Finally, at long last, I ventured downtown (just a few miles from my abode, I don’t know if that qualifies this trip as an adventure) to enjoy my first meal at Wurstküche (which I believe is pronounced VURST-COOK-HUH, with a soft “K” sound), those purveyors of exotic sausages, Belgian fries, and German/Belgian beers. Last month my boss went there for lunch and returned with a gift for me: a Rattlesnake & Rabbit with jalapeno peppers sausage, topped with carmelized onions, sweet peppers, spicy peppers and sauerkraut. It was stunningly good. But I didn’t feel like I got the whole experience eating the meal in the tiny employee break room at work. So today Nicci and I drove a few miles to the corner of E. 3rd Street and Hewitt to enjoy the ambiance and the food at Wurstküche.
We arrived just as their doors opened, and spent a few minutes looking at the delicious sausage display case in the front room (where orders are placed). We decided on three sausages. She ordered the Rabbit, Veal & Pork sausage (seasoned with white wine). I ordered the Alligator & Pork, Smoked Andouille Sausage, and the Duck & Bacon with Jalapeno Peppers sausage. We ordered a side of Belgian fries (double dipped) with two dipping sauces: chipotle ketchup and pesto mayo. Two sodas and some free cucumber water to wash the food down. I wasn’t ready to start drinking at 11am with the whole day ahead of me, but they offer roughly 25 beers on tap, including Russian River Old Rasputin imperial stout and several European beers from Belgian breweries such as Delirium, Leffe, Chimay, as well as the canonic German choices (Bitburger, Erdinger, Spaten, et al.).
Once you’ve ordered, you receive a number and proceed down a narrow hallway to the spacious dining room. Long tables fill much of the space, and there are some smaller tables along the wall of the room, as well as a full bar near the exit. I’ve been told that the layout and decor is very “Modern Berlin,” but since I’ve never been to Deutschland I cannot comment on the accuracy of that statement.
Service was quick, and everyone we spoke to who worked there was friendly. Our plate of three sausages and fries arrived in good time, and we were very anxious to dive into the food. I tried the Alligator first. It was very chewy (the pork casing was quite thick), and had a slight hickory flavor. Nicci later declared that to be the best of the three sausages, but I was not as impressed with it. Good, but not the best. I had one bite of her Rabbit/Veal sausage and quite liked it. It was very light and finely textured. I think the veal really stood out more than the rabbit. Nicci said it tasted very refined, which she attributed to the white wine, but I don’t really know what “refined” tastes like because I was raised on McDonalds and pizza.
I thought the best sausage was the Duck/Bacon/Jalapeno, but Nicci felt it was a little too spicy (not hot, but she commented that it tasted like a garden?) for her. I thought it was the most flavorful of the group, and next time I return I will most likely order that sausage. I don’t feel like there’s much reason to try any of the classics or gourmets when one can enjoy exotic sausages. I guess I might consider the Sun Dried Tomato & Mozzerella sausage, or the Jack Cheese & Jalapeno sausage, but…I still have to try the Buffalo, Beef & Pork with Chipotle Peppers sausage before I can say I’ve eaten all the exotic ones.
The Belgian fries were equally delicious. The Pesto Mayo barely tasted of mayo (which is good for me, since I hate mayo), and the Chipotle Ketchup was fine, with a little spicy kick to it. I’ve heard from other diners that the Curry Ketchup is bad, and the Coconut Curry Mayo is foul, but I probably wouldn’t order either myself so I’m forced to take their word for it until someone steps up and states otherwise. The best part of the fries was that they weren’t at all like greasy fast food fries. They were thick, well-battered, and barely left any grease stains on the brown paper bag in which they were served. It’s nice to look at a plate of fries and not worry about all that unhealthy fry juice taking precious days or weeks off your life.
Needless to say, the menu alone warrants multiple trips to the restaurant. On top of all the choices, the service and atmosphere are very cool and “hip”, making for a comfortable, fun, and potentially very lively (we got there early so it wasn’t packed, but I’ve heard it gets super-crowded on a daily basis) experience. For $36 (not including tip), it is a more than reasonably-priced place to eat in an up-and-coming section of Downtown LA.
Wurstküche received very high grades in all areas from both Nicci and myself, thus assuring the eatery of a place in the annals of fine dining, and perhaps a three star Michelin rating, since those people at Michelin are highly influenced by my blog, especially when it comes to food ratings. Because I know so much about food. I also tried a peach today for the first time ever. But that’s besides the point. I can absolutely, unequivocally promise Wurstküche a steady clientele of hipsters and LOST nerds, as those are the only types of losers who read my stupid website. God, I hate my audience almost as much as I hate myself.
