Got a chance to spend some time at the Buschenschank tavern at 320 Court St. (at Sackett) last night, and I think you can safely file this under the “if you build it they will come” category of BoCoCa. Like other new and kinda new restaurants to the hood (like Colonie, Strong Place, Buttermilk Channel and The JakeWalk, to name a few), restauranteurs are beginning to get the idea that folks want a place with great food, a bar to hang out at and most importantly, a hip and cozy atmosphere. Now, I know this is going to get some readers all hot and bothered (Check, we should all be ashamed of ourselves for turning this into a yuppie paradise), but the fact is, these restaurants are thriving and if everything is done well enough, lines are forming out the doors. So I say, keep ‘em coming.
As for the restaurant itself, the bar scene was hopping by 7pm on a Thursday night and my friend and I sat at a two-top bar table instead of one of the longer, communal tables in the dining room. Our waitress was super-adorable and helped us navigate the well-chosen beer menu. I was impressed that there were proper glasses for each tap beer, though I did not go for the Das Boot (maybe next time). We shared a bunch of stuff, including a spinach and potato dumpling which resembled a matzoh ball, except smothered in a rich mushroom gravy, and a beet salad studded with apples and blue cheese which we actually didn’t order, but which she gave to us gratis (not that it would have mattered, but I didn’t mention I was writing the dinner up). The short ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and deeply marinated for a flavorful biteful, while the Wurst Platter could have fed about four of us. In fact, we’ll be having the remaining sausages for breakfast tomorrow, after I demolish the perfectly wilted red cabbage salad, German potato salad and tender sauerkraut that came with it. The wine list is also worth perusing and we chose an Italian red to wash down the meal, though the German and Austrian selections looked promising.
Also, if you want to come in a little early, it’s a nice place to sit with the kids on a cold, winter’s night. There are no high chairs, FYI, but those long, wood tables are perfect for a family dinner.