As a lover of all things German, I spotted this place while first trying the neighboring Bavarian Point restaurant. I made a mental note to return to this same shopping center to visit Zur Kate. The opportunity arose when my roommate and I found ourselves exploring the nooks and crannies of the East Valley. As we were famished from wandering around without a real destination, this place immediately inspired us.
Although it was five minutes until closing, we were welcomed into the restaurant by the owner and staff. We sat at the bar and enjoyed great conversation (along with our rye bread and Warsteiner beers). My roomie and I ordered the Rouladen (special for that weekend) and the Zigeuner Schnitzel. The rouladen was perfect: the beef was fall-apart tender and the filling was accented with the bacon and delicious. The zigeuner schnitzel was also quite good with a crispy breading and a slightly spicy pepper sauce. I was not impressed with the spaetzle (although I confess I can be a bit of a snob in this area, since I own my own spaetzle grater), however, the sauerkraut and the red cabbage were delicious.
We really enjoyed the laid-back friendly atmosphere of this place. The highlight (besides the fabulous German fare) was getting to know the owner, Horst, who convinced us to extend our visit with multiple rounds of Apple Schnapps. Truly a great dining experience!
We will return to Zur Kate, to try their weekend special of Schweinehaxe (1st Friday & Saturday of the month). I'm dying to sample their Bratkartoffeln (home-fried potatoes) as I have fond memories of these from my past days living in Germany.
Go to Zur Kate for the food... but stay for the gemütlichkeit (coziness)!