The Great Thaw

Hofbrauhaus Columbus The Great Thaw

Written by Rachel Gyarmati

If you are a fan of magic and illusion, you are most certainly a fan of late Winter and early Spring in Columbus, Ohio. It’s a crazy time of year where in, one week, you can go from bundling up to sandals and then back again.

It’s hard to know what to eat this time of year. Of course, when it’s cold, you may want something warm and filling. But, on the other hand, when we’re thawing out some, you may prefer a dish that’s light and fresh.

It’s not just the weather that triggers the way we eat. Those celebrating Lent will follow certain dietary restrictions for most of March and April to express their faith. For example, those participating will abstain from eating meat other than fish on Fridays during Lent.

During this time of year, it can be challenging to find a place to eat that meets all your needs and preferences. That is unless you’re dining here at Our Haus. So get ready to explore our menu and see what we have cooking for you and your loved ones.

Baby, It’s Dreary Outside

Part of the thawing process in our area is the dreary weather that comes and goes. We see rain slush, which can be darker than usual during the day. So we turn to foods that warm us up and leave us feeling full and relaxed during those times.

This blogger believes in starting with dessert first when you can, so let’s begin with one of our best.

Apfel Strudel

Apfel Strudel is one of our best and most luxurious desserts. We import fresh, traditional Apfel Strudel from Bavaria and serve it warm. The strudel is then topped with both raspberry and vanilla sauces. It’s a lovely ending to any meal.

Apfel Strudel

Now that dessert is out of the way, let’s see what entrees might be best for cold weather.

Jägerschnitzel

Nothing will leave you feeling warm, happy, and full like Jägerschnitzel. Breaded pork cutlets are delicious on their own. However, this dish elevates the humble yet tasty cutlet by smothering it in Burgundy wine and mushroom sauce.

Jägerschnitzel

Jägerschnitzel is served with mashed potatoes and German potato salad.

Hofbräuhaus Hot Brown

If you want to experience a decadent and stick to your ribs dish, order the Hofbräuhaus Hot Brown. Potato pancakes are freshly made and then topped with goodness.

What is said goodness, you ask?

  • Smoked turkey breast
  • Black forest ham
  • Swiss cheese
  • Bier cheese
  • Tomatoes
  • Smoked bacon
  • Parmesan cheese

Any of these dishes are sure to please on days with cold, wet weather as we melt into Spring.

Spring Forward

You gotta’ love Spring! There is color everywhere, and for the first time in a while, we can go out with friends and enjoy a good time. The foods that celebrate Spring are fresh, made with colorful produce and packed with flavor.

Bier Cheese Chicken

First and foremost, any dish made with our homemade Bier cheese is fantastic.

We pour our Bier cheese over a grilled and seasoned chicken breast. The chicken is then topped with sweet peppers and onion and comes with a side of mashed potatoes.

Munich Market Salad

This salad is bright and makes for a hearty Spring lunch or dinner. Of course, you can add Grilled Chicken or Atlantic Salmon as well.

Served on a bed of crisp greens are:

  • Fresh strawberries
  • Dried cranberries
  • Glazed pecans
  • Pineapples
  • Feta cheese
  • Raspberry poppy seed dressing

The “Yard” Sampler

There isn’t a better way to sample our very best appetizers than with the “Yard” Sampler. It’s also good to share with friends over a stein or two when the Biergarten opens for the season.

Sampler Platter*The Biergarten does not open until the weather is consistently warm.

Until then, order this sampler which includes:

  • Pretzels and Bier cheese
  • Fried pickles and Ranch dressing
  • Potato pancakes and applesauce
  • Reuben balls and Thousand Island Dressing

March 20th is the first day of Spring this year. We invite you to celebrate with our Monthly Pairing. This is a meal especially chosen because of how well it pairs with our March seasonal biers, Märzen.

Märzen (5.8% Alc. by Vol) means is named after the month of March. It’s amber colored with a rich, malty character and just a hint of hops.

The dish that we feel goes especially well with our Märzen is Cabbage Rolls.

Cabbage Rolls

A light tomato beef broth smothers two Old World Style stuffed cabbage rolls. Those are accompanied by Yukon Gold mashed potatoes.

Cabbage Rolls

Stay tuned to our social media for more monthly pairings; you’ll be glad you did.

There are many more dishes on our menu to celebrate all that happens in the Spring. If Lent is a part of your Spring celebrations, we actually have a menu that is just for you.

Our Lent Menu

The German way is to gather in the community and celebrate. Therefore, we always want to ensure that everyone has something delicious when they stop by our Haus. This includes our patrons celebrating Lent from March 3 through April 14.

One of the customs of Lent is to not eat meat (except fish) on Fridays. To honor that, we have curated a menu available on Fridays during the Lenten season.

Click here to see our Lent Menu!

Käsespätzle

For those who are curious, Spätzle is a small noodle that is made chiefly with eggs.

When making Käsespätzle, we sautee our spätzle with diced onion and Swiss cheese sauce. Then, we top it with frizzled onions and chives-yum!

Our next highlighted entree is a guaranteed favorite for those who love a good glaze and fresh food.

Dunkel Bourbon Salmon

We know we had you at Dunkel Bourbon.

A pan-seared Atlantic salmon filet is glazed in our homemade Dunkel Bourbon sauce. We then paired the filet with mashed potatoes and the chef’s vegetable selection. This dish is fresh, filling, and delicious.

Dunkel Bourbon Salmon

Our Lent offerings go further than these dishes. Be sure to try all of the entrees and let us know what your favorite is!

Lass uns Essen (Let’s Eat!)

No matter what you’re hungry for, we have you covered. Our kids’ menu is extensive and can satisfy even the pickiest eaters. Not to mention our Vegetarian and Gluten-Free menu options for those who need them.

If you’re looking for something to drink, we may have something for you.

Did you know that we have flavored Biers? We do, and they are fantastic! We have a rotating selection of flavors available seasonally. Try them all and find your favorite!

We also have our constant flavored Biers that are all perfect for Spring.

  • Blood Orange Weizen (5.4% Alc. by Vol)
  • Strawberry Lager (5.2% Alc. by Vol)
  • Blueberry Lager (5.2% Alc. by Vol)

We gladly welcome you, our community, and the change of season. See you soon!