sehr gut

So homely

When I think of German food I think of BIG portions loads of meat and a beer on the side And I donʼt think Iʼm allthat wrong in thinking this At Essen this is exactly the case and Iʼm not complaining one bit Perfect for a cold andrainy night this northern European home style restaurant serves classic German dishes at classic German sizes(read huge)

The menu has a good range of food including some vegetarian options and a whole page dedicated to schnitzelsI was there to try the Reuben sandwich which seems to be the sandwich of the moment here in Sydney but I alsocouldnʼt go past the pork belly with roesti sauerkraut and red wine jus ($2750)

But first let me talk about the Reuben OH MY GOD Did you see the photo above This was the biggestsandwich Iʼve ever seen and it was so full of delicious pastrami gruyere cheese sauerkraut and mayonnaise that Isat there for a few moments wondering how that beast of a sandwich was going to fit in my belly let alone mymouth There was no neat way to do this you just have to go in it knowing that youʼre going to get messy and yourdinner partner is going to laugh at you and then Instagram you when youʼre at your messiest (thanks Derek)

Beyond the massive size and the fact it was served dramatically with a knife through it this was a really reallygood sandwich served with 2 kinds of relish (horseradish and beetroot) and I think it could be the best Reuben Iʼvehad in Sydney Yes I said it Only available for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays the monster sandwich comes withwedges pickles and a small beer for only $2250

Before I gorged on the the meat tower that was the Reuben sandwich I couldnʼt resist in partaking in one of myfavourite things ndash deep fried cheese ($10) Served with cranberry compote it was every bit guiltily tasty as I washoping for The poached salmon with dill mayonnaise ($15) was another winner and surprisingly light compared tothe other items on the menu Crispy pork belly was exactly that ndash so crispy and fatty (but in a good way) servedwith lots of sauerkraut and potato Yum

I was feeling quite food drunk by this point but how can I say no to apple and pear strudel How Somehow Imanaged to regroup within the 20 minutes it took to prepare the dessert and thank goodness I did because this

Apple and pear schnapps

Sophias giant hand or tiny schnapps bottle

Apple and pear strudel Das ist sehr gut

So homely

When I think of German food I think of BIG portions loads of meat and a beer on the side And I donʼt think Iʼm allthat wrong in thinking this At Essen this is exactly the case and Iʼm not complaining one bit Perfect for a cold andrainy night this northern European home style restaurant serves classic German dishes at classic German sizes(read huge)

The menu has a good range of food including some vegetarian options and a whole page dedicated to schnitzelsI was there to try the Reuben sandwich which seems to be the sandwich of the moment here in Sydney but I alsocouldnʼt go past the pork belly with roesti sauerkraut and red wine jus ($2750)

But first let me talk about the Reuben OH MY GOD Did you see the photo above This was the biggestsandwich Iʼve ever seen and it was so full of delicious pastrami gruyere cheese sauerkraut and mayonnaise that Isat there for a few moments wondering how that beast of a sandwich was going to fit in my belly let alone mymouth There was no neat way to do this you just have to go in it knowing that youʼre going to get messy and yourdinner partner is going to laugh at you and then Instagram you when youʼre at your messiest (thanks Derek)

Beyond the massive size and the fact it was served dramatically with a knife through it this was a really reallygood sandwich served with 2 kinds of relish (horseradish and beetroot) and I think it could be the best Reuben Iʼvehad in Sydney Yes I said it Only available for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays the monster sandwich comes withwedges pickles and a small beer for only $2250

Before I gorged on the the meat tower that was the Reuben sandwich I couldnʼt resist in partaking in one of myfavourite things ndash deep fried cheese ($10) Served with cranberry compote it was every bit guiltily tasty as I washoping for The poached salmon with dill mayonnaise ($15) was another winner and surprisingly light compared tothe other items on the menu Crispy pork belly was exactly that ndash so crispy and fatty (but in a good way) servedwith lots of sauerkraut and potato Yum

I was feeling quite food drunk by this point but how can I say no to apple and pear strudel How Somehow Imanaged to regroup within the 20 minutes it took to prepare the dessert and thank goodness I did because this

Sophias giant hand or tiny schnapps bottle

Apple and pear strudel Das ist sehr gut

So homely

When I think of German food I think of BIG portions loads of meat and a beer on the side And I donʼt think Iʼm allthat wrong in thinking this At Essen this is exactly the case and Iʼm not complaining one bit Perfect for a cold andrainy night this northern European home style restaurant serves classic German dishes at classic German sizes(read huge)

The menu has a good range of food including some vegetarian options and a whole page dedicated to schnitzelsI was there to try the Reuben sandwich which seems to be the sandwich of the moment here in Sydney but I alsocouldnʼt go past the pork belly with roesti sauerkraut and red wine jus ($2750)

But first let me talk about the Reuben OH MY GOD Did you see the photo above This was the biggestsandwich Iʼve ever seen and it was so full of delicious pastrami gruyere cheese sauerkraut and mayonnaise that Isat there for a few moments wondering how that beast of a sandwich was going to fit in my belly let alone mymouth There was no neat way to do this you just have to go in it knowing that youʼre going to get messy and yourdinner partner is going to laugh at you and then Instagram you when youʼre at your messiest (thanks Derek)

Beyond the massive size and the fact it was served dramatically with a knife through it this was a really reallygood sandwich served with 2 kinds of relish (horseradish and beetroot) and I think it could be the best Reuben Iʼvehad in Sydney Yes I said it Only available for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays the monster sandwich comes withwedges pickles and a small beer for only $2250

Before I gorged on the the meat tower that was the Reuben sandwich I couldnʼt resist in partaking in one of myfavourite things ndash deep fried cheese ($10) Served with cranberry compote it was every bit guiltily tasty as I washoping for The poached salmon with dill mayonnaise ($15) was another winner and surprisingly light compared tothe other items on the menu Crispy pork belly was exactly that ndash so crispy and fatty (but in a good way) servedwith lots of sauerkraut and potato Yum

I was feeling quite food drunk by this point but how can I say no to apple and pear strudel How Somehow Imanaged to regroup within the 20 minutes it took to prepare the dessert and thank goodness I did because this

Apple and pear strudel Das ist sehr gut

So homely

When I think of German food I think of BIG portions loads of meat and a beer on the side And I donʼt think Iʼm allthat wrong in thinking this At Essen this is exactly the case and Iʼm not complaining one bit Perfect for a cold andrainy night this northern European home style restaurant serves classic German dishes at classic German sizes(read huge)

The menu has a good range of food including some vegetarian options and a whole page dedicated to schnitzelsI was there to try the Reuben sandwich which seems to be the sandwich of the moment here in Sydney but I alsocouldnʼt go past the pork belly with roesti sauerkraut and red wine jus ($2750)

But first let me talk about the Reuben OH MY GOD Did you see the photo above This was the biggestsandwich Iʼve ever seen and it was so full of delicious pastrami gruyere cheese sauerkraut and mayonnaise that Isat there for a few moments wondering how that beast of a sandwich was going to fit in my belly let alone mymouth There was no neat way to do this you just have to go in it knowing that youʼre going to get messy and yourdinner partner is going to laugh at you and then Instagram you when youʼre at your messiest (thanks Derek)

