Midtown Lunch

If a restaurant has a specific food in its name, it’s usually a safe bet that said food is the way to go when ordering lunch. In that case, you’d be wise to order one of the several schnitzels available at Schnitzel & Things (45th St. and 3rd Ave.). But what about the “Things”? Could there be lunchtime gold hidden in there?

I would venture to say ‘yes’. I might even go so far as to say that the best thing you can get at Schnitzel & Things isn’t schnitzel at all – it’s the bratwurst.

Specifically, it’s the bratwurst sandwich, if you order it with the right accoutrements, which is a fancy way to say sauerkraut and mustard. Each ingredient in this sandwich contributes to a greater whole. The ciabatta roll is soft but crusty. The bratwurst itself is plenty flavorful and, although it is cut in half lengthwise, the casing retains its snap. The sauerkraut brings a vinegary sweetness while the mustard contributes a vinegary hotness.

If there’s one problem with this sandwich, it’s that the roll is a bit too large for the sausage. Some bites are all sauerkraut, no brat.

To make a complete Germanically inspired lunch, I’d recommend ordering a side of the Austrian potato salad. Unfortunately, Schnitzel & Things no longer offers it’s lunch special (sandwich or wrap, side, and a drink for $10), but you can still grab the bratwurst sandwich for only $6.50, the cheapest sandwich on the menu.

If bratwurst isn’t your thing and you’re tired of schnitzel, I would suggest an option that some Midtown Lunchers might call heretical: the all-vegetarian side sampler.

Now that you’ve all settled down, here me out on this. Schnitzel & Thing’s sides are delicious, and the side sampler gets you heaping servings of four of them for $7.95. Seriously, if you have any worries that a vegetarian meal won’t fill you up, just take a look at this…

Each of the available sides are fairly simple. The chickpeas come dress in a balsamic vinaigrette while the cucumbers–crisp and cool– come in a white wine vinaigrette. Beets come dressed similarly in white wine and are topped with feta cheese–a classic combination done right.

Let’s be honest, if you’re going to go all veg, you need to choose a starch. Either of two potato salads are perfectly fine, but I’d recommend the spaetzel. They aren’t exactly the dumplings I grew up eating, but tossed in butter, they’re comforting and delicious. The polenta was something of a mixed bag. It’s got a great corn flavor, and caramelized onions add something special (though I wish there were more of them), but while some of my polenta was soft and smooth, about half was excessively firm. Still, the taste was great.

So next time you stop by Schnitzel & Things, consider forgoing the schnitzel and picking the brat sandwich or side sampler.

Schnitzel & Things, 723 Third Ave (btw. 45+46th), 347-772-7341