| If you're looking for an authentic German | | | | found out that there was a huge water leak, and |
| restaurant in Huntsville, Alabama, you've got | | | | that they were now responsible for a past due |
| several fine choices to select from. Huntsville is | | | | water bill for around $10,000. Then, just as they |
| home to a lot of Americans of German heritage, | | | | were about to open, the air conditioning went out. |
| and many of them are fairly recent newcomers | | | | Of course, trying to run a restaurant in Huntsville, |
| to the Rocket City, thanks to the wave of | | | | AL without air conditioning is just unthinkable. Well, |
| scientists who immigrated to the area to work on | | | | they were told that it wasn't fixable by |
| America's space program after World War II. The | | | | contractor after contractor, and they would have |
| most famous of the German scientists who came | | | | to spring for a brand new system, which there |
| to America was Werner Von Braun, of course, | | | | was no way they could afford. But finally, an |
| but there were lots people from German that | | | | elderly HVAC contractor told them he could fix it, |
| settled in the Huntsville area after the war to help | | | | and by golly, he did. |
| with America's rocket program. And some of | | | | And if you like German food, and lots of it, you'll |
| these folks wound up starting German | | | | be very glad that the owners of The Schnitzel |
| restaurants. | | | | Ranch didn't give up. The food is certainly not |
| Well, now Huntsville has a brand new German | | | | gourmet quality, and the ambience is nothing to |
| Restaurant, The Schnitzel Ranch. Located very | | | | write home about (a converted fast food joint) |
| conveniently on University Drive just off Memorial | | | | but the food is pretty good, and the portions are |
| Parkway, it's just a short drive at most from | | | | huge. And I do mean huge - my Jaeger schnitzel |
| anywhere in Huntsville. The Schnitzel Ranch | | | | filled my plate. The German potato salad was |
| opened in Spring 2008, and they moved into the | | | | excellent, as were the other sides we sampled. I |
| building that Beauregard's vacated when they | | | | must say that the side salad was very |
| moved over in front of Books A Million and | | | | disappointing - it was basically a tiny bowl of little |
| Costco. Just getting the restaurant open was a | | | | more than shredded lettuce. But that was the |
| real triumph over adversity in itself! The couple, | | | | only complaint anyone at my table had about the |
| who came to Huntsville directly from Germany | | | | meals at the Schnitzel Ranch. Everyone was too |
| had all sorts of trouble getting their new venture | | | | full to order dessert! If you've never been to The |
| off the ground - their kids couldn't get enrolled in | | | | Schnitzel Ranch, give it a try in the next few |
| school because their records were buried in a | | | | weeks. The night we were in, the waitress said |
| storage container in Savannah, GA., for example. | | | | they were about to get their beer license, so |
| After they signed the lease on the building, they | | | | that's an added attraction for a lot of folks. |