West Bend’s The Braising Pan (1100 N. Main St.) is worth the drive for a casual atmosphere with lower prices than those at some of Milwaukee’s Teutonic eateries. A variety of schnitzels, rinderrouladen, sauerbraten and veal liver with onions, apples and bacon will set a continental cuisine aficionado back about half the outlay for similar entrées in the big city. The priciest of ethnic offerings, oxtail stew, alas, is only offered seasonally from October-January. The Braising Pan also serves breakfast. The Stubborn German Omelet combines bratwurst and bacon with Wisconsin baby Swiss cheese, green pepper and onions; the braunschweiger and eggs delivers the creamy pork liver sausage (also available in a lunch sandwich) in thick slabs over pumpernickel toast with red onion garnish. Also among the morning options—served until 11:30 a.m. weekdays and 2 p.m. on weekends—is the German sausage and eggs plate. It makes for a rib-sticking way to start a day fit for a lumberjack. Or you may at least feel a bit like Paul Bunyan dining in The Braising Pan’s modernized log cabin-looking interior.
