LOCATIONOn the main street of Hahndorf – opposite the Udder Delights cheese cellar.
PROFILED BY DE GROOTS MEDIAWith a head chef named Jean Pierre Rival, you can expect the unexpected from Hahndorf’s super-sized smorgasbord. While you will not see any French fare, there is surprisingly little German influence in the bain-maries. Fried rice, lemon pepper fish, pasta and curries with pappadums are typical dishes. A pity if you are seeking an authentic culinary experience of this historic township, but you will certainly leave well-fed. Traditionalists will be happy with hot roasts and lashings of colourful vegies. Hearty soups, salads and sliced meats are also on-side. Thankfully a mound of sausages and sauerkraut remind you of where you are. Suddenly, oompah music seems to fill the air. For the real deal, visit on the last Sunday of the month for the “Hofbrauhaus”. Festivities include a pig on a spit, bell ringing and the show-stopping theatrics of bombe Alaska. The buffet’s regular dessert array is always spectacular. Kids (of all ages) will pounce on its spoils. Elegant silver cake stands are festooned with Pavlova, Black Forest and cheesecakes.
Intimate dining, this is not. The room is as generous in size as the smorgasbord. Should you ever wish to gather 300 of your nearest and dearest to feast, this is the place to do it. You may not be too jazzed about the wine list. It is quite pedestrian, which is a shame considering the wineries in the Adelaide Hills region. Interestingly, the menu of the main bar delivers a better taste of German cuisine. Kransky, bratwurst and weisswurst are offered with mash, grilled onion and bacon; fish is coated in Hofbrauhaus beer batter and a Vienner (sic) schnitzel burger sided with tomato chutney. Of high appeal, however, is the fantastically cheap set-price buffet. For under $20 you can roll yourself out the door.
Roz Taylor, April 2010