Birthdays, Black Forest Inn, and Balls Covered In Cream

It was a little dark in there. Like Black Forest dark.

This warm hearted month of February I turned 29 again. Not one to enjoy my birthday I had to drag out the decision of where to go out to dinner with Just Joni, Sister, Sister's Husband and SAGL until the absolute last minute. It was at this 11th hour that I also decided to kill two birds with on stone (or scone - I really don't like scones) and use this dining out as an opportunity to knock off the February portion of my New Year's Resolution to eat out at a new (to me) establishment once a month. 

Please keep in mind these reviews are as important as the one Mystic Pizza received from The Everyday Gourmet. This movie impacted me in so many ways.

February's restaurant of choice was the Black Forest Inn

This joint has been around since two days before forever. As long as I lived in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis (about 7 years) there was this ominous black billboard above the corner of 28th and Hennepin simply stating "Black Forest Inn". 

Now not being a fan of the Germans (I'm still a little worked up about that war). I never fell for the marketing of the billboard. Plus the location of the place was vaguely "unsafe" in my then naive Uptown mind. 

So now two months into our New Year's Resolution, SAGL and myself keep adding restaurants to our list. I wanted to make sure we hit a variety of non-burger/pizza/fusion places that seem to spread like herpes in every lifestyle center in town. 

As I arrived fashionably 10 minutes late and 1 hour buzzed on whiskey I found Just Joni and The Gang situated center stage within the walls of Epcot's dirty one night stand with the former Federal Republic of Germany. It was to die for. Red painted chipped tables everywhere. Frescoes of German looking people doing German looking things (pre WWII German looking things). And about 7 other diners. 

Not too busy. 

At the suggestion of my Ex Work Wife myself and Sister's Husband ordered the hassenpheffer. Rabbit. I was gunning to get my hands on a rabbit for dinner. And naturally in a city where rabbits are as prevalent as Scandinavians it was not available. Strike one Black Forest Inn. 

We needed a minute so we started with the aspic. What's that you ask? It's amazing. It's meat and vegetables all in the safe confines of a jello mold. That's right! Gelatinous Meat! Spread on a slab of pumpernickel with some dijon mustard and you are all "ich leibe es!"

My second choice of entre emerged and it was two giant balls of meat covered in a white sauce. I had to act as if this was the first time I had ever seen two giant balls of meat covered in white sauce coming at my face. It was one of my greatest performances. 

Tasty. A little bland. Not as salty as I would have preferred. But still very good. Extremely filling. And worth the trip back this Summer when the patio is open. Ex Work Wife regaled me with stories of 1980's Summer Days when she and her friends would dine in the style of Allamange while wearing en vogue jump suits.I am now looking for my own jump suit to recreate the event.

Dessert was not bad. We tried both the kirsch flavored Black Forest Torte and the so called best selling Apple Strudel. I will say the crust on the strudel was damn good.

Overall a once in a lifetime try here in Minneapolis. I mean my God it's been around since 1965. How many restaurants can claim that?

I have to go. There is bread rising in my bathroom because it's the warmest room in the house this winter. And I maybe just ate an entire wedge of Port Salut cheese and I'm now gassy. 

One last thing - we are now on the INSTAGRAMS! Follow my everyday shenanigans at benjaminplante_ on INTSTAGRAM!