Have you been to Germany? The closest I’ve been to Germany is to eat German chocolate cake. So you would expect that I know nothing about German food, but alas this is not true. So you ask; how is it possible that a girl raised on white beans and corn bread knows about German food? While a large part of my education came from my much older more wrinkled sister (Sylvia) who is married to a German man; some of it came from eating at Old Vienna in Ventura. This is only restaurant I know in Ventura County that makes authentic German food. I will try, to the best of my poor white folk ability, to describe in my own words how great the food is.

Carnivores love this place. Do not come here if you are on a low protein or a low carb diet because Germans are big on meat and carbohydrates. They make potato salad, potato dumpling, potato pancakes, potato soup and homemade noodles called spatzel. Not sure where the word spatzel came from but don’t let the weird name scare you because it’s yummy. The meat choices consist of sausages, duck, chicken, pork roast, pork chops and veal. I’m sure I have missed a few but these are the ones that come to mind.

My favorite is the potato dumplings or as we common folk say, potato balls. No matter what you call them they are delicious with a little butter or some of their incredible demi glace (NOTE: not sure about this...is it “demi glaze”? anyone know a cook?). I think that’s a fancy name for brown gravy.

Most men who eat here order the Schweinhaxen. This is real man food; it’s a huge piece of pork roast with the bone still in it and crispy skin all over it. Ladies if your man orders this just stand back and stay out of the way or you might be hurt. Men never share this dish with any other person.

And don’t forget sauerkraut and red cabbage. I have to say the red cabbage makes me crazy; I just love red cabbage. And I will say no one (not even my older more wrinkled sister) makes it as good as Old Vienna.

The first time you go to Old Vienna you should order the feast for two. This will feed at least three people unless you are sharing with my brother in law. He wants his half and maybe some of yours. But all kidding aside; I will always be in debt to my sister and her husband for taking me to Old Vienna.

And if you are ever there during Oktoberfest you will have the time of your life. You can’t image how fun it is to sing with a room full of happy Germans while having great food.

Thank you Antonia and Hans for keeping your tradition alive while serving great food.

I would give them five stars for food and fun.