Beyond the massive size and the fact it was served dramatically with a knife through it this was a really reallygood sandwich served with 2 kinds of relish (horseradish and beetroot) and I think it could be the best Reuben Iʼvehad in Sydney Yes I said it Only available for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays the monster sandwich comes withwedges pickles and a small beer for only $2250

Before I gorged on the the meat tower that was the Reuben sandwich I couldnʼt resist in partaking in one of myfavourite things ndash deep fried cheese ($10) Served with cranberry compote it was every bit guiltily tasty as I washoping for The poached salmon with dill mayonnaise ($15) was another winner and surprisingly light compared tothe other items on the menu Crispy pork belly was exactly that ndash so crispy and fatty (but in a good way) servedwith lots of sauerkraut and potato Yum

I was feeling quite food drunk by this point but how can I say no to apple and pear strudel How Somehow Imanaged to regroup within the 20 minutes it took to prepare the dessert and thank goodness I did because this

So homely

When I think of German food I think of BIG portions loads of meat and a beer on the side And I donʼt think Iʼm allthat wrong in thinking this At Essen this is exactly the case and Iʼm not complaining one bit Perfect for a cold andrainy night this northern European home style restaurant serves classic German dishes at classic German sizes(read huge)

The menu has a good range of food including some vegetarian options and a whole page dedicated to schnitzelsI was there to try the Reuben sandwich which seems to be the sandwich of the moment here in Sydney but I alsocouldnʼt go past the pork belly with roesti sauerkraut and red wine jus ($2750)

But first let me talk about the Reuben OH MY GOD Did you see the photo above This was the biggestsandwich Iʼve ever seen and it was so full of delicious pastrami gruyere cheese sauerkraut and mayonnaise that Isat there for a few moments wondering how that beast of a sandwich was going to fit in my belly let alone mymouth There was no neat way to do this you just have to go in it knowing that youʼre going to get messy and yourdinner partner is going to laugh at you and then Instagram you when youʼre at your messiest (thanks Derek)

Beyond the massive size and the fact it was served dramatically with a knife through it this was a really reallygood sandwich served with 2 kinds of relish (horseradish and beetroot) and I think it could be the best Reuben Iʼvehad in Sydney Yes I said it Only available for lunch on Thursdays and Fridays the monster sandwich comes withwedges pickles and a small beer for only $2250

Before I gorged on the the meat tower that was the Reuben sandwich I couldnʼt resist in partaking in one of myfavourite things ndash deep fried cheese ($10) Served with cranberry compote it was every bit guiltily tasty as I washoping for The poached salmon with dill mayonnaise ($15) was another winner and surprisingly light compared tothe other items on the menu Crispy pork belly was exactly that ndash so crispy and fatty (but in a good way) servedwith lots of sauerkraut and potato Yum

I was feeling quite food drunk by this point but how can I say no to apple and pear strudel How Somehow Imanaged to regroup within the 20 minutes it took to prepare the dessert and thank goodness I did because this

was a damn good strudel The vanilla sauce went perfectly with it and I could see me coming back and orderingthis again

Finally keeping with the apple and pear theme I decided to give their apple and pear schnapps a go Served inthe cutest little bottle this 38 alcohol packs a punch But hey when in Germanyhellip

Yes Iʼll be back I think thereʼs a Jaeger Schnitzel with my name on it

Essenʼs details

Address 133-135 Broadway Ultimo NSWTelephone 02 9211 3805Opening Hours Daily dinner from 500pm Thursday and Friday lunch from 1200pmBYO NoWebsite httpwwwessenrestaurantcomau

copy2012 Google -

Map data copy2012 Google Whereis(R) Sensis Pty Ltd -

View Larger Map

Fashimi was a guest of Wasamedia and the lovely people at Essen Thank you

The Sandwich ShopSurry Hills

Bay Tinh Crows Nest Chat Thai Haymarket Reuben Hills SurryHills

Restaurant ExpressIzzysTravel Channel

You may also like

A Sydney food blog plus other random bits of life

Food booze and shoesFood booze and shoes

THURSDAY JUNE 28 2012

Go the schnitty at Essen Restaurant and Beer CafeacuteSome mornings and nights are getting cold enough for me to declare this Sydneyscoldest winter in ages so doing as the Europeans do in winter makes perfect sense to meHence this winter youll find me next to an open fire in a long puffy jacket or downinggluumlhwein at Essen Restaurant and Beer Cafeacute in Broadway

Essen a traditional northern European restaurant was completely packed on the coolFriday night I visited with couples and large groups all getting into the European spiritand many a Prost toast with German beers in hand

Hi Im Tina and this is my blogEager eater sometimes boozehound reformedshopaholic festival fiend a little lost in this world

This blog consists of Sydney restaurant reviews eventsand festivals of note a bit of travel and other things thatmake me laugh and smile

ABOUT ME

EMAIL ME

SUBSCRIBE BY EMAIL

Email address Submit

TWITTER

Tinafoodboozeshoes

Join the conversation

HTTP11 Access Denied

The requested Web page has been blocked

FACEBOOK

Etch A portrayal of tough timesItrsquos sad to see yet another restaurateurimpacted by what seems like toughtimes in the hospitality industry Withsmall and large falling

Japan times - part 1 Shinjuku TokyoI recently spent two-and-a-half weeks in Japaneating and drinking my way through a destination

POPULAR POSTS

foodboozeshoes Great weather forhearty fare not sure about 35kgs ofschnitzilla See new post onEssenSydney tinycci43kgw20 minutes ago middot reply middot retweet middot favorite

foodboozeshoes Getting our sweat andsniffles on House Thai Phew thatmackerel dip12 hours ago middot reply middot retweet middot favorite

foodboozeshoes abcnews Fairfaxtells Rinehart that it is unable to offerher any seats on its boardbitlyLPju2C Ah-hah take that Fornow14 hours ago middot reply middot retweet middot favorite

foodboozeshoes Rest_atelier Thatsso cool Is it a dish a night or how doesit work TheLittleGuyBar14 hours ago middot reply middot retweet middot favorite

Share Report Abuse Next Blograquo Create Blog Sign In

Essen has gluumlhwein on the menu as a winter special and as the price ($6) might indicatenot mit Schuss (with a shot) The order by the glass completely surprised me with itsadorable presentation in a matching cup and saucer

Sugar is a necessary addition to the otherwise sour drink as are particularly coldweather conditions ideally Not even halfway through the citrus and spice infused redwine I was already warming up considerably

Gluumlhwein - mulled wine from Essen Restaurant and Beer Cafeacute Broadway Ultimo

Diesel (left) and Radeberger Pilsner (right)

Ive wanted to visit for more than adecade

Glass Brasserie Breakfast to see youthrough a dayPorridge as breakfast just doesnt do itfor me especially in the coldermornings Those pre-flavouredsachets are tasty but the sugar cont

