Charcut-A-Rama: CAFE KATJA: Aufschnitt Teller + Cheese Plate

This week we threw ourselves a curveball, venturing out into Austrian charcuterie territory. Although CAFE KATJA doesn't offer a conventional meat and cheese plate, we took it upon ourselves to combine the selection of cured meats, plate of assorted cheeses, and two apps of pretzels and spreads.

The aufschnitt teller offered a small amount of good quality meat. The highlights were the speck, liverwurst, and cured pork belly, which were accompanied by an orange mystery spread that we were tempted to smuggle out of the restaurant in our carry-ons. As we later learned, the spread is liptauer, a mix of butter, quark cheese, and paprika. Pickled mushrooms, onions, peppers, and pate with fresh horseradish added a variety of flavors to the dish.

A typical problem with charcuterie plates is insufficient bread supply. Disaster averted at Cafe Katja. There was enough sliced rye bread to feed all of Großglockner. But we're not complaining.

The cheese plate included a goat cheese, emmental, and Austrian farmers' cheese. Also on the plate: a generous dollop of the liptauer, again, and a delicious zweigelt-fig jam.

We recommend a side of homemade pretzels, and washing it all down with a stein (pronounced "steen") of Spaten Oktoberfest.

Bottom line: Veering away from the traditional charcuterie option, Cafe Katja proved to be a positive experience for the taste buds. The combined prices of $12 and $13 for the cheese and meat plates were reasonable, but Katja's strongest dishes are the entrees, especially the cheese spatzle.
(Funded by James Fischer, Attorney at Law)

We someday hope to share a nice plate of liptauer with Klaus Teuber, over a discussion about the Isle of Catan.

Prost,

A & J