It always tastes better at Muttis

Mutti is German for Mother, and Muttis is the new Austrian restaurant that opened its doors on Elgin Street around 3 weeks ago. I have a particular affinity to German food- having lived there for over 10 years- I think its fair to say that I've experienced the best and the worst of German cuisine- my favourite though has always been the comfort and flavour of family home cooking- and Muttis certainly took me back there.
When you think German, banish those images of stodgy meals, sweaty staff in lederhose and the tones of oom-pa-pa music- Muttis delivers a fresh take on German in every way. I would describe it as sophisticated rustic- traditional favourites, created using great produce, with sophisticated flavours.
The decor is simple and sophisticated- a great mix of intimate and large group dark wood chairs and tables, plus I understand a function room upstairs.
The service was fantastic- we went pretty early on a Friday night and the friendly attentiveness did not dissipate as the restaurant filled. Staff were knowledgeable about the food, and when we enquired about a particular favourite of my husbands (pork knuckle and dumplings) we were informed that if we cared to call ahead, this meal could be arranged- I love that!
According to Epicure http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/epicure/espresso/2009/04/13/1239474804484.html?page=2, the chef and co-owner Thomas Stocklinger (ex-Fenix) is Austrian, and he obviously not only knows his way around the German kitchen, but has this food in his heart.
We were really impressed by the food (thank Goodness!). Hubby had the pork belly- perfectly cooked with a divine sheet of crackling, it was accompanied by a sweet and spicy red cabbage that still had an al dente feel that made it feel fresher and brighter than the mush you often get served- the Bratkartoffeln (fried potatoes) were crisp and delicious.
I thought I'd try the schnitzel- apart from being quite enormous, it was exquisitely crisp- quite perfect! The parsley potatoes were lovely and buttery. I liked the idea of the accompanying cranberry sauce, but the execution wa a little overpowering- no drama- just use sparingly.
The dessert we ordered, (Oma's Buchteln- a sweet yeast dumpling with plum filling and custard) was very sweet, but delicious and definitely for two. Next time I really want to try the strudel.
Other rustic meals are on offer like the goulash with home made spaetzele (delicious noodles). But they also have a number of non-German meals and have just increased the number of vegetarian meals on offer- so everyone is catered for.
Pricing is reasonable for a great meal- mains were around $24.
One thing that disappointed me was the limited number of German beers on offer - only 3 as I recall- but with their focus on simplicity and the food, this made sense. They did have a few German Schnapps on hand- we found a pear Schnapps (Williams) most conducive to our digestion and the flow of our evening.
There definitely will be a next time for me at Muttis.
118 - 120 Elgin Street Carlton
Phone: 03 9349 5008