The ingredients seemed clear enough; apples and strudels. No problems there. I didn’t give this popular Viennese pastry a second thought when I ordered dessert. I was three or four bites into bliss before I detected a crunch that spelled trouble. Within minutes my entire body was sounding the alarm.
One of my two dining companions asked the inevitable, “Now what?”
I had no idea. I’d heretofore never had to use the Epi-Pen my doctor had prescribed a year prior. I did recall my doctor’s mild irritation with my rather flippant attitude regarding my newly acquired allergy to tree nuts. It was my turn to be irritated. In the perfect world, my idea of that world spinning out of control did not include me being forty miles away from home, dining with my colleagues rather than my husband.
The spinning ensued, although we did manage to exit Berghoff’s, Chicago’s famed German restaurant. No way could I envision two paramedics squeezing a stretcher into this tightly packed lunch crowd. If I was going to lose control, it was going to be on my terms (go figure!). Why not someplace quiet; why not underground at Chicago’s Metra Train Station. I think I was hoping to ride out of Dodge without taking a bullet. I must say, the Epi-Pen, administered by one of my brave colleagues (she punched that baby into my thigh, right through my jeans), really didn’t hurt that much.
What hurt was giving up that apple strudel! This was Berghoff’s; The Berghoff Restaurant, Chicago’s historic cultural icon when it comes to good German food!
I had no idea. I’d heretofore never had to use the Epi-Pen my doctor had prescribed a year prior. I did recall my doctor’s mild irritation with my rather flippant attitude regarding my newly acquired allergy to tree nuts. It was my turn to be irritated. In the perfect world, my idea of that world spinning out of control did not include me being forty miles away from home, dining with my colleagues rather than my husband.
The spinning ensued, although we did manage to exit Berghoff’s, Chicago’s famed German restaurant. No way could I envision two paramedics squeezing a stretcher into this tightly packed lunch crowd. If I was going to lose control, it was going to be on my terms (go figure!). Why not someplace quiet; why not underground at Chicago’s Metra Train Station. I think I was hoping to ride out of Dodge without taking a bullet. I must say, the Epi-Pen, administered by one of my brave colleagues (she punched that baby into my thigh, right through my jeans), really didn’t hurt that much.
What hurt was giving up that apple strudel! This was Berghoff’s; The Berghoff Restaurant, Chicago’s historic cultural icon when it comes to good German food!
This sign & food have been the same for 100+ years.
Fast forward ten years and countless, tasteless calories, and I’m ready to talk about my next visit to this Loop institution. Okay, so it takes me a while to get back on that horse after the fall; almost as long as it takes me to introduce the meat and potatoes of today’s post.
Considering the Berghoff almost closed in 2006 when Herman Berghoff, grandson of founder Herman Joseph Berghoff, and his wife Jan, decided to retire, our meal at the Berghoff a month ago was particularly special. Thank you, Carlyn Berghoff! After four generations, your restaurant is obviously a family legacy.
It’s no surprise that legacy began with the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 (officially, the 400 year anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the new world); and a special brew of Herman Berghoff’s German beer with “a full-bodied, all-malt taste based on an original, 100-year-old family recipe,” according to the Berghoff website.
Considering the Berghoff almost closed in 2006 when Herman Berghoff, grandson of founder Herman Joseph Berghoff, and his wife Jan, decided to retire, our meal at the Berghoff a month ago was particularly special. Thank you, Carlyn Berghoff! After four generations, your restaurant is obviously a family legacy.
It’s no surprise that legacy began with the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 (officially, the 400 year anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the new world); and a special brew of Herman Berghoff’s German beer with “a full-bodied, all-malt taste based on an original, 100-year-old family recipe,” according to the Berghoff website.
Herman Berghoff originally settled in Indiana but tried selling his beer at the World's Fair in Chicago.
The World’s Fair put Chicago and the Berghoff on the map. The Berghoff was initially on the corner of Adams and State, where beer was sold in Herman’s saloon (he wanted to open a brewery, but was denied permission) for a nickel and sandwiches were given away for free to enhance one’s thirst. When the lease expired in 1898, Herman moved next door to 17 West Adams, where the Berghoff has remained for one-hundred and fifteen years. The Berghoff is officially the oldest family run restaurant in the Loop.
I can’t speak for the German beer (I’ve tried, but never quite managed to acquire a taste for beer; I know, I have quite a few weird quirks when it comes to food and beverages), but the food; the food is the best of Bavaria without the expense of a trip to Europe.
My German gnocchi was heavenly.
I can’t speak for the German beer (I’ve tried, but never quite managed to acquire a taste for beer; I know, I have quite a few weird quirks when it comes to food and beverages), but the food; the food is the best of Bavaria without the expense of a trip to Europe.
My German gnocchi was heavenly.
I know the Italians get a lot of the credit for gnocchi, but the Germans excel at this dish too.
