The Best of the Wurst

My brother Z (who is possibly a bigger foodie than me!) is in NYC for the summer. So let’s just say that a big chunk of the time we spend together is spent researching and going to new restaurants. My kind of summer!

One of the first spots we hit up was a currywurst and bratwurst place called Wechsler’s Currywurst in the East Village. When Z was first telling me about it, I wasn’t so sold on the idea. When I traveled to Europe last summer, I was reminded that there is pork in just about everything. And they haven’t adopted chicken and turkey versions of these foods the way the US has. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I saw not one, but two chicken sausage/wurst options on the menu at Wechsler’s.

We went at a very good time when the restaurant only had one of its six tables filled. By time we finished the meal, people were waiting for a spot to park themselves. This hole-in-the-wall makes the most of the small space and is decorated enough to make you feel like you’re in Germany, but not over the top where it feels like a theme restaurant.

After chatting with the guy at the counter for some recommendations, we figured out what to we wanted. I ordered the Chicken Supremo sausage, which was seasoned with oregano, basil, and fennel seeds. The two links were served on the roll that barely covered 1/3 of them! Z ordered the currywurst since it was Wechsler’s namesake and a side order of sauerkraut. And we decided to split an order of pommes frites – curious why they use the French name for fries instead of the German one!


I’ve tried a variety of chicken sausage before (both from the grocery and from restaurants), and I have to say that this was the best I’ve ever had. The herbs used to season it gave it a really great, unique flavor. The roll itself was so good that I asked the guy if the German bakery where they buy them from sold to retail stores. Unfortunately not!

Z wasn’t a huge fan of the flavor of the curry, but said that the wurst itself was really good. He liked the sauerkraut a lot, but could have done without the giant peppercorns that were mixed in and making some bites really intense. And we both loved the fries. They were hand-cut, lightly salted, and fried in peanut oil.

The restaurant has a pretty extensive list of draught and bottled beer, and I can see why it gets so packed as the night goes on. Open until 2am on the weekends, it’s definitely a great late night greasy food destination.

Wechsler's Currywurst
120 1st Avenue
@ 7th Street
website
Menu Pages listing

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