- Words by Jane Mundy Photography by Don Denton

We know that a good cook can serve up memories from faraway places or offer a ticket back to childhood.

If you鈥檙e craving currywurst like you once scarfed down in Berlin, a pretzel at Oktoberfest, schnitzel at a Michelin-star restaurant in Munich or spaetzle that your mother lovingly made, go directly to , where chef Maxime Durand will transport you to Deutschland and satisfy your cravings.

But don鈥檛 just take my word for it. Patron Duane Bell had only just returned from Austria and Germany when I met him at Eva鈥檚.

鈥淕ermans and Austrians take their schnitzel seriously, so I was shocked at how good it was at an eatery in Victoria,鈥� said Duane. 鈥淭he currywurst was so good that it took me back to the street stall in Berlin, and all four of us ordered seconds鈥攁s well as every appetizer on the menu.鈥�

Like most Austrians, Duane takes schnitzel seriously. 鈥淵ou can tell there鈥檚 a lot of pride behind this food, and combined with great service we are thrilled to discover this eatery鈥攎y German and Austrian tastebuds zing.鈥�

Eva鈥檚 menu is simple and spare, but the flavours are complex and the portions are big. For instance, Maxime adds 10 spices, perfectly balanced, to his currywurst, and ginormous schnitzels barely fit on the dinner plate. The breading is crisp and greaseless and the meat so tender. You鈥檒l find classic choices such as schweineschnitzel (German pork schnitzell), roesti and raclette, but with modern twists. Fresh, local produce and the eggplant schnitzel鈥攑repared sous vide with a side of rutabaga and sauerkraut鈥攚ill bring a vegetarian back for more. I will return for a plate of braised red cabbage alone.

You won鈥檛 know from the menu that almost everything, from schnitzels and spaetzle to pretzels and pickles, are haus-made at Eva鈥檚 and there鈥檚 even a smoker in the kitchen to smoke ham hocks and bacon, thanks to chef Maxime and his sous-chef Emile pulling double shifts.

One afternoon, I witnessed the pretzel prep. The dough is fermented overnight and chilled. Once about four dozen are shaped, they are dipped in an alkaline solution to caramelize the dough and proofed for half an hour before baking.

鈥淲e try to serve them hot-out-of-the-oven just before dinner time,鈥� Maxime explained.

And getting back to the currywurst, it鈥檚 classic Berlin street food, served with dollops of curried ketchup and potato chips. North America鈥檚 equivalent is the steamed, smothered hot dog at the hockey game or street stall鈥攂ut it鈥檚 way better. Just for starters, Maxime鈥檚 ingredients don鈥檛 include preservatives.

Naturally, there鈥檚 a decent beer selection at Eva鈥檚 with lager and pilsner on tap to wash down your wurst. And if you鈥檙e not starved for a full meal but want a snack with that stein anytime after 4 pm, go for the big and chewy, soft and twisty pretzel with mustard butter. But be warned: it鈥檚 addictive.

Breakfast is an important meal in Germany. There鈥檚 a German saying: Iss dein Fr眉hst眉ck wie ein Kaiser (eat your breakfast like a king), which at Eva鈥檚 refers to brunch; it will soon open for lunch as well.

Some items on the dinner menu are featured with a twist, such as schnitzel hollandaise and cured trout Benny with a mouth-watering sauerkraut pancake鈥攈old the bread.

The space itself is like the menu: small and unpretentious with a low-key vibe, whimsical d茅cor with a nod to a ski chalet and just enough kitsch on the walls.

You鈥檝e got to hand it to anyone opening a restaurant during the pandemic. Added to the fray, German food sometimes gets a bad rap, often perceived as heavy and stodgy: boiled sausages and potatoes and cabbage covered in cream and served by round men wearing lederhosen in beer halls. Austrian cuisine fares better perception-wise: considered more spa-like and sophisticated.

But when Victoria鈥檚 Rathskeller Schnitzel House said auf wiedersehen after half a century, there wasn鈥檛 much else in the city serving schnitzels and steins, and people crave comfort food in stressful times.

Chef Maxime, who previously helmed the kitchen at the award-winning Agrius, saw an opportunity. However, he says, it was nerve-wracking opening in November 2021 because nobody knew if the pandemic would get worse.

鈥淎t the same time, people wanted to experience something new, although we aren鈥檛 re-inventing the wheel. Sure, I have doubts sometimes when I wake up, but after a few beers they fade away, and questioning yourself is part of the learning experience,鈥� he said, laughing. 鈥淎s well, restaurant restrictions were lifting, so we had a bit of momentum right off the bat鈥攊t was like a slow opening and now we are ready for a busy summer.鈥�

Maxime chose not to deliver or offer take-out because 鈥渟chnitzel doesn鈥檛 travel well.鈥� Comfort food is a source of hearty, warming pleasure year-round and that is something you鈥檒l find at Eva Schnitzelhaus.

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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