Review: Glockenspiel Restaurant, Mt. Angel, Oregon

Oregon seems an unlikely place for the traveler to find authentic German food. However, when visiting the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm last weekend my husband and I discovered Mount Angels Glockenspiel Restaurant in the heart of this small community. When the Glockenspiel Restaurant says authentic German food they are telling the truth believe me.

Glockenspiel Restaurant
190 E. Charles St.
Mt Angel, OR

The Glockenspiel restaurant is owned and operated by Ernie and Henri Dill, Mike and Mary Grant, and Mark and Molly Wieprecht. The Glockenspiel Restaurant brings fresh local foods to the table created by chefs Derek Nelson, Hans D'Allessi and Jeff Nizlek. Each one of the chefs brings their specific skills and wonderful food to each guest at the Glockenspiel. Executive Chef Paul Brakeman trained with Austrian Chef Ziggy Allespach bringing a taste of Bavaria to the US with his expertise and love for cooking.

By using local foods from local farms such as Annen Brothers, Aman Brothers, Bauman Farms, Benedictine sisters, Lonely Lane Farms, and many more the Glockenspiel restaurant in Mt Angel is lending a great hand with Oregon's hard times in today's economy. The Glockenspiel Restaurant is designed to have the look and feel of an original German Glockenspiel. For those who have not had the pleasure of seeing one of Germany's famous Glockenspiel's it is a beautiful sight. Usually created in the center of the town the Glockenspiel is similar to a cuckoo clock, playing tunes and having handcrafted figurines moving to the music in the steeple of the Glockenspiel. Mt. Angel's Glockenspiel's figures represent the history of the Willamette Valley and Mt. Angel.

The figures in the Glockenspiel include, a Kalapuya Brave to represent the Native American heritage of the area; Mathias Butsch, a descendant of the Father of Mt. Angel one of the areas early leaders; Sister Bernadine Wachter, one of the Bernadine Sisters who came to Mt Angel from the Maria Rickenback Convent in Switzerland; Robert and Katrina Zollner the first Catholic settlers in the valley; Prior Adelhelm Odermatt who established the Benedictine Monastery in 1882; Papa Oom Pah the official Oktoberfest mascot; Bavarian Children, Clem and Maria Ruef to remind the visitors and townspeople of the future yet to come.

Mt Angel's Glockenspiel has a wonderful authentic German restaurant on the ground floor. The atmosphere within the restaurant takes the customer directly to Germany. Serving delicious authentic German food and drinks. For an appetizer tray before dinner cheese fondue is brought to the table, this is four-cheese fondue with a creamy texture and blended taste, served with heat to keep it nice and bubbly while you dip into this delicious cheese with baguettes, sautéed mushrooms and German sausage. With most dinners comes the choice of soup or salad with our meal I chose the creamy Portobello mushroom soup. The flavor was something I had never tasted before; smooth and creamy with a smoky flavor added to the mushroom soup in my opinion the Glockenspiel Restaurants Portobello mushroom soup was probably the best mushroom soup I have ever eaten.

For a main course both my husband and I enjoyed the Glockenspiel Wurstplatte, this included seared Bratwurst and smoked sausages with sauerkraut and coarse ground German mustard. Each day the Glockenspiel serves Tagefisch for those who would like a seafood plate; it's necessary to ask your server how Chef Paul will be preparing each day's seafood plate. Also on the menu patrons can order the Oktoberfest Platte, which gives the customer a rounded taste of German food including Wiener Schnitzel, German sausage, and Jager Chicken. Also included on the menu are plates of Wiener Schnitzel, Haselnuss Schnitzel, Jaegerschnitzel and Paprikaschnitzel. Price ranges on these great dishes are from $9.00 to $22.95.

Parking is on the street and we had no problem finding a spot right in front however, during the Oktoberfest it is probably much more difficult to find parking that close the Glockenspiel Restaurant. With the authentic atmosphere, food and great customer service at the Glockenspiel Restaurant it is truly a 10 in my book for places in Oregon that are a must to eat a meal.