Walking restaurant city

For many, the Baker Next Door will be a lovely new place to hang out and meet up with friends. Where it sets itself apart, however, is by being a proper bakery, selling house-made loaves of bread made daily from simple, local and, when possible, organic ingredients. My wife and I got hooked on this bread nearly a year ago, when Brian and Jenna, the folks behind this new venture, began operating a once-weekly pop-up shop in front of the space they had leased (and that had to be fitted out as a bakery and cafe). Now that it’s open, I expect we’ll enjoy a breakfast treat at the Baker Next Door from time to time, but for my wife and me, it’s the bread that will keep us coming to their permanent location week after week.

You’ll find the Baker Next Door serving freshly baked breads and pastries from behind the yellow door at 851 Main St. in Redwood City. They’re open Tuesday through Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A week ago Monday, Das Bierhauz, Redwood City’s newest German “beer garden,” had its grand opening. My wife and I also paid them a visit this week to enjoy a nice German dinner in its convivial outdoor space. The long tables and benches set the right tone, but there are tables and chairs indoors as well if that is more comfortable.

The transformation of the former Cafe La Tartine into Das Bierhauz must have set some sort of record: Cafe La Tartine had its last day on May 6, and Das Bierhauz opened its doors on Aug. 5. Although the transformation was largely cosmetic, it was effective: The place looks great, and we were quite comfortable. But of course, the real star of any restaurant is the food and drink, and Das Bierhauz didn’t disappoint. My wife and I both had schnitzels (veal in my case, pork in hers), which we both enjoyed very much. Both came with a creamy mushroom sauce (with lots of mushrooms) and lingonberry jam, which served as a wonderful complement to the breaded and fried cut of meat.

To go with our food, we ordered beer. My wife ordered a flight of three, which not only allowed her to sample some unfamiliar brands but also kept the quantity down to a reasonable amount. In my case, I wasn’t thinking clearly and ordered a liter of beer. I immediately realized my mistake when the giant glass stein arrived; next time, I’ll order a half liter (which is about how much I ended up drinking that night). Fortunately, the beer was really good.

Das Bierhauz is well worth a visit if you are in the mood for schnitzels, sausages and German beer. Even if you aren’t, though, I’ll note that its menu also lists burgers, fish and chips, and a couple of conventional salads. As for drinks, there are plenty of German beers on offer, of course, but you’ll also find a couple of nonalcoholic beers, a nice selection of other nonalcoholic drinks, and red and white wine.

Das Bierhauz is located at 830 Middlefield Road and is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Convenient parking is available in the underground theater parking garage, accessible from Jefferson Avenue.

Just across from Das Bierhauz, at the end of the theater building, Limon, Redwood City’s newest Peruvian restaurant, is just receiving its final touches. I expect it to open almost any day now. Elsewhere in the same building, at the corner of Broadway and Jefferson Avenue, the long-running project to convert the Old Spaghetti Factory space into Ocean Oyster Bar & Grill is nearing the finish line: A countdown clock on their website indicates it should open at the end of September.

Redwood City’s restaurant scene has grown tremendously over the last decade or so. Now with an amazing variety of high-quality eateries representing an incredibly wide variety of ethnicities, perhaps signs should go up welcoming folks to “Restaurant City.”

Greg Wilson is the creator of Walking Redwood City, a blog inspired by his walks throughout Redwood City and adjacent communities. He can be reached at greg@walkingRedwoodCity.com. Follow Greg on Twitter @walkingRWC.