Brasserie zu Gutenberg

The waiter’s robotic service was bad enough, but then he aggressively pushed me to leave a tip. The food was just standard German fare, priced 50% higher for no clear reason. There are plenty of better places in Potsdam. I wouldn’t recommend it.

We were four, two couples, and the waiter handled the asparagus complaint well: he admitted it was overcooked, brought an apology from the kitchen, and the restaurant reduced the bill quite a bit. The fish itself was fine, but the fresh white asparagus was soft and chewy from being cooked far too long. The other dishes, two Wienerschnitzels and a coq au vin, were tasty and well prepared. Service was polite, though we waited almost an hour after ordering.

We started with the king shrimp appetizer, five shrimp with a lovely sauce and garlic bread. The beef with mashed potatoes and champignon sauce was delicious too. The restaurant is right in the heart of Potsdam, and the staff were really nice and attentive to the details. It’s a great place for a meal, and we’re putting it on our list for lunch or dinner when we come back to the city :)

The red wine was good, and I liked the selection. The waiter was a nice person, too. I didn’t like getting the receipt with “tip not included” highlighted in orange. Tips shouldn’t be begged for, they’re not required by law and should be up to the customer. As for the food, my schnitzel was tasty and thick, with a good crisp coating, and the fries were good. My girlfriend’s cordon bleu was okay. The meat came with creamy mushrooms that felt like an industrial product, though it wasn’t too bad, plus Camembert with jam sauce. We enjoyed the meal overall.