The best of the wurst at Donau

Pardon the play of words for the title for this post. Wurst is German for sausage and that is one of our main reasons for dropping by at Donau Gourmet. But as it turned out, it’s not just the sausages that were worth dropping by for in this restaurant tucked in the quieter, less-crowded part of the Makati Central Business District, at Amorsolo, in Legaspi Village.

From the outside, the place looks non-descript, nothing much differentiates it from its neighbors save for the green signage. Stepping inside is a different story. There’s the warmly-lit interiors; the refrigerated counter full of sausages and various cold cuts, another shelf of muesli, seasonings and other food stuff; and six tables at the center.

Lagal[og] said: I chose one of the house specials, the Smoked Porkloin on Sauerkraut with Mashed Potato. When it arrived, I was pleased at finding three slabs of tender porkloin sitting on a large bed of sauerkraut. On the side, there’s a serving of creamy mashed potatoes. It may seem like a diet-breaker of an order but it really is not as the pork is boiled, not fried. The pork may taste a bit bland but when you pair it with the mild but flavorful mustard and have the sauerkraut on the side, this is really a filling and tasty meal sans the oil.

Ironwulf said: I had one of their popular house specialties as well, the Breaded Vienna Schnitzel with Cabbage and Potato Salad. Served on a huge plate is a large slice of meat was covered in breading topped with a couple of lemon slices. I cut a slice and found the breading thin. The meat has a nice subtle flavor with the breading adding the right amount of saltiness and flavor. The Potato Salad Sidings complement the dish well with its lightly citrus flavor. The Cabbage Salad also has a rich sour taste that I thought it was pickled judging by the color. I found out it was because of the salad dressing from Germany.

Lagal[og] said: We wouldn’t go home without tasting the wursts at Donau. Despite having a rather heavy meal, we decided to sample two kinds – the Spicy Creole and Shueblig. Since we were rather full, we had the sausages done the simplest way – lightly fried and served with tomatoes and crispy cucumber. The Spicy Creole is really flavorful but a bit on the salty side. It would be best to pair it with either rye bread or mashed potatoes and sauerkraut.

Ironwulf said: I like the Shueblig better since it has a milder yet filling taste one could enjoy eating on its own. The Spicy Creole, in my opinion, is best eaten with bread or other sidings due to its overpowering taste.

Lagal[og] said: The heavy meal begs for some dessert afterwards so we had what were on offer. I had the homemade Red Wine Cake with my coffee. I kinda liked the tinge of bitterness lent to the cake by the red wine as I find it a nice match to the chocolate. I just find it overly-dry; with a bit more moistness, I just know it would taste a lot better.

Ironwulf said: I didn’t like the Red Wine Cake as it tasted like an ordinary Christmas Fruitcake to me, but the Apple Cobbler was a lot better. A thin layer of cake showered with maple syrup and slices of apple that were really chewy. I found it a bit too sweet for my taste but enjoyed it due to its fruity flavor.

Donau Gourmet
130 Amorsolo Mansion, Amorsolo St. cor. Rufino,
Legaspi Village, Makati
Tel. 840-2887 • Open Mon-Sat, 7.30am-6pm