Dine at Brooklyn, New York's Cafe Steinhof

Austrian Comfort Food in Park Slope

Mar 20, 2009 Diana Ogilvie

Dash the winter blues and welcome spring in this cozy neighborhood restaurant.

Late night dining has a new champion in Café Steinhof. Nestled on the corner of 7th Avenue and 14 Street in the south side of Park Slope this Austrian restaurant is sure to cure the winter blues with their half-off the menu Monday nights. On a snowy Monday night, the meaty goulash was a great comfort and at $6.00 the wallet felt comforted as well.

The exposed brick wall and vintage Austrian pop art advertisements made for a rustic/modern mix. Photographs of early 80’s Brooklyn neighborhoods were sprinkled along the wall. Coupled with the cozy yellow décor, the menu served the best of food that Austria had to offer with the down to earth Brooklyn vibe. The atmosphere was lively, loud and uncharacteristically festive for a Monday crowd. The music was straight from 1950’s American rock ’n’ roll, featuring tunes Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley. The tables are small and can seat a maximum of four. Bumping a fellow patron’s elbow at these tables is not uncommon. On this night, couples reigned supreme. There were smiles galore as they ate off each others plates. Fluttering around the tables, are the readily available, attentive and chipper staff.

Let's Eat!

The hearty goulash was amply seasoned with bold flavors of sweet peppers, onions along with huge chunks of beef and potatoes in a brown sauce hinted with paprika pepper. The restaurant also features crispy, lightly breaded fried trout with a potato salad. This is not your Mama’s potato salad, but cool and seasoned with lightly with vinegar and red onions, it’s an innovative take on fish and chips. The menu also features vegetarian dishes and the standouts are the roesti (a potato pancake) with roasted summer vegetables and a fresh herb ragout and the vegetable ravioli.

Café Steinhof boasts a decent wine list and the Graff Riesling ($8 a glass) pairs nicely with the trout. The German beer list is also a sure cure for the blah Monday blues. Order the U-Boat ($10 a pint) or a pint of the Gaffel Kolsch with a shot of Obstler schnapps.

Desert is the best part!

To top the night off is the never to miss warm apple bread pudding dessert ($3). Unlike many deserts this one is definitely shareable with two hefty slices served on top of a tart, warm apple -sauce. At first bite, our taste buds knew these two were meant to be together on the same plate, forever.

Cafe Steinhof, 422 7th Avenue; 718-369-7776 or www.cafesteinhof.com

The copyright of the article Dine at Brooklyn, New York's Cafe Steinhof in Seasonal Cooking is owned by Diana Ogilvie. Permission to republish Dine at Brooklyn, New York's Cafe Steinhof in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.