A German Feast in Saint Robert

A crisp-edged pretzel with a soft middle is a fine way to begin a meal at this longtime Saint Robert German restaurant. It sets the tone for what follows: generous, old-fashioned food with plenty of choices, served in a dining room where antique beer steins line the walls.

Saint Robert is not the place everyone expects to find rouladen, goulash, knackwurst and several styles of schnitzel gathered under one roof. Yet this family-owned restaurant has built a following over more than five decades by putting traditional German cooking at the center of a notably large menu.

The setting has the comfortable character of an older building that has been allowed to keep its personality. Decorative steins give the room a collected, distinctly German look rather than a generic theme-restaurant treatment. A meal here can be a quiet lunch, a full dinner, or a reason for a group to settle in and compare plates.

The traditional side of the menu runs deep. Schnitzel appears in several forms, alongside rouladen, bratwurst, smoked meats, sauerkraut, goulash and Bavarian-style combinations. Diners familiar with Germany have found the cooking notably true to the flavors they remember, which is a considerable compliment in a part of the country better known for road trips and military traffic than continental cooking.

Wiener schnitzel is there for the diner who wants a straightforward classic, while chicken schnitzel and Black Forest schnitzel offer other directions. The schnitzel trio is especially handy for a first visit, bringing together Cordon Bleu, Jäger and St. Moritz preparations on one plate. It saves a good deal of menu indecision.

Rouladen gives the meal a more home-kitchen feel, while goulash soup is a warming, spoonable choice before moving on to a larger entrée. Bavarian wieners with sauerkraut keep things simple and satisfying. There is no need to arrive with a working knowledge of German food; the staff is known for explaining unfamiliar dishes and helping pair food with beer.

The menu is broad enough that combination platters make good sense. The Bavarian platter can bring a smoked pork chop, knackwurst and bratwurst together, giving the table a little tour through several kinds of German sausage and pork without committing everyone to the same thing.

Large portions are part of the house style, so sharing a platter or dividing a few dishes is a sensible way for two people to explore. A sampler-style order also lets the side dishes get more attention instead of being an afterthought tucked beside one entrée.

For diners whose table includes someone less interested in German specialties, the selection extends beyond the usual Old World repertoire. Prime rib and an ostrich burger are among the unexpected alternatives. That breadth makes the restaurant easier to choose when tastes around the table are not perfectly aligned.

Sauerkraut can be treated as mere accompaniment at many restaurants. Here, the house-made version has enough traditional character to merit notice on its own. It belongs with the sausages and pork, of course, but it is also a pleasant reminder that a side dish can carry as much personality as the centerpiece.

German potato salad has drawn praise for being well seasoned, and German green beans offer another familiar side in a different register. A garden salad and dinner rolls round out the meal in a more conventional American restaurant fashion, which is not a bad thing after a plate of rich meat and potatoes.

The beer list gives the restaurant another strong connection to Germany, with numerous imported selections, including labels that are not always easy to spot elsewhere in the United States. A proper German beer beside schnitzel or sausage is an obvious pairing, but the variety invites a little exploration.

This is another place where a quick question to the server can be useful. Staff members are known for being friendly and informative, particularly when helping diners sort through dishes and beer choices that may be new to them.

A heavy German dinner does not automatically call for dessert, but it is hard to dismiss the sweet side of this menu. The dessert selection is substantial enough to be a destination within the meal.

Black Forest cake is the natural choice for staying with the German theme. Coconut cream pie and chocolate cream pie take a more classic American diner route, and both make a convincing argument for carrying a little extra appetite into the evening.

The visit does not have to end when the plates are cleared. A deli or retail counter offers packaged German foods and wines, giving diners a chance to browse for something to bring home.

That retail corner adds a useful extra layer to the restaurant. You can come in for a familiar favorite, try a beer that is hard to find, then leave with a German pantry item for another day. It is a modest pleasure, but one that makes a meal here feel less like a simple stop for dinner.

The restaurant is widely regarded as one of Saint Robert's long-running dining rooms, with generations of regulars folded into its history. Its family ownership, enduring German focus and unapologetically extensive menu give it a continuity that is increasingly hard to find.

Indoor dining is available for lunch and dinner, and the free lot has ample parking. With combination platters, patient menu guidance, imported beer and an extra stop at the retail counter, the restaurant suits a meal that does not need to be hurried.