Webers Restaurant

A yellowed 1956 Syracuse Post Standard pictorial sits behind a glass frame to the right of the bar at Weber’s Restaurant & Haus of Reubens.? The pictorial depicts the daily activities of the Weber family, German immigrants who founded a joint restaurant and butcher’s shop in a large building on the North Side of Syracuse, where the operation still resides today.
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The Weber family of 1956 did a lot of things that the 2008 Webers don't; they spoke German with their customers, used meat cuts from their butcher’s block, and served only a small selection of German specialties in their restaurant. These days, not a lot of German is being spoken in the two large dining rooms that make up Weber’s, and the butcher’s shop has disappeared altogether. Today, the sprawling menu includes American and pub-style influenced food as well as German.?
? But some things at Weber’s, like the taste of its traditional recipes, haven't changed much at all. After almost 60 years in the business, owners Otto Weber and his son Erich appear to have acquired the kind of situation that most restaurateurs only dream of: the well-oiled machine. Here’s the kind of place where everyone knows everyone else. The bar is staffed by extended family and menus are almost superfluous since most people already know what they’re ordering.? Located in a rambling, brown building at 820 Danforth St. on the North Side, Weber’s is a prime example of two of the areas well known trademarks: a rich ethnic history and a propensity for good food.

?????Inside, Weber’s sparsely ornamented dual dining rooms only hint at the German heritage that has become the establishment’s calling card.? Beer trays depicting country landscapes and pretty girls serve as artwork for the walls, and dark pumpernickel bread initiates the meal. Looking over the elongated menu is a bit like reading a culinary history book for the past 60 years, with such vintage favorites as frog legs, liverwurst, and pickled beets. But the menu’s considerable selection may be more a result of the additions from recent years, when lighter dishes were introduced to balance out the gravy-heavy German fare in keeping with modern tastes.?
?????While there’s certainly enough of a range to satisfy even the pickiest consumer, it’s the German dishes that still provide the main attraction on the Weber’s menu.

?????German food, in general, is all about robust, earthy flavors, slow-cooked meats, and rich, hearty sauces. Just the kind of thing you’d want plopped in front of you after a long day at work in the frozen fields of the Old Country. Or today, after that long walk from your car to the door in a sub-zero, Syracuse wind chill. Sauerbraten is a traditional German dish made from braised meat slathered in rich, russet gravy that hints strongly of vinegar and cloves, making it both sweet and tangy on the tongue.?
At Weber’s, the homemade sauce is actually referred to as ‘Ginger snap gravy’ and is sluiced liberally across cuts of marinated eye of the round beef, creating a flavor combination that’s winningly unique.?
Weber’s also offers four varieties of Schnitzel; pork or veal cutlets that are tenderized, breaded, and lightly fried before they are sautéed with onions, peppers, and mushrooms. Finally, Weber’s fleet of traditional favorites concludes with Rouladen; sliced beef sirloin that is rolled and stuffed with onions and bacon before being roasted and coated with gravy.

Though not a traditional German dish, per se, Weber’s also features over 22 varieties of Reuben sandwiches and specialties. Though commonly made with corned beef, the restaurant offers roast beef, ham, or turkey meats piled atop Swiss cheese and red or white sauerkraut and served with a side of Russian dressing. Along with the more adventurous Reuben Burger and Reuben Pizza, there are also Reuben Egg Rolls, whose crispy wonton crunch dovetails surprisingly well with the slightly tart, creamy corned beef and kraut within.?
?And while you’re not likely to find Reuben Egg Rolls on another menu in town, after 60 years in the business, the ability to make bold choices is just another luxury that Weber’s Restaurant has earned with time.

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