The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
The European fare is a delight at Hansa Brewery, as is the beer
It seems like a new microbrewery is popping up in Northeast Ohio every week.
Heck, we just reviewed one, Goldhorn Brewery, on Cleveland’s East Side.
Well, we’d also been meaning to check out the roughly year-old Hansa Brewery, on the other side of town in Ohio City. Along with a wide range of beer choices, the restaurant specializes in European fare — especially since a recent significant expansion of its menu.
Sitting on Lorain Avenue at West 28th Street, the eatery is owned by Boris Music, whose Hansa Import House — a speciality foods shop — has been a staple in the neighborhood for decades. The two businesses share a structure, with a wall that doesn’t quite reach the ceiling dividing them.
And, on a recent Friday evening, disappoint it did not. From the food to the beer to the pleasantly mellow vibe, Hansa was an absolute pleasure.
When I arrived, my friend Steve already was seated at Hansa’s lovely bar, which appears to be made from big slice of finished wood from a massive tree. While the decor of the place certainly isn’t a wow, it just says “comfortable.” Nothing about this place feels busy, which is really nice. Off the spacious bar area is a separate dining area, and beyond that lies an inviting patio.
Steve was working on a flight of beers ($8), so I decided to do the same. Although it took a sip or two for me to become acclimated to its unusual taste, I very much liked Hansa’s award-winning Winzig Haus Bier, which the menu calls “a revived historic brew of a Lichtenhainer” and “kettle soured for a tart dryness with a handful of smoked malt and wheat.” Once you’re used to it, the beer’s characteristics work together beautifully.
The other standout for me was the Stomping Ground Coffee Stout, a hoppy and, they say, tropical nitro stout. I love coffee beers and was surprised and delighted that what could be considered a German beer house not only had one but a delicious one with a rich coffee taste.
I later ordered a large mug of the Hansanator Dopplebock ($9). With its deep-copper look and a sweet taste that belied its hefty 8.2 percent alcohol content, it had many qualities I look for in a beer to pair with a meal.
While you certainly could justify a visit to Hansa just for the beer, you’d be missing out on some wonderful food.
We quickly settled on a pair of appetizers — the Potato Pancakes ($6), which would seem a good way to judge a place doing some German cuisine, and the Scallops on the Half Shell ($12) because, well, scallops are delicious.
Hansa’s scallops certainly were that, announcing their presence at our spot at the bar with a powerful but welcome garlic scent. They were everything you’d hope — seasoned well and tender. They were served with a few crostini, in case you wanted to soak up a bit of more of the garlicky butter in which they swam, which I did.
Now, potato pancakes are never going to win a head-to-head with scallops, but the three that arrived on a plate with a ramekin of absolutely terrific homemade applesauce made a valiant effort. Crispy on the outside but with plenty of that good potato taste on the inside, they, too, were a delight.
For my entree, I gave a good look at the Lamb Chop Medallions ($19.95), listed as the chef’s special and which Steve chose, as well as the Hackbraten — German Meat Loaf ($14.95). However, I decided to choose among the three schnitzels, landing on the French Orly Schnitzel. It’s listed as a Parisian-style turkey schnitzel, but when the bartender asked if I’d prefer it made with pork, I decided that sounded more appealing.
I don’t eat a lot schnitzel — so maybe an aficionado would find something not to like — but I found the heavily breaded piece of meat really enjoyable. Like everything else this night, I thought it was cooked perfectly.
I was warned the homefries may not be what I would think of as homefries, and, sure enough, the scoop of potato on my plate was close to heavy mashed potatoes. It was an appropriate warning from the bartender, but I enjoyed the dense spud offering as it was. The entree also came with some nice seasoned vegetables.
If possible, Steve was more bowled over by the food at Hansa than I was and absolutely loved the lamb entree. I had a taste of the lamp and concurred it was excellent.
He had little trouble convincing me to split a dessert. Hansa has a handful from which to choose, and we agreed on one of two varieties of Palacinka ($6), a crepe dessert, this one with chocolate and hazelnut. It was delicious without being either too sweet or too filling, and it paired nicely with a cup of decaf.
Ultimately, I’m surprised just how much I enjoyed a leisurely evening at Hansa. While I typically favor contemporary cuisine, this more traditional, old-world fare was a treat.
And while the staff was friendly and accommodating, I must note that none of the food arrived as quickly as you might come to expect these days. This wasn’t at all a problem on this night, and the fact it all came out hot and wellprepared was worth what was perhaps a bit of wait. Just know this may not be a place you want to stop at with a short window before attending a night of theater or a game.
I know this: I’m going to carve out some time to go back.