So very Sydney - part 2 of WestfieldSydneys Level 5 food courtGet your scrolling finger ready for theepic post that is Stage Two of theLevel 5 food court at WestfieldSydney which opened alongside th

Offers on the table Table for 20With about two years offer and dealbuying experience under my belt now(predominantly restaurant offers) Ithink Im a confirmed fan even

A long wait for The Grounds ofAlexandriaIve passed the heritage warehouseof The Grounds of Alexandria so oftenduring its refurbishment phase Icould almost note the weekly prog

So very SydneyItrsquos been a couple of weeks sinceopening but the crowds have not yetdissipated from the spacious marbledand glamorous insides of the ne

2012 (56)

June (8)

Go the schnitty at Essen Restaurant and Beer Cafeacute

Etch A portrayal of tough times

Japan times - part 1 Shinjuku Tokyo

Offers on the table Table for 20

Give The Little Guy a go

Pintxos tapas and sangria at The Carrington

Glass Brasserie Breakfast to see you through ada

Momofuku Seibo One of everything at the bar

May (11)

April (9)

March (10)

February (9)

January (9)

2011 (129)

2010 (105)

2009 (132)

2008 (10)

BLOG ARCHIVE

Hunter Valley Wine and Food Month 1-30 June

Biennale of Sydney 27 June ndash 16 September

Sydney International Food Festival 1-31 October

Surry Hills Festival 27 October

Glebe Street Fair 18 November

FESTIVAL FIENDING

My drinking partners opted for 500ml beers the easy drinking Radeberger Pilsner and aDiesel - a variation on the beer and lemonade mix of Radler with cola in place oflemonade

The Diesel isnt actually on the menu at Essen but it was no trouble having it arranged Ittastes like a not-so-sweet cola with a beer-bitter finish and might take several more litresof it before Im convinced of its merits

We started at the entreacutee menu which included beers best friend the traditional Germanpretzel However contender for favourite dish name of the year goes to the knobli broton the entreacutees menu a kind of garlic bread spread with smoky paprika and topped witha few shreds of melted gruyere

The bread had a soft texture rather than a crispy one and the combination of smokyspice garlic and cheesy flavours is one Ill steal for the home kitchen

Knobli Brot - Swiss style garlic bread with paprika and gruyere cheese

PAST FESTIVALS

SUBSCRIBE TO

Posts

Comments

10 William Street (1)

13b (1)

1945 Dutch East Indies Cuisine (1)

A Tavola (1)

Adriano Zumbo (3)

Alio (1)

An Restaurant (1)

Anise (1)

Apandim Uighur (1)

Aperitif (1)

Argyle Bazar (2)

Aria Catering (1)

Asa Sushi (1)

Aseana Food Village (2)

Ash St Cellar (1)

Asia (13)

Assiette (1)

Ayam Goreng 99 (1)

Azuma Kushiyaki (2)

Bacco Wine Bar Pasticceria (3)

Badde Manors (1)

Baffi and Mo (1)

Bakers Delight (1)

Bar 99 (1)

Bar H (2)

Baroque (1)

Barrio Chino (1)

Barzura (1)

Bavarian Bier Cafe (4)

beach (7)

Becasse (1)

Berowra Waters Inn (3)

Berta (1)

Bill and Tonis (1)

bills (2)

Bird Cow Fish (2)

bistro (7)

Bistro Avoca (1)

bistro CBD (1)

Bistro Fax (1)

Bistro Ortolan (1)

Bistro Vue (1)

Bitton Gourmet Cafeacute and Grocer (2)

Black by Ezard (1)

Blancharu (1)

Bling Bling Dumpling (1)

blood (1)

Bloodwood (1)

books (6)

Boon (1)

Booza (1)

booze (238)

Bourke Street Bakery (2)

Brasserie Bread (2)

breakfast (33)

Briar Grillade (1)

Brunos (2)

Bubba Gumps (1)

LABELS

Cheese in a melting or melted state is one of my weaknesses so the deep fried camembertcheese was a must

Golden crumbed crispy and uniformly shaped the gooey innards and shape-holdingrind of the camembert made for a rich albeit happy start to dinner while the sweettouch of the cranberry was a perfect match

Deep fried camembert with cranberry compote

buffet (5)

bumming (1)

Bungalow 8 (1)

Buon Ricordo (2)

Cabramatta (2)

Cafe No5 (1)

Cafe Sydney (1)

Cafeacute Sopra (2)

cake (12)

Centennial Parklands (1)

Central Baking Depot (2)

charity (1)

Charlie and Co Burgers (2)

Chat Thai (2)

cheese (22)

Cheesecake Factory (1)

Chefs Armoury (1)

Chefs Gallery (2)

Chez Pok (1)

China Grand Restaurant (1)

Chinatown (41)

Chinese (21)

Chinta Ria Mood for Love (1)

Chiswick (1)

chocolate (7)

Chophouse (3)

Christmas (5)

City Tattersalls Club (1)

Civic Dining (1)

class (8)

Clipper Cafe (1)

Clock Hotel (1)

Cloudy Bay Fish Co (1)

coffee (22)

Concrete Blonde (1)

cookies (6)

cooking (36)

Cruise (1)

Crust (2)

Cupcakes on Pitt (1)

Cutler and Co (1)

Daniang Dumpling (1)

Danks Street Depot (4)

Dannys Seafood Restaurant (1)

Darbar (1)

Darlie Laundromatic (1)

Darlinghurst (19)

David Jones food hall (1)

De Bortoli Wines (1)

deer (1)

Degraves Espresso (1)

degustation (7)

dessert (108)

Different Drummer (1)

Din Tai Fung (6)

District Dining (1)

Dolphin Hotel (2)

Doltone House (1)

Dong Dong Noodles (1)

Doytao Thai (1)

Duke Bistro (1)

Easter (1)

Eastern suburbs (6)

Eat Deli Kitchen (1)

Eau de Vie (5)

Efendy (1)

El Bulli (1)

It would appear that Essen has a rotating schedule of beers on its menu as the first onethat piqued my interest after the warming properties of the mulled wine (some sort oflager infused with peppercorns) wasnt available The waitress instead pointed me toEdelweiss an Austrian beer with flavour tones of alpine herbs

Quite unlike any other beer Ive had the Edelweiss certainly had herbaceous notes thatrendered the beer mildly sweet in floral rather than fruity notes It was also probably notthe best food-matching beer compared to a clean refreshing pilsner

If pork knuckle is on the menu someone usually orders it Thats been my experience ofthe very Bavarian and often large dish common in the touristy beer halls of Munich andGerman restaurants outside of Germany

This version of the hefty pork knuckle lacked skin and crackling and probably as a resultthe large amount of meat was on the dry side Luckily there was gravy served alongsideto save it as well as a couple of decent deep fried bread dumplings and sauerkraut

Edelweiss beer

Schweinshaxen - slow roasted pork knuckle with gravy bread dumpling and sauerkraut

El Loco Toro (1)

Element Bistro (1)

Emperors Garden (1)

Encasa (3)

