One time I went with my friend to Weller’s in Layton. My friend had lived a few years in Amsterdam, and I figured this qualified him as a semi-expert in German food because he once said to me the Dutch language is basically German without the rules. It was a fun experience, but I hadn’t been back. I still remember that delicious purple cabbage stuff…
I was intrigued when I heard Weller’s was opening a new location in Ogden. (Let’s be honest, Ogdenites aren’t the most adventurous eaters. Many I know won’t venture past the Maddox menu.) The location is in the artsy-fartsy Monarch building—which actually used to be a parking garage for the Ben Lomond Hotel. Ironically, the parking is a bit of a mess now. You can park across and up the street in a lot that has an excessive amount of warning signage. (I didn’t follow all their complicated directions to validate my parking—shh, don’t tell.)
The building is nice inside, very modern, with some random German words thrown around. I wasn’t exactly expecting yodeling, lederhosen, and beer mugs—though secretly I wanted to see some of that. Instead, I was greeted with OneRepublic on the radio and a Diet Coke. The service was swift, friendly, and in their mid-30’s. I think I spied the general manager working, which could have had something to do with it. The employees walk around with shirts that say Ist gut, ja?—which I’m guessing means exactly what it sounds like.
I felt it was my duty to order “das Schnitzel” (that’s German for “the Schnitzel”). I was served potatoes, purple cabbage, and fried pork with a choice of lemon or creamy mushroom sauce. It wasn’t too bad! I’ll give it a solid 4/5. I thoroughly enjoyed the purple cabbage. Perhaps the lemon sauce would have been a bit more flavorful. It was a big lunch and cost $26.52 with a drink and tax.
I want to go back—maybe try the Reuben, a different schnitzel sauce, some more sour-like cabbage that seems German, and definitely more of the purple stuff. ChatGPT tells me it is called Rotkohl.
