- Words by Jane Mundy Photography by Don Denton
We know that a good cook can serve up memories from faraway places or offer a ticket back to childhood.
If you乌鸦传媒檙e craving currywurst like you once scarfed down in Berlin, a pretzel at Oktoberfest, schnitzel at a Michelin-star restaurant in Munich or spaetzle that your mother lovingly made, go directly to , where chef Maxime Durand will transport you to Deutschland and satisfy your cravings.
But don乌鸦传媒檛 just take my word for it. Patron Duane Bell had only just returned from Austria and Germany when I met him at Eva乌鸦传媒檚.
乌鸦传媒淕ermans and Austrians take their schnitzel seriously, so I was shocked at how good it was at an eatery in Victoria,乌鸦传媒� said Duane. 乌鸦传媒淭he currywurst was so good that it took me back to the street stall in Berlin, and all four of us ordered seconds乌鸦传媒攁s well as every appetizer on the menu.乌鸦传媒�
Like most Austrians, Duane takes schnitzel seriously. 乌鸦传媒淵ou can tell there乌鸦传媒檚 a lot of pride behind this food, and combined with great service we are thrilled to discover this eatery乌鸦传媒攎y German and Austrian tastebuds zing.乌鸦传媒�
Eva乌鸦传媒檚 menu is simple and spare, but the flavours are complex and the portions are big. For instance, Maxime adds 10 spices, perfectly balanced, to his currywurst, and ginormous schnitzels barely fit on the dinner plate. The breading is crisp and greaseless and the meat so tender. You乌鸦传媒檒l find classic choices such as schweineschnitzel (German pork schnitzell), roesti and raclette, but with modern twists. Fresh, local produce and the eggplant schnitzel乌鸦传媒攑repared sous vide with a side of rutabaga and sauerkraut乌鸦传媒攚ill bring a vegetarian back for more. I will return for a plate of braised red cabbage alone.
You won乌鸦传媒檛 know from the menu that almost everything, from schnitzels and spaetzle to pretzels and pickles, are haus-made at Eva乌鸦传媒檚 and there乌鸦传媒檚 even a smoker in the kitchen to smoke ham hocks and bacon, thanks to chef Maxime and his sous-chef Emile pulling double shifts.
One afternoon, I witnessed the pretzel prep. The dough is fermented overnight and chilled. Once about four dozen are shaped, they are dipped in an alkaline solution to caramelize the dough and proofed for half an hour before baking.
乌鸦传媒淲e try to serve them hot-out-of-the-oven just before dinner time,乌鸦传媒� Maxime explained.
And getting back to the currywurst, it乌鸦传媒檚 classic Berlin street food, served with dollops of curried ketchup and potato chips. North America乌鸦传媒檚 equivalent is the steamed, smothered hot dog at the hockey game or street stall乌鸦传媒攂ut it乌鸦传媒檚 way better. Just for starters, Maxime乌鸦传媒檚 ingredients don乌鸦传媒檛 include preservatives.
Naturally, there乌鸦传媒檚 a decent beer selection at Eva乌鸦传媒檚 with lager and pilsner on tap to wash down your wurst. And if you乌鸦传媒檙e not starved for a full meal but want a snack with that stein anytime after 4 pm, go for the big and chewy, soft and twisty pretzel with mustard butter. But be warned: it乌鸦传媒檚 addictive.
Breakfast is an important meal in Germany. There乌鸦传媒檚 a German saying: Iss dein Fr眉hst眉ck wie ein Kaiser (eat your breakfast like a king), which at Eva乌鸦传媒檚 refers to brunch; it will soon open for lunch as well.
Some items on the dinner menu are featured with a twist, such as schnitzel hollandaise and cured trout Benny with a mouth-watering sauerkraut pancake乌鸦传媒攈old the bread.
The space itself is like the menu: small and unpretentious with a low-key vibe, whimsical d茅cor with a nod to a ski chalet and just enough kitsch on the walls.
You乌鸦传媒檝e got to hand it to anyone opening a restaurant during the pandemic. Added to the fray, German food sometimes gets a bad rap, often perceived as heavy and stodgy: boiled sausages and potatoes and cabbage covered in cream and served by round men wearing lederhosen in beer halls. Austrian cuisine fares better perception-wise: considered more spa-like and sophisticated.
But when Victoria乌鸦传媒檚 Rathskeller Schnitzel House said auf wiedersehen after half a century, there wasn乌鸦传媒檛 much else in the city serving schnitzels and steins, and people crave comfort food in stressful times.
Chef Maxime, who previously helmed the kitchen at the award-winning Agrius, saw an opportunity. However, he says, it was nerve-wracking opening in November 2021 because nobody knew if the pandemic would get worse.
乌鸦传媒淎t the same time, people wanted to experience something new, although we aren乌鸦传媒檛 re-inventing the wheel. Sure, I have doubts sometimes when I wake up, but after a few beers they fade away, and questioning yourself is part of the learning experience,乌鸦传媒� he said, laughing. 乌鸦传媒淎s well, restaurant restrictions were lifting, so we had a bit of momentum right off the bat乌鸦传媒攊t was like a slow opening and now we are ready for a busy summer.乌鸦传媒�
Maxime chose not to deliver or offer take-out because 乌鸦传媒渟chnitzel doesn乌鸦传媒檛 travel well.乌鸦传媒� Comfort food is a source of hearty, warming pleasure year-round and that is something you乌鸦传媒檒l find at Eva Schnitzelhaus.
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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