Essen Restaurant and Beer Cafeacute (1)

est (1)

Establishment (1)

Etch (2)

Europa Cake Shop (1)

Europe (4)

Fat Noodle (1)

feast (17)

Felix (2)

festival (58)

Fifteen (1)

Firestick Cafe (1)

Fish Face (1)

Fix St James (1)

FlavourFest (1)

Flying Fajita Sisters (1)

Flying Fish (5)

food (380)

food court (2)

Four Ate Five (1)

Four in Hand (3)

Foveaux (2)

Fratelli Paradiso (1)

Fringe (1)

Furusato (1)

Gelato Messina (1)

German (4)

Giardinetto Restaurant (1)

Glass Brasserie (2)

Glebe (16)

Golden Century (1)

Golden Unicorn (1)

Good Food and Wine Show (1)

Goshu Ramen Tei (1)

Gotham (1)

Gourmet Pizza Kitchen (1)

Grand Gelato (1)

Grandmas Bar (1)

Grape Garden (1)

Grasshopper (2)

Graze (1)

grazing (11)

groceries (16)

Guillaume at Bennelong (1)

happy (4)

harbour (27)

Hawaii (8)

Hinky Dinks (1)

Hong Kong (2)

House Without A Key (1)

Hugos Manly (1)

Hunky Dory Social Club (2)

Hunter Valley (8)

Hunter Valley Cheese Company (1)

Huong Huong (1)

Hurricanes (1)

HuTong Dumpling (1)

Ichi-ban Boshi (1)

Ichibandori (1)

IHOP (1)

iima (1)

Iiza (1)

il Baretto (1)

The huge portion sizes of the food hit home when I realised that in my rather cute castiron pan there was indeed half a roasted duck The artfully arranged breast andmaryland portions with a whole crimson poached pear and roesti potato were hidingthe fact this was the largest serving of poultry Ive ever eaten

The duck was well cooked moist with crispy skin in places however just a tad under inoverall flavour which made the sweetness of the soft poached pear a very necessarycomponent in every mouthful

Meanwhile the roesti potato was all sorts of carbohydrate and fatty awesomeness theoutside browned and crispy all over while the inside starred fall-about shreds of properlyseasoned fluffy potato

Ente - oven roasted duck with red wine poached pear and roesti potato

il Locale (1)

Indian (4)

Inner West (35)

InterContinental Sydney (1)

Iron Chef Chinese Restaurant (1)

Italian (27)

Izakaya Den (1)

Izakaya Fujiyama (1)

Jacques Reymond (1)

Jaipur Sweets (1)

Jamies Italian (1)

Japan (1)

Japanese (38)

Jazz City Diner (1)

Jimmy Liks (3)

Jimmys Recipe Malaysia (2)

Jonahs at Whale Beach (4)

Journal (1)

Kables Restaurant (1)

Kabuki Shoroku (1)

Kammadhenu (1)

Kika Tapas Bar (1)

Kings Cross Festival (1)

Kiroran Silk Road Uygur (1)

kitchen (40)

Kitchen by Mike (1)

Korean (3)

Kung Fu Ramen (1)

Kura (1)

La Banette (1)

La Boheme (1)

La Clique (1)

La Rosa Bar and Pizza (1)

Lanzafame Trattoria (1)

Le Petit Tarte (1)

Lets Eat Thai (1)

Lindt Cafe (2)

LL Wine and Dine (1)

LNC Dessert House (1)

Longrain (5)

Lord of the Fries (1)

Lotus Asian Restaurant (1)

Love Grub (1)

Lowenbrau Keller (1)

Lulus (1)

Luxe Bakery (1)

Macau (1)

Mad Cow (1)

Madam Char Char (1)

Madang (2)

Malaysia (5)

Malaysia Festival (1)

Mamak (3)

Mandala Nepalese Restaurant (1)

Mappen (1)

Margan Restaurant (1)

Marigold (1)

markets (13)

Marque (2)

MCA (1)

McDonalds (1)

meal (1)

Melbourne (13)

Mexican (1)

Mihana (1)

Miraku Japanese Cuisine (1)

Miro Tapas Bar (1)

Of the mains the humble schnitzel ended up being the winner There are a lot ofschnitzel varieties on the menu at Essen - indeed a whole separate menu page - with theJaeger Schnitzel available in chicken or pork

The impressive size of the schnitzel - two pieces actually - was matched with itsadmirable golden coat The Jaeger arrived smothered in a creamy mushroom saucealongside roesti potato with cabbage salad as a side dish

Surprisingly this iconic German dish makes for quite a balanced meal with the tenderpork (protein) scrumptious roesti (carb and vegetable) and cabbage on the side(vegetable) And a few more carbs on the side in beer of course

Jaeger schnitzel - pork schnitzel with a creamy mushroom sauce

Miss Saigon (1)

mocha (1)

Modern Australian (32)

Momofuku Seibo (1)

Monarch Cakes (1)

Monkey Magic (1)

Mother Chus Taiwanese Gourmet (2)

Mother Chus Vegetarian Kitchen (1)

movie (17)

MsGs (1)

music (7)

Muum Maam (1)

NThai Sing (1)

Nan Tian Temple (1)

Napoli in Bocca (1)

New Shanghai Chinese Restaurant (4)

Newtown (11)

Newtown Festival (1)

Nicks Bondi Beach Pavilion (1)

Nihonshu (1)

Nobu (1)

Norita Cafe and Board Games (1)

north (5)

Noseys (1)

O Bal Tan (1)

Old Town Kopitiam (1)

One Fitzroy Street (1)

Opera Bar (3)

Oportos (1)

Ormeggio at the Spit (1)

Otto Ristorante (2)

Ottoman Cuisine (1)

Outback Steakhouse (2)

Oxford Art Factory (1)

Oyster (1)

Paddington (4)

Paesanella Cheese (1)

Pagewood Steakhouse (1)

Parched March (3)

Passionflower (1)

Pasticceria Papa (1)

Pastizzi Cafe (1)

Pazzo (1)

Petaling Street (1)

Piano Room (1)

Piato (1)

picnic (1)

Pie by Micks Bakehouse (1)

Pie Face (1)

Pilu at Freshwater (3)

Pineapple Room (1)

Pink Peppercorn (1)

pizza (17)

Pizza e Birra (1)

Plan B (1)

Pocket Bar (1)

Pony Lounge and Dining (2)

Portentildeo (3)

Potts Point (5)

Pyrmont (13)

Quarter Twenty One (1)

Quay (1)

Que Huong (1)

races (3)

Ragu Pasta and Wine Bar (2)

Rambutan (1)

Ramen Nakamura (1)

Older PostHome

Subscribe to Post Comments (Atom)

Posted by Tina at 823 AM

Labels booze dessert Essen Restaurant and Beer Cafeacute food German

Role playing atMonkey Magic

Good timescollective 4

Last day of VividSydney 2011

World ClassAustralia 2012 semifinals rock the boat

Regardless of how completely stuffed one might have been after a protein-heavy mainmeal is a German meal complete without strudel My answer leans towards no andthe apple and pear strudel we ordered to share was just reward

