4 out of 5 stars

Normally when I think German food, I think grease-laden sausages and stinky sauerkraut, but J. Betski’s couldn’t be farther from that. Your European dining adventure starts out either on the patio at high top tables or inside the gently-lit interior. J. Betski’s is in the same shopping center as 18 Seaboard, which is a pleasantly landscaped diversion from Peace Street, just steps away.

For our first visit we sat outside and enjoyed the homemade cheese perogies plus an order of the bratwurst to start. At this point I wished I could order a whole plate of just the simple cheese perogies and sit in a corner by myself gorging. We were soon to learn that everything at J. Betski’s is freshly prepared, including the crisply tart sauerkraut that accompanies the brats.

Well this pic is of a half eaten jagerwurst plate with some perogies. In the background is the remains of the smoked salmon with potato pancakes pub plate. To hungry to wait to snap a pic!

We each ordered a different entree. I tried the chicken stew pub plate, on the advice of a review I read, which was all that I expected. It was creamy but not cloying, with delicate pieces of chicken and veggies over the delightful spaetzle noodles. Hubs had the horseradish crusted trout over a bed of spinach and a beet and lentil blend. While I would almost assume the combination of those items would be harsh, it was all perfect together and this is how I learned that I actually like beets. B ordered the pork schnitzel which was tender and crisp. It came with a homemade cucumber salad which was spiced with fresh springy dill, as well as some tender potato salad and lingonberries. W ordered the herb-stuffed chicken which was a substantial portion. She was happy enough with the seasonings and the tenderness to order it again on our second visit.

My dessert was a bit of a disappointment after the perfection achieved earlier. I ordered the most popular dish, a chocolate hazelnut torte topped with sea salt, caramel and crispy bacon. The topping was unique and rich but the torte itself was a bit too firm for me.

J. Betski’s would be a great stop to bring some visitors from out of town, or to stop to have a drink with friends and share an amazing appetizer. Just remember it’s not necessarily a traditional German restaurant, it’s more of a contemporary take.

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