Passing through Fredericksburg, VA on our way home from our latest adventure, we stopped at The Alpine Chef for dinner. Parking is a little tricky. There is on-street parking available. There are two parking lots nearby, but both have parking restrictions. One of them does open up for restaurant parking in the evening. The building, formerly the train station, maintains all the character of its original use. It was a pleasure to watch the comings and goings of the trains and commuters as we enjoyed our dinner in the beautifully decorated dining room.
The restaurant has an early bird special, which is available all night on Monday. It seemed like a great deal, but we opted to order from the regular menu. Chris started with a salad. I ordered the Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup. The soup, made with several different types of mushrooms, was creamy, rich and luscious. I am glad I only ordered the cup as the soup was hearty and filling. There was a bread basket on the table with delicious dinner rolls, sweet bread, and pumpernickel, as well as wonderful herb butter.
We both ordered Jagerschnitzel, veal schnitzel with “hunter sauce” made from mushrooms, bacon, and cream. You can order as many sides, served family-style, as you like. We ordered spaetzle, creamed corn, zucchini, dumplings, sauerkraut, and string beans. The sauerkraut was amazing with a vinegary background and a deep flavor. The zucchini was a bit too citrusy for my taste. The Jagerschnitzel was good. I was a little thrown that the dish had whipped cream on top instead of sour cream.
We had stopped for ice cream on our way to Fredericksburg. Between the ice cream stop and the very filling soup, we decided to take the Jagerschnitzel home. When we ate later, I added a little sour cream to the dish, which was fantastic when reheated. I brought a piece of Black Forest Cake home as well, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
Cost for coffee, a glass of wine, soup, salad, two entrees, and a piece of cake $91.55.
I’m hungry now… really hungry!