5 replies to this topic

[scrat]

We are taking the kids to Leavenworth over the weekend. Any restaurant rec's or warnings?

Thanks!
Pat

[Lauren]

There's a fun pub on Front Street that serves a good pork hock with spaetzle. Unfortunately I can't remember the name of it and it appears there are two restaurants that specialize in the pork hock. I think the one I liked is King Ludwig's (the other is Andreas Keller).

People rave about the cheese shop but I thought it was just okay. I suppose if I lived there, and that's all I had to choose from, I'd rave too.

My Mom (she was born and raised in Leavenworth) had a great dinner at a Mexican place called South last time we were there.

My cousin's daughter works at the restaurant at the Sleeping Lady and supposedly it's decent. The main restaurant, not the cafe-ish space.

[tighe]

Quick Leavenworth run-down...

Two dinners at South were very good. Somewhat gringo-fied style, but well done food with good flavors. Salsas were especially good. The enchiladas verdes on night two were better than trio of pork tacos on our first visit. There's a newsish microbrewery in town called Icicle Brewing; had their very tasty IPA with dinner.

Generally godawful coffee until I stumbled upon Red Bird. They serve coffee roasted by Batdorf-Bronson out of Olympia. I was unfamiliar with their coffee, but it's worth seeking out. By the way, how can a high end resort like Sleeping Lady get away with serving coffee that tastes like weak Folgers?

Ended up at Andreas Keller on our first night and wouldn't go back. Soul-less place, both atmo and food.

Pavz was a surprise find, I had raclette made with cheese they produce in-house. Pat had a ham and mushroom crepe that she enjoyed.

Lunch at Cafe Christa was pretty good, wurst and other such things tasted as they should. Better choice than AK if you want to go that route.

Cured sells (primarily) their own salumi and sausages. Good stuff, we sampled broadly and bought some to bring home. They also run a sausage garden next door but we weren't up for al fresco dining this time of year. Very solid gelato in the same building at Via Dolce.

Last, but not least, Country Boy's Barbecue in Cashmere was certainly good enough to warrant a detour on the way back to Seattle. The pulled pork was tender, moist and zingy.

I hadn't been to Leavenworth is probably 15 years, surprised at the proliferation of wineries and tasting rooms. Didn't partake, wonder if any of them are any good?

[Lauren]

I forgot about Cured. That was very new the last time I was there.

I haven't tried any of the tasting rooms, are they primarily for wines in the Chelan area? I haven't seen many grapes growing near Leavenworth.

[tighe]

I haven't tried any of the tasting rooms, are they primarily for wines in the Chelan area? I haven't seen many grapes growing near Leavenworth.

I assume so, but wasn't really paying attention. Seemed like mostly colder climate German white varietals.

[Lauren]

We were in Leavenworth this weekend for a relative's graduation and had one dinner on our own. I wanted to find out which place had the schweinshaxe that I liked and it was indeed, King Ludwig's. They are the same folks who, for many years, had the one on 5th Avenue NE, near Northgate.

We spent a lot of time talking to the owner. The pork comes from Carlton Farms and they have two rotisserie's going with 28 hocks on each. It takes two and a half hours go cook. Christmas is their busiest day of the year and they will sell 250 on that day. On a normal day they go through 150. The hock we had this time wasn't as good as I've had before. The meat was a little dry and the skin wasn't as crispy. But it was still mighty tasty. We shared a mixed platter with jagerschnitzel, sausages, potato salad and two different krauts. We also ordered the spaetzle on the side. There are two sides to the place; the biergarten and the restaurant. On Friday and Saturday nights they have a polka band in the biergarten. We ate in the restaurant which was perfect as you can still hear the band and there is a window so you can watch the drunk bachlorette's, yet still be able to hear each other dishing on them. They also have a good beer selection.

Yes, it's touristy but we still had a good time.