Restaurant Spotlight: Saint Schwein

Let me start by apologizing for the lack of photos! I was so starving I started eating before I remembered to take any.

Saint Schwein is a German Restaurant and deli in Miyoshi.  (It feels like I am always in Miyoshi lately, but since they grow fruits and vegetables, flowers, and have dairy and meat farms, it's a great place to eat.)

The exterior looks like a giant log cabin; you can see a yellow sign from the street but the entrance is in the back. (I found this out after I wandered around trying to figure out how to get in and got told by the owner(?) to respect their privacy...embarrassing.)

In the back/front there is a really lovely wooden porch.  Many of the trees used to make the porch were left intact, and there are plants and vines wrapped around the roof and pillars so it really feels like a tree house in the middle of the woods. From the patio table to you can look out to a wide stretch of green rice and flower fields (which, again, I definitely should've taken a picture of).

Moving on, let's get to the food! The main things on the menu seemed to varieties of grilled sausage platters ,  pot-au-feu, and pizza.  I got the pizza (you know I can't resist) and my friend got the pot-au-feu set.  They  both came with a salad (which had yummy fruit and ham in it) and a drink.

They had bacon pizza and sausage pizza. I chose the sausage. The crust is crispy and chewy and yummy, and the sauce tastes homemade. Would've been perfect with a generous dusting of red chili flakes and parmesan!

My friend got the pot-au-feu.  It's a clay pot filled with sausage and fresh vegetables in a light broth.  The sausage is hand made and comes in plain, cheese, and a peppery herb flavor.  When you bite them, they make a popping sound - great flavor and nice and firm!  The meal also comes with rice or bread.

I was inspired by the last dish, so a few days later, I made pot-au-feu at my house using fresh vegetables I got at the farmer's market at Hina-no-Sato (also in Miyoshi, about 3 minutes from here).  Since the veggies were cheap, I made a pot large enough to feed a family of 6 for about 700yen!  It was delicious, but store-bought sausages can't live up to the hand-made ones at Saint Schwein!

I hear Saint Schwein also has a delicious wine and beer selection, so feel free to head there for dinner, too.  They're reservation only, though, so call before you come :-).

Check out their website at http://www.hamuya.com/

Liz