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Get Outta Town East Bay:
Speisekammer is serving up wholesome German food in the town that time forgot

By B. Knutson


Whenever I feel overwhelmed by the City and want to get away to a place that reminds me of simpler times, I head over a bridge or two to Alameda. As I meander down Park Street, I feel as if I am transported back to the set of a 50s’ sitcom. I half expect Wally and the Beav to round the corner at any time. But despite the retro feel to the buildings, many of the businesses have a modern sensibility.

Speisekammer is a prime example. The combination of their hearty German fare and beer hall/Elk’s lodge atmosphere would make them a popular establishment for the military personnel during the heyday of Alameda’s naval base. Yet, by using local, seasonal ingredients, they fit nicely into the current culinary scene.

For our first course, we ordered a Kostritzer black lager and a Weltenberger Asam bock. Let’s face it, when you eat German, the food pairs with the beer. We washed down our mugs of beer with several appetizers. The small bratwursts were nicely seasoned with just a little spice that melded perfectly with the house-made sauerkraut. But, we especially loved the freshly cured pickled herring with sour cream, pickles and apples. We finished the meal with roasted pork in beer sauce, a perfectly cooked thick-cut pork loin chop served with sauerkraut and mashed potatoes, and beef tri-tip aged in red wine and braised until fork tender, served with red cabbage and spätzle. And for dessert, what else? We had more beer.

Speisekammer: 2424 Lincoln Ave. (at Park), Alameda; lunch Fri-Sun from noon, dinner Tue-Sat from 5 p.m., Sunday from 4 p.m.; 510-522-1300, www.speisekammer.com

–B. Knutson

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