The Spot: Cafe Grundmann

With a most fantastic Art Deco interior, Café Grundmann is like a living museum. Nearly all of the 1920s furniture is intact, including wonderful old booths and tables hewn from elegant hardwoods. The giant, round light fixtures are perfect reproductions of the Art Deco style and, up near the entrance is an antique coin-operated machine that contains tiny art pieces made by students at the local art college. (It’s the kind of machine that used to house slices of cake and pie in the 1930s.) 

Cafe Grundmann in Leipzig, Germany

THE DISH: SCHNITZEL

The best schnitzel I’ve ever tasted is at one of the most wonderful—and authentic Art Deco—cafes in Europe, Café Grundmann in Leipzig Germany. It’s a generous portion of schnitzel with a light breaded exterior and juicy interior, coupled with a big, crisp salad and perfectly grilled potatoes and onions.

Fantastic schnitzel, Cafe Grundmann, Leipzig Germany

The Skinny: Cafe Grundmann August-Bebel-Straße 2, Leipzig, SN 4275, Germany Phone: +49 341 222 8962 Website: http://www.cafe-grundmann.de/

The Dish: Roasted Veal Meatballs

There are meatballs that are forgettable (Chef Boyardee, and his ilk in many mediocre restaurants), and those that inspire drool when remembered. The roasted veal meatballs at Town Hall in San Francisco are the drool-y kind. Creating meatballs with veal instead of the more traditional pork-beef blend was inspired, and ladling rich peppercorn gravy over potato puree instead of pasta pushes the dish to perfection. This meatball dish is fantastic, and just one of many reasons I love Town Hall.

Roasted Veal Meatballs, Town Hall SF

The Damage: $12

This is a high-value appetizer for the price. It’s rich and complete, a generous portion that’s great to share.

The Grade: Awesome (5 out of 5) 

The Skinny: Town Hall

342 Howard Street, San Francisco CA 94105

Phone: (415) 908-3900

Website: http://www.townhallsf.com/ 

Lunch weekdays, 11:30 to 2:30

Dinner nightly, beginning at 5:30 pm