Having already had my kids-sanctioned birthday dinner earlier, I was then treated to a grown-up dinner later in the week. My choice for dinner was a restaurant I have wanted to try for several years but had never done so: Kurt’s European Bistro in Duluth. The verdict? Wunderbar!
The Schwabian Platter at Kurt’s European Bistro included a bratwurst, a bauernwurst, & a smoked pork chop, with braised sauerkraut & potato salad.
Now, I have to admit that up until this point, my experience with German food has been pretty thin—Kurt’s also serves various European dishes, but is known locally for its Abendbrot (dinners). About the only time I’ve had German was during a couple of visits to Suppenküche in Hayes Valley in San Francisco, but that was mainly for a couple of beers and the great, crusty dark breads they served there. Really, the only thing I know about German food is strudel and schnitzel and other strange-sounding names I remember from “Hogan’s Heroes” reruns. Still, I’m always willing to try something new, and I have a visit to Munich during Oktoberfest on my bucket list, so I figured, since it’s my birthday and I’m picking the place, it would be Kurt’s.
Kurt’s has a great reputation in Duluth. Owner Kurt Eisele is as diverse as his restaurant reflects. He arrived in the U.S. with his wife in 1965 with dreams of bringing his European influence to the kitchens of Georgia. In 1985, after working in some of Georgia’s most renowned restaurants, he opened Kurt’s Bistro and began his quest to bring the finest and best cuisine to not only Gwinnett County, but to all of Georgia. After many awards and high praises, Kurt’s continues to be dedicated to this cause. After more than two decades in its original location, the bistro relocated down the street to a new space and is done up in a hoffbrau motif (as far as I know; like I said, my experience in this area is limited).
 The Classic Wienerschnitzel offered a breaded veal cutlet, served with a pool of lemon butter and a small pile of spätzle—a kind of thick potato pasta. |
 The apple strudel had a light and flaky pastry surrounding sweet & savory apple filling and dusted with powdered sugar. |
On to dinner. Having had long days up to this point, Johanna and I decided to skip appetizers and plow straight into the entrées. She ordered the Classic Wienerschnitzel ($18 for one piece, $23 for two), while I went with the Schwabian Platter ($19), based solely on the description, which was “Bratwurst, Bauernwurst, & Smoked Pork Chop, Braised Sauerkraut & Potato Salad.” (OK, so I say I’m an adventurous diner, but I know what bratwurst is, and I could guess what a smoked pork chop would be like, but they sure sounded good).
And they were. The chop was moist and tender and the smoked flavor wafted through each bite. The Brat and the Bauernwurst (a smoked brat) were plump and juicy and served with a house-made mustard. Delicious. While I had an expectation of what the meats would taste like, I was surprised by the potato salad—which was warm and savory—and the sauerkraut—which was sweet. Overall, the entire dinner was fantastic.
Owner Kurt Eisele prepares Bananas Foster table-side.
Johanna’s Wienerschnitzel was a breaded veal cutlet, served with a pool of lemon butter and a small pile of spätzle—a kind of thick potato pasta. I sampled a little of each and will have to try a full plate of each in the future.
For dessert, we decided on an apple strudel, although we were tempted by the Bananas Foster, as Kurt himself prepared an order of it table-side nearby. It smelled wonderful, but considering I had never had a real strudel before, I wanted to cap the dinner with a traditional dessert. The pastry was light and flaky, the apple filling was sweet & savory and the whole thing had a drizzle of caramel and dusted with powdered sugar. A scoop of ice cream and a daub of whipped cream finished the plate.
So, upon further review, I have to say that my grown-up birthday dinner was a success. And I even left with a present: a beer glass courtesy of Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu GmbH, the brewery in Munich, Bavaria, Germany.
Kurt’s European Bistro
Duluth Station Shopping Center
3305 Peachtree Industrial Boulevard
Duluth, Ga. 30096
770.2320224
Post by and photos credited to Gregory Watkins.