Columbia Eats: Julia's German Stammtisch

I admittedly felt a little weird walking into Julia's. Cardboard-cutout figures of German characters plastered in the front invited my comrade and I into the small, but humble German restaurant hidden in tiny strip mall almost out of sight in the heart of Columbia. Inside, a wealth of Christmas-related items hung from the walls and stared at us on the table. I can't deny that I was a little unsettled looking at a tiny toy Santa in the eyes, but the smell of fried stuff was just too tantalizing to turn back on, so I just looked the other way and forged on.

If you've never had schnitzel before, it's more or less a huge piece of pork or veal pounded into oblivion, coated with breadcrumbs and lovingly fried until golden brown. There was other stuff on Julia's menu, like brats and etc., but let's be real, a big heaping plate of schnitzel is where its at.

For lunch, three schnitzel specials are offered, the traditional version, the jagerschnitzel - a schnitzel with a mushgroom gravy on top - and the holsteiner schnitzel, which has a fried egg on top. I opted for the jager along with a side of spatzle, an egg pasta.

I'll admit that I am in no way an authority on German food or schnitzel, but holy jesus Julia's jagerschnitzel is awesome. Not at all greasy, crisp, and just the right serving (huge), it's just great eats. The spatzle was a nice, delicate side only made better by the mushroom gravy sprawled on top. My comrade went with the fried egg schnitzel and a side of German potato salad. An enthusiastic two thumbs up only confirmed the fact that fried egg only makes things more amazing.

I normally don't hype about a salad and roll, but Julia's pre-schnitzel salad and roll is totally worth a few dozen words. The salad, a mix of beets, greens, and coleslaw-ish stuff served as a wonderfully clean start to the meal. Even my normally salad-denying friend seemed to enjoy it. The roll is almost magical. Crisp and chewy on the outside, super fluffy and light in the center, it made for a great bite during the salad and throughout the meal alongside the schnitzel.

No Reservations, The Shakedown on Julia's
Atmosphere: Slight cheesy, but comforting.
A bit small, expect a wait during busy hours.
Cost: Tough spot, $10+.
Try: The Jagerschnitzel. Spatzle. Desert.
More schnitzel. Beer. (German Beer!)

The Final Verdict
It's a bit costly, but if you are looking for a place to splurge for lunch or dinner, Julia's is totally worth the wait. Julia herself cooks in the kitchen daily and comes out to meet and greet customers, making the local German eatery an even more memorable experience. If you somehow aren't conquered by the schnitzel (no, I can't stop saying it), Julia's constantly shifting array of homemade deserts are sure to hit the spot.

Schnitzel. :P