Tag: Central European

The Central European dumplings of Toronto

Discover the starchy delights of spätzle, knedlíky, halušky, and nokedli in Toronto (and finding the best)

The iconic Central European food is undoubtedly the schnitzel, a thin, breaded slab of meat. It’s filling and easy to make, which explains its popularity outside the region. Witness cotoletta (Italy) and milanesa (Argentina and Brazil).

But we are not here to talk about something that is famous enough already. Today, we go on a tour of the second-most iconic food of Central Europe: dumplings. These are the underappreciated workhorses that give the cuisine a reputation for being heavy and starchy. Not to be confused with Asian dumplings, these dumplings are bite-sized lumps of flour, potato, or egg. They are also universally bland, so the skill comes in the texture and shape.

Toronto is blessed to have full representation of the dumplings of Central Europe: Germany/Austria/Switzerland, Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary. (I left out Poland because their most famous dumpling, pierogi, is too divergent from the others. But if you are interested in Polish kopytka, Café Polonez is a good bet.)

One can easily go on a taste test around the city and debate which is the better variant. And that is exactly what I did.

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Wvrst (Union Station)

Sausage fest with lamb, elk, rabbit, kangaroo, vegan options, and more

Let’s get the most important question out of the way. Wvrst is pronounced “vurst”, which is the same pronunciation as the German word for sausage, wurst. I have no idea why the restaurant is spelled Wvrst. Maybe it’s a throwback to the Roman empire when they didn’t have the letter u.

Anyway, Wvrst is the undisputed champion for sausage variety in the country. Unlike other sausage purveyors, these are not minor variations like different sizes of the same thing or some token herbs thrown in. They have 32 distinct varieties, including uncommon meats like elk, bison, and kangaroo. I would love to see crocodile, ostrich, and emu one day. For animal lovers (not in the consumption sense), there are 7 vegan options.

Wvrst’s original location is on King Street West, 25 minutes walk from this outlet at Union Station. The original location has marginally better food quality but this outpost can’t be beat for location. It’s the transport hub for the region and has a direct link to the airport. It’s a decent choice for a quick but pricey bite. This restaurant has a more sophisticated ambience.

Storefront of Wvrst
Wvrst at Union Station concourse

Proudly taking centre stage is the giant display case of sausages and cured meats. Newcomers are naturally drawn to the exotic meats. Don’t forget that there is a range of traditional sausages from around the world to choose from. Like South African boerewors, Slovenian kranjska, German bratwurst, or pseudo-German Oktoberfest sausage. I wished they offered more varieties of German sausages. The foods I miss from Southern Germany are Weißwurst (white veal sausages) and Nürnberger (bite-sized pork sausages).

Cured meats and sausages at Wvrst
Cured meats (top) and sausages (bottom)

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Finding the best pretzels in Munich

A taste test of the top pretzels in the city centre

Pretzels are quintessentially Southern German. They are so common and boring that nobody notices them in Munich, the capital of Bavaria and largest city in Southern Germany. Munich is not a foodie city, so you will get puzzled looks from locals if you ask where to find the best pretzel. A bit like asking Americans where to find the best pancakes.

While the rest of Germany calls this bread a “Brezel”, the Bavarians with their guttural accent call it “Brez’n”. These knotted bread strips are eaten by locals for breakfast and by masses of tourists in biergartens, especially during Oktoberfest. Pretzels are fussy to make because the dough has to be dipped in boiling water for a short while before baking. A good pretzel should be slightly chewy with a rich brown sheen and a lightly salted crust. Bonus points if the knotting is symmetrical and the bread has risen evenly.

Taste Test Method

Pretzels are best eaten when they are freshly baked. Most bakeries make them in the morning. So, this test was conducted in the morning.

  • Only bakeries in the city centre were considered. Mostly because I didn’t have time to go further and I am not that crazy about pretzels.
  • All bakeries were visited in the same morning between 7 am and 10 am.
  • The plain pretzel (Brezel natur) is used for comparison because every bakery has it.
  • Two tastings per pretzel: once immediately after purchasing and another 30 hours later (after re-heating). It’s easy for a fresh pretzel to taste good. It would be impressive if a day-old pretzel still remained delicious.

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