"Schwarzwalder" is German for "black forests." The history of this restaurant is fuzzy but I remember (I think) it was at the back of the old Ayala Museum in Greenbelt of the 80s and was owned by the former GM of the Hyatt Manila, Mr. Jentes. When the old Ayala Museum was torn down, Schwarzwalder moved to the Atrium on Makati Avenue, where it continued to serve good old German meals like crispy pata (with a German accent and sauerkraut of course, but with optional rice for the Pinoy market) and sausages galore. There is a new Schwarzwalder in Greenbelt 2, where it occupies half of the space of the original Gloria Maris Greenbelt.
It follows the modern yet subdued decor (no reference to any black forests though) and familiar dishes prepared in the same way. This is not to say that the food is boring, but that Schwarzwalder has managed to maintain its quality through the years. As my friend Dickie Tan commented, he would rather pay top price for good food than go to a restaurant that scrimps on quality to maintain its pricing. True, most Schwarzwalder entrees are expensive for the average diner (around P500++) but the servings are fit for a Teutonic lumberjack. Its knockout knuckles are true to its name, giving the diner a one-two punch in terms of serving size and cholesterol count. But the restaurant is not without far healthier options by way of salads but why go to a German restaurant when you're on a diet? Try the veal (its version of osso buco), which is tender to the bone with a savory sauce and their variety of sausages. The service is friendly and prompt (we were three diners and we were all served at the same time without compromising food temperature and presentation). Parking is adequate all througout Greenbelt and reservations are not a must. When we ate, there was only one other table that was occupied. Which is a pity because Schwarzwalder truly does satisfy.
A "not-to-be-missed" item is the apfelstrudel (apple strudel).
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