I’m no expert when it comes to gnocchi (this was my first experience; I didn’t get out much prior to my retirement and my ensuing life of travel), but I know light and fluffy when it comes to dumplings. These dumplings were an exquisite blend of three cheeses, the perfect complement to the Cajun spice-rubbed chicken and smoked thuringer (sausage) sautéed in garlic butter and spinach. I immediately regretted sharing my entrée with Michelle after the first bite, although the rich broth of the Alsatian onion and apple soup appetizer left little doubt I was quickly satisfying any hunger pangs after our afternoon of touring Chicago’s Pedway and historic buildings.
Can you see the steam; smell the rich broth?
The culmination of our Inside the Loop Interior Architectural Tour with Chicago Detours was dinner at the Berghoff with my son Ryan and his girlfriend Michelle.
These two were a tasty treat to our evening plans.
Ryan was way overdue for his first dining experience at the Berghoff. Yes, I admit, Ryan has suffered a very deprived childhood, although not enough deprivation to keep him from comfortably saddling up to Berghoff’s famous bar, where we found the couple testing the authenticity of Berghoff’s own brew.
Ryan’s a city boy now since landing a job in Chicago’s Loop, although he’d want me to call him a man, and rightly so, especially if his choice of entrées is any indication. He chose the sauerbraten, a marinated, roasted sirloin of beef, with sweet and sour gravy and a melange of vegetables and whipped potatoes.
Ryan’s a city boy now since landing a job in Chicago’s Loop, although he’d want me to call him a man, and rightly so, especially if his choice of entrées is any indication. He chose the sauerbraten, a marinated, roasted sirloin of beef, with sweet and sour gravy and a melange of vegetables and whipped potatoes.
Doesn't that mélange look marvelous?
My man went for his usual, wienerschnitzel. Jimmy’s tender veal cutlet was breaded then expertly pan fried to a perfect golden brown. I am told the sauerkraut and potato salad, Jimmy’s customary sides when it comes to German food, made his meal exquisite. Okay, maybe Jimmy didn't say exquisite, but that's the gist of things.
I don't see any green vegetables (or mélange) on Jimmy's plate. Gotta have those green vegetables!
Needless to say, we passed on dessert! No German chocolate cake, no crème brulee, certainly no apple strudel; and no paramedics!
Our dining experience at Chicago’s official oldest family run restaurant in the Loop was perfect. This little slice of Bavaria hasn’t changed much, which is probably why generation after generation return to this Chicago icon. It’s not quite Germany, but it’s the closest thing this side of the pond to the best of Bavarian food.
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The Bottom Line on the Berghoff Restaurant:
Verdict: Connoisseurs of kraut (and sauerbraten and wienerschnitzel) will love the Berghoff, although you can find an array of traditional continental European dishes along with steaks and seafood as well, all of which is made from scratch. At a time when restaurants and bars come and go with the wind (this is the Windy City, after all), it is truly remarkable that the Berghoff is still a Chicago institution after four generations.
How to Get There: Located at 17 West Adams Street in Chicago’s Loop, the Berghoff is within walking distance from Chicago’s Metra Train Station as well as the Red Line Station at Jackson or at Monroe. Discounted parking is available a block away at InterPark Parking Garage by having your ticket validated.
Insider Information: Be sure to check out the downstairs café whether you’re doing lunch or dinner. It’s there you’ll get a sense of the rich history behind this Chicago icon, from the pictures on the walls to the brats and beer. During prohibition, the Berghoff didn’t open a speakeasy, although the café might conjure such ideas. The Berghoff brewed their signature beer, then removed the alcohol and served the customers root beer until the end of prohibition. When prohibition ended, Herman Berghoff marched down to City Hall and secured the very first liquor license from the city of Chicago. That license is still hanging on the wall downstairs.
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The Bottom Line on the Berghoff Restaurant:
Verdict: Connoisseurs of kraut (and sauerbraten and wienerschnitzel) will love the Berghoff, although you can find an array of traditional continental European dishes along with steaks and seafood as well, all of which is made from scratch. At a time when restaurants and bars come and go with the wind (this is the Windy City, after all), it is truly remarkable that the Berghoff is still a Chicago institution after four generations.
How to Get There: Located at 17 West Adams Street in Chicago’s Loop, the Berghoff is within walking distance from Chicago’s Metra Train Station as well as the Red Line Station at Jackson or at Monroe. Discounted parking is available a block away at InterPark Parking Garage by having your ticket validated.
Insider Information: Be sure to check out the downstairs café whether you’re doing lunch or dinner. It’s there you’ll get a sense of the rich history behind this Chicago icon, from the pictures on the walls to the brats and beer. During prohibition, the Berghoff didn’t open a speakeasy, although the café might conjure such ideas. The Berghoff brewed their signature beer, then removed the alcohol and served the customers root beer until the end of prohibition. When prohibition ended, Herman Berghoff marched down to City Hall and secured the very first liquor license from the city of Chicago. That license is still hanging on the wall downstairs.
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