Neil Littman visits a unique Austrian restaurant in Palmers Green that specialises in schnitzel

There’s a ‘new’ restaurant in the heart of Palmers Green that has reinvented itself. The clue is in the name – Stage Schnitzel – which, according to various sources, refers to ‘a thin slice of veal or other light meat, coated in breadcrumbs and fried’.

It’s a dish with several claims to its origin; some say it was invented by the Romans, or perhaps by an Austrian general, or even that it originated in the Middle East. They may all be right.

The first time I encountered schnitzel was in old fashioned Italian cafes in Soho where it was served ‘Milanese’ style with spaghetti, but then it vanished off menus along with those cafes. Whatever the truth, it seems to be having a revival and returned on a wave of nostalgia with Stage (and others) serving it in all its varieties – and some the Romans didn’t even think of.

Stage opened a few years ago as a café serving Turkish-style breakfasts and brunch but, thanks to their popularity, outgrew the space and relocated over the road to a larger site (formerly a branch of Boots), renaming it Stage House. However, they also kept the original place, now called Stage Schnitzel, and started serving schnitzel in different ways; chicken, veal, mushroom, aubergine and even sea bass.

I was so intrigued by this idea I visited them a week after they opened and asked them to tell me their back story and what they were hoping to bring to the area. The chef/manager had previously worked at two Austrian restaurants in London and made the decision to put his culinary skills into a concept that might stand out from the local competition. “I didn’t want to open just another kebab shop as there are so many of them,” he told me.

The updated interior is a mix of styles, both modern and retro, with a bar and open kitchen and an unobtrusive house soundtrack that sounded Middle Eastern to my ears. The service is good and welcoming.

The menu isn’t overlong, with starters including Austrian-style potato salad, arancini (rice balls with mushroom and cheese filling), and calamari. But the stand-out is the main course offer, with 13 varieties of schnitzel, plus two more served in a burger bun. Portions are big and I recommend sharing a starter!

My initial visit was a solo one and I began with the calamari (£8.50), consisting of five large rings looking like mini doughnuts coated in panko crumbs, served with a mayo dip which tasted sweet and nutty. I followed this with a classic chicken schnitzel (£12.90) and chunky fries. The schnitzel was served with garlic butter and lemon and was crisp and tender. The fries were crisp, thick wedges dusted with sea salt. I ordered a German beer, Stiegel Hell (£6.50 for a half-litre bottle) but there is also a grapefruit beer listed and an intriguingly-named soft drink, Almdudler.

On a second visit with a friend, we shared a kartoffelsalat (potato salad), chicken schnitzel and the classic weiner schnitzel (£20.90), served with various salads and lingonberry and currywurst sauces. For dessert we shared an apple strudel.

The prices are about £25-35 per head for two courses, including drinks. The service is extra. One of my friends who travels to Austria frequently says this place is the real deal and a great addition to the area – I agree!

Stage Schnitzel can be found at 260 Green Lanes (N13 5TU) and is open seven days a week for dining in and takeaways, at lunchtimes and every evening until 10pm. Booking is advisable at weekends:
Call 0203 876 1693

Do you have any suggestions for restaurants in Enfield to review or feedback on the places Neil has already reviewed? He would love to hear from Dispatch readers:
Email [email protected]

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