Tim Wiechmann's Brownyn In Somerville Parsnip Soup
Bronwyn's German food is fun to say, and eat
Pastinakensuppe.
It's so much more fun than saying "parsnip soup," and it's one of the reasons we love Bronwyn.
The German-inspired restaurant in Boston's Somerville neighborhood has a lively Bavarian beer hall vibe: antique high-backed wood-and-velvet chairs, plump "haus-made" wursts, killer soft pretzels with horseradish mustard and a bier list that goes for miles.
Tim Wiechmann, chef and owner, built much of the furniture himself and carved a heart in the impressive wooden front door in honor of his wife, Bronwyn, for whom the place is named.
"We wanted it to be genuine and have character," Wiechmann says. "It's not German, it's not American. It's unique."
A French-trained chef with German roots, Wiechmann employs the basic building blocks of Middle- and Eastern European cuisine: potatoes, cabbage, pork, bread and beer, lots of beer.
We particularly liked his pastinakensuppe (see the recipe), a velvety cold-weather warmer composed of puréed parsnips cooked in milk, then garnished with chopped caraway seeds and dill. Cucumbers and delicate supremes of blood orange offer bright, gorgeous contrast.
It's hearty and sophisticated, like a lot of Wiechmann's food–and exactly what we're craving for dinner on these still-chilly evenings.
Hearts seem to be the theme at Bronwyn in Somerville, MA. Chef Tim Wiechmann (far right) named the Bavarian beer hall-inspired restaurant after his wife (left).
At Bronwyn, the bier list is seemingly endless and the fantastic soft pretzels are served with horseradish mustard.
A platter of "haus-made" wursts and the quaint, antique-looking interior of Bronwyn.
Some of the furniture was made by Wiechmann himself.