Smelling heavenly of cinnamon and spices the shatter of the thin crunchy layers ofpastry confirmed that there was indeed space in my stomach for dessert on this occasionThe soft just sweet-enough filling was comforting and improved with a touch of the verygood vanilla bean ice cream though I left the cool vanilla sauce

As we concluded the meal we were witnesses to the Schnitzilla challenge that Essenhas Man vs Food style on the table over Except Im not sure this challenge is achievableSchnitzillaconsists of schnitzel roesti potato and cabbage salad to a total of 35kilograms The platter with golden schnitzel piled high looked like it could serve at leastsix hungry people

No-one has completed the challenge to date with the closest competitor leaving withabout 1 kilo of take-home leftovers Good luck to those deranged and hungry enough toattempt the Schnitzilla Find more details of the challenge on Essens Facebook page

Food booze and shoes and a guest dined courtsey of Essen Restaurant and Beer Cafeacutewith thanks to Wasamedia (some items were paid for separately)

You might also like

LinkWithin

Apfel und birne strudel - apple and pear strudel with vanilla sauce and ice cream

Recommend this on Google

Post a Comment

Create a Link

No comments

Links to this post

Randwick Rugby Club (1)

Ravesis (1)

Red Chilli Hot Pot Restaurant (1)

Restaurant Atelier (1)

Restaurant Balzac (2)

Reuben and Moore (1)

Rockpool (1)

Rockpool Bar and Grill (2)

Roxanne (1)

Ryans Bar (1)

Sabbaba (2)

Sailors Thai (1)

Sake Restaurant and Bar (4)

Sakura (1)

Sassys Red (1)

Sculpture by the Sea (2)

seafood (52)

Seamstress (1)

Secret Foodies (1)

Selah (4)

Senor Frogs (1)

Sepia (1)

Shady Pines Saloon (1)

Shakespeare (1)

Shakey Tables (1)

Shangri-La (1)

Shirt Bar (1)

shoes (8)

shopping centre (28)

Silks (1)

Silvas (1)

Singapore Takeout (1)

Sky Phoenix (1)

Small Bar (1)

small bars (12)

Smirnoff Espresso (1)

snack (12)

Snag Stand (1)

Societe Food and Wine Bar (1)

Sofitel Metropole (1)

Sokyo (2)

Solas bar (1)

Sonoma Bakery Cafeacute (2)

Spiedo (1)

Stanley Street Station (1)

Stitch (2)

Subway (1)

Sugarcane (1)

Sukjai Thai (1)

Summit (1)

Sunday (2)

Sunshack Cider (2)

Super Meal (1)

Surry Hills (36)

Surry Hills Festival (1)

Sushi Choo (1)

Sushi E (1)

Sushi Hon (1)

Sushi Train (1)

Sweet Art (1)

Sweet Belem (1)

Sweet Infinity (1)

Swissotel (1)

Sydney International Food Festival (17)

Sydney CBD (110)

Sydney Cellar Door (1)

Sydney Festival (4)

Share this Article

Schnitzilla challenge at EssenMay 29 2012 by Rebecca Varidel in Eating + drinking | 0 Comments

Essen has just launched its first ever schnitzel eating competition called Schnitzilla ndash 35kg (in total) ofchicken schnitzel roesti and cabbage salad with Jaeger sauce ndash which is on the house if regular punterscan finish it in 45 minutes

The Schnitzilla will be made available to those brave enough to tackle it on the evening But if your appetiteis not up for it ownerchef Geert Elzinga will be putting together a special schnitzel menu for the evening

Essen restaurant amp beer cafeacute133-135 Broadway Ultimo 2007 Australia+61 2 9211 3805

Comments for this articleNo comments yet

taste + travel Sydney Australia the WorldSearch

HomeAboutAwardsRecipesEating out

The Rueben Sandwich at Essen Restaurant amp Beer Cafe Ultimoby jeroxie on June 11 2012

in casual diningeating outSydneyUltimo

When anyone mention Reuben sandwich I think of Katz Deli in New York

Katz Deli

Layers of meat must be generous It must have cheese and then something sour or tangy like a good sauerkraut and Russian dressing to tie it all together Andnever white bread or multigrain but rye The one at Katz ticked all boxes I will have loved to show you a photo but for some reason I lost it and Mister lost onethat he had taken too Must we fly back to New York again Any excuse will do right If you are ever in New York you must hit Katz It is an institution in NewYork And hey do you remember the scene from Harry met Sally Check it out below The place still looks exactly the same

1

0

StumbleUponSubmit

The Essen Restaurant amp Beer Cafe has created a version of Katz Delirsquos famous Reuben Sandwich I jumped on the invitation to check it out This Reubensandwich lunch is only available on Thursday and Fridays for only $2250 You may think that this may be a stretch but this sandwich uses marinated beefbrisket on German rye bread and Gruyere cheese It is accompanied by Hungarian sauerkraut Russian dressing and housemade pickles and includes an ice coldbeer and chips Seriously good value and I wished my office is a skip and a hop away

Reuben sandwich lunch

Reuben sandwich lunch

Reuben sandwich lunch

Verdict It ticked all my boxes This is by far the best Reuben sandwich that Irsquove tried in Melbourne and Sydney And of course I will love to have more layersof brisket but it is generous enough The chips were amazing Crunchy outside and fluffy inside The pickles are all house made and amazing I love thepresentation and I ate it all It is lip smacking good and if you are fortunate enough to be close by do it

See all these jars of house made pickles Awesome MAX

house made pickles

Oh And I love this horseradish relish If I remembered correctly it is from Victoria The beetroot version is seriously addictive Must have

horseradish

FOOD amp DINING

The Schnitzilla is a 35kg dish that must be eaten in 45minutes

Schnitzilla 35kg of chicken schnitzel Do you dare

26 JUN 12 1006AM BY SHIREEN KHALIL

HTTP11 Access Denied

The requested Web page has been blockedTHE thought of eating 35kg of chicken schnitzel is enough to make you ask why

Its a scary thought but anyone who can beat the batch of breaded bird gets to walk (or waddle) away withbragging rights

The Schnitzilla (yes it has its own name) is for those brave enough to tackle a whole lot of chook

Although Essens chef and owner Geert Elzingas created the competition he admitted hes not game enough totry it

Ive seen too many people suffer Ive created a monster Mr Elzinga said

If you dont finish a photo of you and your unfinished plate will be hung on the Wall of Shame

Out of the 70 people who have braved the challenge none have finished it

They are all very easy to try it a few people think they can do it and during the 45 minutes you see their egosgetting bruised and down they go Mr Elzinga said

So far the record sits at 1246g (leftover)

The chef was inspired by watching an episode of Man Vs Food

httpwwwwhereilivecomau

THE ESSENTIALS

Essen Restaurant and Beer Cafe Schnitzilla challenge

Schnitzilla is 35kg (in total) of chicken schnitzel rosti and cabbage salad with Jaeger sauce ($49)

