Schnitzel Lunch @ The Dutch Garden

There are those days — often following a late night of cards and a morning with only coffee for sustenance — when nothing will salve the stomach or soul better than a freshly fried patty of pork. And if you know what I’m talking about but have never sought that cure while sitting at the counter of The Dutch Garden near where Highway 154 slams into State Street, then your world is about to grow a lot more fulfilling. The Dutch, as regulars often call it, serves a most wondrous schnitzel for lunch, crunchy yet not greasy, best enhanced with a spray of lemon juice and followed by forkfuls of house-made sauerkraut, tangy purple potato salad, and cumin-spiced carrots. It’s also mighty fine with one of the many ales on tap or in bottle, which come from what may still be the best beer list in town, despite a fast-growing craft brew culture everywhere. And it’s not just German beers, either — the Almanac Farmer’s Reserve Citrus from the Bay Area that I had with my schnitzel on a visit a couple of months ago was about as perfect a pairing as could be. There’s plenty of less-fried fare, too, but it’s all quite hearty, and it’s definitely not the place for your vegetarian or gluten-free friends — unless, of course, they simply love the ambience of an old Santa Barbara beer garden. 4203 State St.; (805) 967-4911.