Foodsnoop: A taste of Bavaria

As Singapore’s only German restaurant and microbrewery, Paulaner Bräuhaus features a typically Bavarian menu and fresh lager. Goh Pei Xuan and Loy Kheng Wee discover the taste of true blue German fare.

PAULANER BRÄUHAUS
9 Raffles Boulevard, #01-01, Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596

Monday to Friday: 12pm – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Saturday and Public Holiday: 6.30pm – 10.30pm
Sunday: 11.30am – 2.30pm, 6.30pm – 10.30pm

PHOTO: KENJI KWOK

Paulaner Bräuhaus is one of the more popular places in Singapore to get your fix of German cuisine — and for good reason too.

The German microbrewery and restaurant, which opened in 1996, was among the first to bring traditional Bavarian eats like crackling pork knuckle and handmade pork sausages to our shores.

Lit by a soft warm glow, the three-storey bar and restaurant boasts a seating capacity of 150 customers.

The interior is furnished with maplewood and decorative elements from Munich and Bavaria. Antique framed posters and suspended traditional beer bottles adorn the spacious restaurant. Service was prompt and waitresses were friendly.

BREWERY
Munich Dark Lager Beer (300ml) $13.80
Munich Lager Beer (300ml) $13.80

PHOTO: KENJI KWOK

At Paulaner Bräuhaus, the restaurant and brewery prides itself on its beer, which is brewed onsite to retain its freshness and quality. Staying true to the German Beer Purity Law adopted by Bavaria in 1516, where the beer can only comprise water, yeast, barley and hops, Paulaner’s lager beers are crafted through a lengthy four-week process.

The Munich Lager Beer comes in a tall glass and is a light, honey-gold colour. The beer was smooth and dry and complements the saltier German fare. Its counterpart, the Munich Dark Lager Beer is slightly more bitter but with the same smoothness and dryness.

Brewmaster and General Manager, Mr Alex Buchner, 46, says: “Seven beers constitute a meal in Germany”. Bringing its authentic culture and taste into Singapore, it’s no wonder Paulaner needs to brew 2000 to 4000 litres of beer every week to keep up with the demand.

Other than its specialty beers, Paulaner also offers seasonal beers such as the Salvator Doppel Bock Beer and Smoke Beer twice to thrice a year.

SAUSAGE PLATTER WITH SAUERKRAUT AND MASHED POTATOES ($16.80 to $29.80)

PHOTO: KENJI KWOK

Specially plated by Head Chef Klaus Lukrash, the platter we tried came with four types of sausages.

The juicy Nürnberger, packed with flavours of melted butter and herbs, was a clear “wiener” for us with its peppery kick and smoky aftertaste.

The Franconia sausage, commonly known as ‘snail’ sausage due to its presentation, was tougher in texture but also packed a punch in flavour.

The sausage platter was on the salty side but well balanced by the velveteen mashed potatoes and tangy fermented shredded cabbage (Sauerkraut). The fried onion garnishes also added a welcome crunch to the dish.

CARAMELISED BAVARIAN EMPEROR’S PANCAKE W/ APPLE PLUM COMPOTE ($13.80)

PHOTO: KENJI KWOK

End your night on a sweet note with Paulaner’s signature dessert. Instead of the classic round flat pancakes Singaporeans are accustomed to, Paulaner’s Emperor’s Pancake comes in bite-sized chunks topped with a generous sprinkling of icing sugar.

Fluffy on the inside, crisp along the edges and with rum-soaked raisins in each bite, these pancakes made for an addictive treat. They were paired with chunky apple plum compote — caramelised apple cubes and sour plum dressed in a cinnamon sauce — and ended the meal on a high.

Other popular items on the menu include the Crispy pork knuckle ($29.80) and warm apple strudel with ice cream.

FROM BUTCHER TO HEAD CHEF
Mr Klaus Lukarsch, 52

PHOTO: NICHOLAS YEO

He was a butcher in a Beijing hotel for two years, but Mr Klaus Lukarsch now puts his knife skills to use as head chef of Paulaner Bräuhaus, overseeing the menu and kitchen.

He made the jump when the hotel’s German restaurant urgently needed a head chef and found that Mr Lukarsch could cook simple German dishes. The self-taught chef was then invited to head the kitchen at Singapore Paulaner Bräuhaus in 2009.

Although the German whips up delectable Bavarian fare at Paulaner, his hometown is Westfalen along central Germany, while Bavaria is in the Southeast of the country.

But whether one is from Munich, Bavaria or Westfalen, Germans from all regions are united by their common love for sausages, he said.

“Tourists expect to eat sausages when they go to Germany, and likewise for us natives, we crave sausages, potatoes and sauerkraut at least once a week too,” he added.

He recalls growing up in a food-loving household, where making salami and stuffing sausages into casings was a weekly family affair.

Chef Klaus said: “What sausages you can find here at Paulaner, you can find in Germany too.”

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Nanyang Chronicle on March 7, 2016, with the headline ‘A taste of Bavaria’. Print Edition