Challengers will have to finish the schnitzel in 45 minutes and if they do its on the house

They will also get the title of Essens Schnitzel Meister and a souvenir T-shirt

At the end of the year Essen will have Schnitzilla finals

home about recipes contact

friday may 25 2012

a feast fit for a king - dining essenHave you ever watched Game of Thrones

Pete and I are absolutely addicted to it Created for HBO the American TVseries is based on medieval fantasy where noble families struggle to controlThe Iron Throne Tonight we are dining at Essen in Broadway where the onlystruggle you will encounter here is being able to finish your meal due to thegenerous sized portions on offer

Think big hearty meals in keeping with the tradition of European cuisine -meat dishes dominate along with schnapps beer and more meat

I start the evening with a St Ambroise Apricot Wheat Ale - its fruity and has a

St Ambroise - Pale Ale - Apricot $700

follow

January (11)

February (5)

March (5)

April (6)

May (5)

June (3)

July (8)

August (7)

September (5)

October (5)

November (8)

December (10)

January (8)

February (7)

March (8)

April (11)

May (9)

archives

thefoodmentalistgmailcom

contact me

Subscribe in a reader

subscribe

Enter your email address

Subscribe

Delivered by FeedBurner

Hi welcome to my blog )

welcome

Bilpin Original Cider

Boots Cider

Coldstream Apple Cider

Fog City Cloudy Cider

Herrljunga +46 Apple Cider

Magners Selections w Berry ampPeach

Mercury Sweet Cider

Monteiths Crushed Apple ampPear Cider

Monteiths Crushed AppleCider

Napoleone amp Co Cider - Applew Pear

Old Mout Scrumpy

Pipsqueak Best Cider

Rekorderlig Winter Cider

Saxton Apple Cider

Saxton Pear Cider

Small Acres Pomona Ice Cyder

Stassen Pear Cider

Sydney Cider

The Apple Thief

The Goose Apple Cider

The Hills Cider Company PearCider

Two Elk

Two Metre Tall HuonFarmhouse Dry Cider

Two Step Apple Cider

cider sunday

Search

search

unique flavour Im usually not a huge fan of beer but this one is nice and itsvery refreshing

The waitress asks us if we would like an appetiser and judging by the size ofthe meals coming out around us I ask if she can suggest something small andlight that Pete and I can share Deep Fried Camembert fits this bill perfectlyIt is hot oozy and incredibly comforting It is served with a dollop ofcranberry compote which compliments the richness of the cheese andprovides a lovely sweetness

Enter Petes Reuben Sandwich - it is huge and skewered with a knife It looksas if it has come straight off the set of Game of Thrones and we areimpressed German rye bread generously filled with marinated beef brisketmelted Gruyere cheese Hungarian sauerkraut and a creamy Russian dressingIt is served with house made pickles and thick cut chips Along with theReuben Pete is presented with two types of Horse Radish Relish for thatextra kick as desired The Reuben tastes amazing Available for lunch onThursdays amp Fridays it also comes with a German beer all for only $2250

Deep Fried Camembert $1000

Reuben Sandwich $ 2250

ltdiv align=centergtlta

href=httpwwwthefoodmentalistblogspotcom title=The

Food Mentalistgtltimg src=httpi1084photobucketcomalbumsj407vlvtemplatesFood20Mentalistgrab

-1png alt=The Food Mentalist

style=bordernone gtltagtltdivgt

grab

blogroll

Bizzy Lizzys Good Things -Books for Cooks2 weeks ago

Chocolatesuze - SydneyFood Blog

CiderOz4 weeks ago

eatori3 days ago

Food52 - food communityrecipe search andcookbook contests

Hookedblog mdash UK StreetArt Blog15 hours ago

Inner West LIVE1 month ago

Not Quite NigellaThecooking eating and travelblog of a hungry bloggerfrom Sydney Australiafeaturing original recipesinterviews and articles onall things food 11 hours ago

raspberri cupcakes6 hours ago

thegivencoza3 days ago

| The Food Sage Acompilation of professionalfood writing1 day ago

blogoversary

My main is presented and once again I cant help but be reminded of ourfavourite TV show Marinated in honey thyme and rosemary brine the slowroasted crispy pork knuckle is huge Its piping hot and the meat just fallsaway from the bone It is served with a side of bread dumpling and gravywhich are both great This dish is normally served with a side of sauerkrauthowever just prior to ordering our waitress overhears me telling Pete that Ireally want to try the pork knuckle but would rather potato roesti instead ofthe sauerkraut and offers to substitute it for the roesti

My uncle and I share a great love for potato roesti often comparing newroesti tastings when we catch up Upon trying this one I know he too wouldenjoy this one This shredded potato dish has just the right amount of crunchon top and underneath - hot buttery potato goodness The perfectaccompaniment for this cool weather we are experiencing here in Sydney atthe moment

Although envious of the desserts being delivered to tables nearby Pete and Iare full and decide we cannot possibly fit in another bite Instead our waitresssuggests a little nip of Barenjager Honey Liqueur This delectable liqueur issyrupy and sweet with a hint of spice Distilled by Germanys oldest familyowned companies - Schwarze amp Schlichte who have over 340 years ofexperience Their experience shines through this liqueur is absolutelydelicious and the perfect finish to our meal

Completely satisfied we step out into the crisp night One guess which TVshow we watched when we got home

Essen Restaurant is located at 133-135 BroadwayUltimo and is within walkingdistance of Broadway shopping centre where you can secure 3 hours freeparking Service is friendly amp efficient food is hearty amp delicious and portionsare generous Make sure you visit Essen this winter to get your meat fix then

The Ginormous Reuben - Worthy of 2 photos

Pork Knuckle $2950

Posted by The Food Mentalist at Friday May 25 2012

Labels Essen European Game of Thrones German Iron Throne Meat Pork Knuckle

Restaurant Reuben Sandwich Review Roesti Sauerkraut

head home and settle in for a few episodes of Game of Thrones

The Food Mentalist amp Pete dined as guests of Essen amp Wasamedia

Recommend this on Google

6 commentsMissPiggy saidIve eaten here a few timesgreat food and they do the best Roesti(along with Unas in Darlo) And that Reuben Sandwich lookswonderfulit all looks wonderfulMay 25 2012 900 PM

Lorraine Not Quite Nigella saidThat Reuben sandwich is absolutely epic Its almost like a verticalpanorama is needed PMay 25 2012 949 PM

Maureen Orgasmic Chef saidOh please go back and take a photo of Pete trying to eat that sandwichHoly cow thats huge

Im incredibly hungry right now Great postMay 26 2012 1250 PM

Anonymous saidIm still full

Pete )May 26 2012 402 PM

The Self-Raising Kitchen saidOMG I am supposed to be going to bed and looking at these photoshave just made me very hungry -)May 27 2012 1032 PM

