Bavaria: A Taste of Germany in St. Maarten

Yesterday, I joined a big group of friends, classmates, and new acquaintances for dinner at Bavaria, a German restaurant in Simpson Bay, to celebrate the end of final exams.

This was my first time going to Bavaria Restaurant and my first time trying authentic German food, besides sauerkraut and bratwurst. Luckily I went with two friends who knew German food well. Gundi is from Germany and Eileen had lived in Germany for many years. Just earlier that day when we were on our way back from Anguilla on the ferry, Gundi and Eileen were talking about how yummy German food is, with all the different types of Schnitzels and Red Cabbage and spaetzle. It all sounded very foreign to me, but made my mouth water nevertheless. After this preliminary orientation about German food, it was pretty cool to actually try them a few hours later at Bavaria restaurant.

As with most ethnic restaurants, I am always curious how authentic the food is. Luckily, we had Gundi and Eileen there to verify that the food at Bavaria Restaurant is very typically and authentically German.

I ordered the Schnitzel, which came with German-style salad and potatoes. Schnitzel is made by pounding pork chop until it is flattened and very tender. Then it is battered in egg and breadcrumbs, and fried. There are numerous variations on the dish,with different herbs used in the batter or different ingredients it is served with. I had the Vienna-style Schnitzel, which is considered the typical or “original” variation. It was simple, but very delicious.

Because Eileen and Gundi were so generous, I also got to try the Bratwurst, red cabbage, German-style pork roast, and spaetzle. The spaetzle is unique in that it is made by slicing dough into boiling water. It taste like a cross between noodles and dumplings. Red cabbage, Gundi’s favorite, is also very good, and like the spaetzle, comes as a side dish for several of the entrees. The red cabbage is boiled soft and then seasoned with a sweet and slightly sour taste. I’ve never had cabbage cooked like that before.

The prices at Bavaria are a bit expensive for what they give you in my opinion, but I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere nevertheless.

Atmosphere:
Small, simple, and cozy indoor seating, with nice outdoor covered seating.

Service:
The service was good when we were there.

Food:
Bavaria serves authentic German food (confirmed by Gundi!), from schnitzels to rolled-beef to sauerkraut. I’m not normally a beer drinker, but I found their Erdinger Dunkel beer (German beer) delicious.

To get to Bavaria Restaurant, drive towards Simpson Bay from AUC. Drive past the drawbridge and go a little further. It will be on your right side, across the street from Scotiabank.

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