NORTH STAFFORD, Va. — It sits tucked away along U.S. 1 in Stafford County. Not like many roadside attractions, this quaint destination has a small bridge that carries cars across a stream into a gravel parking lot. The stone facade of the house and wooded surroundings denotes the uniqueness of the venue.
And then, as if almost you’ve been transported overseas, the sight of people wearing traditional German clothes not often seen outside of Oktoberfest, and you know this is not your normal chain restaurant.
The Rheingarten Restaurant has been serving up a taste of Germany since 1990. With hand painted murals on the wall, miniature hand puppets that mimic those seen on old episodes of Mr. Rogers, and a full bar, the authentic restaurant is where we made our fine dining experience Saturday night.
I began with beer (what else would you order at a German restaurant?) and ordered a glass of Weihenstephan Hefeweizen. The 16-once glass was tall, and it was presented with an orange peel which gave the beer the of Blue Moon. The taste, however, was much better, light and refreshing.
Then onto the appetizer: Fried breaded cauliflower in a Thai sauce. It tasted as the name suggests, like cauliflower, breaded over, and then fried. It was something I had never had before nor seen on other menus lately, so trying new things is always worth it. The sauce gave the started a nice touch.
For my main course, I ordered the Zwiebelrostbraten (sirloin steak) for $23.95. Yes, I could’ve went for something more German like the Brat & Bauernwurst Teller like my father in-law had, but hey, but steak sounded great.
It was cooked a perfect medium well and had a very tender center. Some portions around the edges were a bit tough to chew, but the garnish of tiny minced onions and carrots more than made up for that in the dish’s overall presentation. A bit dry, the steak could’ve used some more sauce. It was served with pommes frites and wonderfully seasoned vegetables that were nearly my favorite portion of the meal.
While it was my first time at Rheingarten, many who work at nearby Quantico Marine Corps Base have made this place a lunchtime destination. Now that federal furloughs have been ordered for civilian defense employees, the restaurant hopes to capture more bar business with a special “Furlough Fridays” happy hour starting each Friday at 11 a.m.
“The federal contractors have to go to work for a couple of hours, but then after that, they need something to do and somewhere to go,” said Katherine Hornig, whose managed the restaurant for 17 years.
Rheingarten was founded by a since retired German couple. Horning took over managing for them, and her husband became the executive chef.
Dinner prices range from $17 to $28, and lunches range between $8 and $13. Appetizers and desserts are offered on both menus.
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