SarahKate (Mi Casa-Su Casa) saidIve been reading Game of Thrones and Im LOVING it My husband readthe books first and every few minutes hed read the food sections out tome Now Im drooling over the pages of descriptions of epic feaststhat Reuben would fit right inMay 28 2012 252 PM

post a comment

Sydney Showers in the Vicinity 17ordmC | 9ordmC or use

TrendingCafesBistroMexicanCheap eatsRestaurant deals

Whats happening

When

What

Follow

Newsletter

RSS feed

Restaurants RSS

Twitter

Facebook

Google+

Spotify

Foursquare

iPhone App

Other Time Out cities

Magazine subscription

Events Venues Features

Whats new

More events

Print

Email

Three Time Out staffers try their hand (jaw and stomach)at 35kg of schnitzel and veg

First published on 25 Jun 2012 Updated on 26 Jun 2012

In the July edition of Time Out Sydney we showcase five stomach-stretchingeating challenges for Sydneys super hungry and super competitive Themost challenging of the lot was a beastie named Schnitzilla

Schnitzilla Yes Schnitzilla ndash a monster of chicken and crumb The kinglizard of Sydney food challenges Schnitzilla is a plate of chicken schnitzelroesti and cabbage salad weighing in at a huge-mongous 35kg (Thatrsquos notone room-sized flat schnitzel mind but a pile of still-quite-big-in-themselvesschniddies) The rules are simple no leaving the table and no sharing withfriends The closest challenger to finishing so far still left 1608grams on theplate ndash he took it home in doggy bags nothing is wasted here If you win youget a retro Schnitzilla T-shirt plus your place on the Facebook Wall of Fameand the title of Schnitzel Meister

We recently sent three Time Out-ers to try their hands (and jaws and guts) atthe Schnitzilla challenge They were

Tom (the bloke with the beard) Office odds 2-1

Josh (the bloke who had one commenter exclaim Theres more meat on thatplate than that entire man) Office odds 5-1

Jordan (the hot one ndash with brains too) 50-1

In the end it was dark horse Jordan who took home the T-shirt She didntquite get to 35kg but did manage to wolf down 13-plus kgs compared toJoshs 12kg and Toms 11kg A valiant effort guys we salute you

The Schnitzilla is available at Essen Restaurant amp Beer Cafeacute for $49 (moneyback if you finish) All left-overs are taken home

Follow us on Twitter for food amp drink news

By Time Out Sydney editors

Schnitzilla attacksRestaurants

Around Town Art Bars amp Pubs Clubs Comedy Film Gay amp Lesbian Kids Museums amp Attractions Music Restaurants Shopping Sport amp Outdoor Theatre Time In

Travel

Time Out Sydney on

+352

FollowHTTP11 TweetTweet 1 0 2

Schnitzilla attacks video

Readers commentsCommunity guidelines

0 comments

Leave a message

DiscussionDiscussion CommunityCommunity

No one has commented on this article

00 Stars Stars

Useful Time Out links Theatre in Sydney | Clubs in Sydney | Comedy in Sydney | Music in Sydney | Film Reviews | Queer SydneySydney Restaurants | Sydney Bars amp Pubs | Art in Sydney | Museums in Sydney | Sydney for kids | Boutique Sydney Hotels | Activities in Sydney

Time Out Adelaide | Time Out Brisbane | Time Out Melbourne | Time Out Perth | Time Out Sydney | Time Out Wellington

About the site | Advertising | Competitions - Terms and Conditions | Contact Us | Jobs at Time Out | License our content | Magazine | Media | Privacy policy | Submissions | Subscribecopy 2007 - 2012 Time Out Group Ltd All rights reserved All material on this site is copy Time Out

Time Out Sydney Foodtimeoutsydfood

Join the conversation

timeoutsydfood Looking for somewhere to eat tomorrownight Make it Ume on the old Bistrode siteautimeoutcomsydneyrestaurhellip18 hours ago middot reply middot retweet middot favorite

timeoutsydfood Hey Sydney have you voted for yourfavourite restaurant yetautimeoutcomsydneyrestaurhellip2 days ago middot reply middot retweet middot favorite

timeoutsydfood Fancy a little boozy record shoppingtonight Head to Mojo Record Bar for music-fuelleddeliciousness autimeoutcomsydneybarsvehellip5 days ago middot reply middot retweet middot favorite

timeoutsydfood Votings now open for the Time OutSydney Food Awards 2012 Peoples Choice categoryVote up autimeoutcomsydneyrestaurhellip

Home gt Things to do in Sydney gt Food and Wine | Restaurants

by Sarah Han (88) (subscribe)A lover of all things artistic edible and nocturnal Blogger amptweeter for wwwbrasseriebreadcomau

Earn money writing for WeekendNotesFeature your event or businessPublished June 12th 2012

The Reubenlarge image

Germans sure know how to cook comfort food So its perfect ifyoure seeking refuge from the rainy wintry weather At EssenRestaurant amp Beer Cafe the food is hearty and delicious And theGerman (read enormous) servings will undoubtedly sate usgluttonous ones

Im here for dinner with CaptainAdventure (whose alias hasmysteriously stuck all this time) on arainy Thursday night Despite themiserable weather and the fact thatits a school night its surprisinglybusy inside

This WeekendNext WeekendAny WeekendTodayTomorrowQuestionsListsCombosTop 10MapDaily DealsCommentsLucky DipOther Locations

ArtBarsBooks and WritingCafesCharityCinemaClassical MusicComedyCoursesEscape the CityExhibitionsFamilyFestivalsFood and WineFreeMarketsMiscMusicNightlifeOutdoorParksPicnic SpotsPlaygroundsPublic Lectures

1

2

3

45

678910

Sydney Events Top 10

Bondi Winter Magic 2012

Pick Your Own Mandarins Fords Farm

Pick Your Own Mandarins Watkins Orchard

Australian Burlesque Festival2012Free Discovering Country - ASense of Place Exhibition The RocksMarquee Sydney - The Star

Sydney Film Festival 2012

Convict Sydney at Hyde ParkBarracksCrows Nest June Book Fair

The Chronicles of NarniaExhibition 2012

Subscribe | Feature an Event or Business | Invite a Writer | Write for WN | My Profile | Writers | Other Locations

searchEssen Restaurant amp Beer Cafe

Pest Control Sydney Guaranteed Pest Control Sydney 247 Control All Pests Now 1300 661 569 NationWidePestControlcomauSydney

Sydney dingo Hire MSBM DIY amp Driver HIre0459916468 $120 dingo hire attachments extra wwwdingohiresydneyinfo

Sydney Tower Eye Tickets Save Between 10 amp 40 When You Buy Your Single Tickets Online Now SydneyTowerEyecomauSydney_Tower

Sydney MasterCardHoldersGet Exclusive Deals OnHotels Dining amp MoreRegister HerewwwPricelessSydneycom

Sydney Jazz amp BluesFestEnjoy This Unforgettable AndFree Festival In DarlingHarbour In JunesydneycomWinter_In_Sydney

