Old World Road Trip: Laszlo's Iron Skillet

For all its German heritage, you'd think Cincinnati would still be teeming with restaurants from the "mother country." But there's a lot going against German cuisine in this health-conscious day and age: it's got a reputation for being heavy, meaty and gushing with sauerkraut. Sure, we have our Mecklenburg Gardens, and our Hofbräuhaus, Bauer and Wunderbar(!). But I'd wager most Cincinnatians these days are more often inclined to hit up something lighter and more contemporary.

Despite this, Laszlo's Iron Skillet has endured the changing times and attitudes since it first opened back in 1973. The German/Hungarian restaurant's Newtown location enjoyed 40 years in business before being destroyed by fire in 2013. After temporarily moving to a nearby strip mall for a couple years, Laszlo's owners finally settled on a new home in Withamsville, where the restaurant now enjoys ample space with a full bar, a biergarten and live music during the summer months.

Like many area Eastern European restaurants, Laszlo's seemingly struggles to attract fresh, young faces with its menu filled with heavy schnitzels, meaty goulash, liver and onions, sauerbraten, kielbasa and cabbage rolls. Indeed, most patrons appear to be well over 35. But there are some aspects of the restaurant's beer and pub food lineup that should entice millennials.

Seasonal, more contemporary specials are often available, including an impressive oven roasted pork shank with garlic whipped potatoes and braised cabbage. Aside from their extensive line of German beer drafts, wine and cocktails, Laszlo's offers bar food favorites like burgers, steamed mussels, chicken wings, poutine, a charcuterie board and Parmesan truffle fries.

We never made it to Laszlo's original Newtown location, but fondly remember our several visits to their temporary space. Their latest digs are a bit off the beaten path, but we finally decided to give their new home a try.

Laszlo's Withamsville location was once a 50s-style diner called Great Scott, but that was ages ago, and the remodel bares no resemblance. The large interior is divided into several distinct and intimate sections with a prominent bar, while a generous outdoor patio and attached biergarten run along one side of the building, ostensibly to work off all those calories.

The menu puts heavy emphasis on quite a number of goulash, paprikas and schnitzel dishes: there are four sauteed schnitzel plates and six breaded and fried variants, for example. The portions are large and bountiful, and plates are often accompanied with one or two side dishes, with nearly a dozen to choose from.

Jaeger schnitzel, red cabbage and potato salad

Creole-style schnitzel

Our favorites include the classic Jaeger schnitzel ($17.99), a tender, sauteed pork cutlet topped with a sauteed mushroom and red wine demi glace over spätzle, the squiggly, ubiquitous German egg noodle. Coupled with a side of braised red cabbage or a hot bacon slaw makes this a memorable, authentic experience.

On a recent visit, I enjoyed the Creole schnitzel ($15.99), a lightly breaded pork cutlet topped with a smoky, tomatoey Creole sauce, which I paired with sides of spätzle and a tangy, bacon-flecked German potato salad. Washing it down with a pint of hoppy Weihenstephan while enjoying music in the biergarten made for a satisfying evening.

Laszlo's Iron Skillet stubbornly holds on to Cincinnati's Eastern European heritage, offering a wealth of hearty flavors and timeless recipes to an audience that too often focuses on only the latest faddish culinary trends.