The Alpine Village



This Oktoberfest tuba playing guy was not there.

On Saturday, I and a few of my friends drove down to the Alpine Village in Torrance for a taste of German lunch.  It felt very Christmassey, as it was chilly, overcast and raining all the way down there.

The Alpine Village is a collection of restaurants and shops that specialize in German food and imports, and also Scandinavian imports of all kinds.  It's a little bit of Deutschland in the South Bay.

A little bit of Bavaria right in Southern California

We had a delicious lunch.  They feature menu items such as wienerschnitzel, bratwurst, sauerkraut, red cabbage, spaetzle and other German delicacies.  It was really yummy!

Yummy food!

Afterwards, we hit the shops.  I was able to get things that make my Christmas complete: hearty brown bread, Norwegian gjetost, a marzipan pig and a jar of pickled red cabbage. Great comfort foods of the season.  I'm looking forward to my Christmas feast!

Authentic German grocery shopping for Christmas

The Alpine Village market has a deli and a bakery with all kinds of traditional foods.  I had to curb my enthusiasm!  I wanted to buy everything.

Delicious baked goods

All kinds of German and European imported foods

We sat near here, but didn't see any waitresses dressed like Heidi!

I think it's funny that they should show this beautiful dirndl wearing waitress in their ads.  Our waiters were efficient and friendly, but short, dark and Hispanic.

It was a great lunch with good friends, and made me a little nostalgic for the Norwegian-American home I grew up in.

Frohliche Weinachten!

Note: All photos are from the Alpine Village website.