Sydney Coupons wwwGrouponcomauSydney

1 ridiculously huge coupon a day Get 50-70 OffSydneys best

Sydney 1-Day Coupons wwwLivingSocialcom

Up to 90 Off the Best Stuff to do RestaurantsSpas Events and More

Carnival Cruise Specials wwwCarnivalcomauSpecials

Set sail to stunning locations from Sydney Bookonline now

Corporate Charter Cruises ChartersinSydneycomau

Exclusive charters on a Tall Ship Lifetime Experiencefor everyone

Fried Camembertlarge image

We begin with the Deep fried camembert with cranberry compote($10) as a starter As Captain Adventure points out the cranberrycompote is not so much a compote its more just a jam out of a jarBut it doesnt really bother me The deep fried Camembert isdelicious either way

Close up of the Reubenlarge image

The Reuben is only available for lunch on Thursdays and Fridaysbut the Essen team is kind enough to make it for us at dinnerThe Essen Reuben is a marriage of beef brisket homemademayonnaise sauerkraut and gruyere on rye bread Its so big to thepoint that its ridiculous I actually take half of it home afterwardsMy only lament is that the rye bread is too soft It needs to betoasted up a bit to create a gloriously crunchy texture

1

2

3

PubsRainy DayRestaurantsShoppingSportTheatreWalks

Blue MountainsCentral CoastEastern SuburbsGreater SydneyHills DistrictHunter ValleyInner WestNew South WalesNorth ShoreNorth SydneyNorthern BeachesNorthern SuburbsSouth SydneySouth West SydneySydney CityWestern Sydney

Related

Schnitzilla Eating Competition Essen Restaurant amp BeerCafe (article)

by Vanessa on 20052012

Featured Random 10

The Time Machine Old 505Theatre

Arabic Dance Party TheRed Rattler

Peak Pursuits IndoorRecreational Sports Centre

Dome Bar

1

2

3

45678910

1

2

3

more events

Sydney Lists Top 10

Art and Craft Markets inSydney

Top 20 Warm Winter Placesto Go in Sydney

The 9 Best Peanut ButterDesserts in Sydney

Top Ten Things to do in June

Five Free June Events inSydneyTop 5 Lebanese Pizzerias inLiverpool Top 4 Places for AfternoonTea on The RocksTop Free Things to do in June2012Top Sydney Train Attractionsfor Kids

Sydneys Best CoffeeChains

more lists

Sydney Questions Top 10

Where is Sydneys CheapestParking

Where is the Best Breakfast inSydney

Wheres the Best Day Trip inSydney

Horseradishlarge image

The accompanying horseradish is very very good I especially likethe red version which is mixed with beetroot Its got a nice kick toit and adds a lovely flavour to the Reuben

Huge picklelarge image

The hefty pickle that comes with it is also a tasty accompanimentand the hand-cut chips are satisfying in every way possible Thismammoth of a Reuben is only $2250 with chips and a beer atlunch time on Thursdays and Friday

Pork bellylarge image

We also order the Crispy skinned pork belly with roesti sauerkrautamp red wine jus ($2750) The roesti is impossibly buttery I cannotget enough of it I absolutely gorge myself on the roesti The porkbelly has a beautiful crispy skin over the succulent meat

45678910

1

2

3

45678910

1

2

Infinite Threads new works byEveline KotaiThe Metropolitan Orchestra

Happy Hour Cruise on SydneyHarbourCandle Making Classes

Southern Antique Centre

Free Discovering Country -A Sense of Place Exhibition The Rocks

feature your event orbusiness

Editors Choice New

Essen Restaurant amp BeerCafe

Golden Jubilee Field

Secret Supper Cinema

Hanericka Farmstay

Dungog Film Festival 2012

Climb Pigeon House Mountain(Didthul)I Love You Bro - La BoiteTheatre CompanyDCE Cafe

Pau Brasil Restaurant

Island Exotica Night at 34B

more editors choice

Sydney Places Top 10

Bay Tinh VietnameseRestaurant

Dome Bar

4

5678910

1

2

3

45678910

Where are the Best PlacesAround Sydney to TakeVisitorsWhere is Sydneys Best YumChaWhat is Sydneys BestPlaygroundWhat is Sydneys Best Walk

Where is Sydneys Best AsianBakeryWhere are Sydneys BestCupcakes

Where is Sydneys BestFarmers Market

more questions

Sydney Activities Top 10

Fish and Chips in Terrigal

Specialty Weekend Markets

Lavender Bay to KirribilliHarbourside Walk

What Every SydneysiderShould do at Least OnceTop Sydney Food Trucks

Happy Hour Cruise on SydneyHarbourLaugh Your Tits Off withMikey RobinsIsland Exotica Night at 34B

Candle Making Classes

Camping at Barrington Tops

more activities

Sydney Combos Top 10

Apple amp pear strudellarge image

For dessert we opt for the Apple amp pear strudel with vanilla sauceand ice cream The vanilla sauce is creamy and delectable Iespecially like that there are real vanilla beans in it Theres ascrumptious crust enveloping the strudel made of brown sugar andcinnamon

Almdudlerlarge image

I also order an Almdudler ($450) which is a nostalgic decision Itsa herb lemonade from Austria which reminds me of my visits toAustria in my childhood To be honest I had forgotten what itactually tastes like but just one tiny sip brought the memoriesflooding back Its a herbal drink that most Australians wouldprobably compare to a lemon lime amp bitters

Radeberger pilsenerlarge image

3

45678910

A Touch of Eden VintageEspresso Cafe

Zoe Cafe amp Brasserie

Peak Pursuits IndoorRecreational Sports CentreChapter One Coffee amp WineRoomWhite Rabbit Gallery

Central Baking Depot

Sanddancers Bed amp Breakfast

Southern Antique Centre

more places

1

2

3

45678910

A Romantic Escape to Leura

Escape to Mount WilsonVillage

Tips for a Fun amp Sober Nightin Sydney

Things to do in the BlueMountains on a Rainy DayBirkenhead Point

Christmas in July in the BlueMountainsLeura Blue Mountains - AnIdyllic Mountain HideawayCircular Quay to Watsons Bay

All Around Bondi

Public Art in Sydney

more combos

64 off SYDNEY ModernChinese Feast For TWODumplings Peking DuckDessert amp MORE (Spreets)

84 off Share TradingLessons Sydney (Groupon)

53 off Full Day HunterValley Tasting Tour atAward-Winning Winerieswith Lunch (Ouffer)

59 off South Coast NSWRetreat for Two withBreakfast Animal FeedingGolf Movies and More

(Groupon)

50 off Scenic 15-Minute($119) or 30-Minute ($199)Tiger Moth AdventureFlight Over the Hunter

Valleys (LivingSocial)

67 off Snowy MountainsHorse Riding Adventure withAccommodation amp Meals(Ouffer)

The Schnitzilla challenge is also worth mentioning Theres a guy ata table next to us attempting to get through the 35 kilograms ofschnitzel with cabbage salad and roesti If you finish it in 45minutes youll get it for free

Schnitzilla - photo taken from the EssenFacebook page

large image

Schnitzillalarge image

Make sure you drop by at Essen for a Reuben or take on theSchnitzilla challenge Guten Appetit

Note We dined as guests of Essen and Wasamedia

Daily Deals

more deals