Nestled in Gibson City’s downtown, there’s a German-inspired restaurant called Horsch Radish, and a friend and I recently made our way out to try it. When we walked in, we were greeted warmly, immediately seated, and given menus.
The vibe of the place certainly felt like I was sitting somewhere not in Central Illinois in the best way. It was cozy, warm, and felt like I was sitting down at the family table for a nice meal. And the food certainly reflected that.
For our appetizer, we ordered the jumbo Bavarian pretzel sticks ($8). Served fresh and very hot, the outside had a slight crisp, and the inside was warm and soft. It paired wonderfully with the hot beer cheese and tangy whole grain mustard dip it was served with. We got three, which was ideal to share. Each was very large and absolutely worth the price. I could have eaten an entire basket of just those, and I would have been content.
My friend ordered the rahmschnitzel ($15) as her entree. This was a plate of two beautiful breaded pork cutlets topped with a thick mushroom gravy. The gravy was savory and complimented the other toppings of sour cream and bacon really well. This meal came with two sides, and my friend picked the mashed potatoes and spätzle, which was basically like a very eggy noodle. They had the texture of dumplings, and it was warm and comforting.
Other sides that were available included sauerkraut, potato pancakes, cabbage, coleslaw, and more. There were also other kinds of schnitzel with varying sauces, like one with a lemon caper sauce or another served with cinnamon apples and cheese. Whatever one is craving, there’s most likely some kind of schnitzel that can satisfy.
For my meal, I ordered the brat platter. ($25) This plate consisted of three brats, a weisswurst, Hungarian brat, and Swiss knacker. It was served with red cabbage and sauerkraut, and I ordered a side of the spätzle. The Hungarian brat was unexpectedly spicy. It tasted very strongly of paprika, which to me was great! But for anyone sensitive to spice, be careful with this one. This one was seriously great and paired so well with the sweet and sour cabbage and mustard they served the sausages with. The weisswurst was my personal favorite. The flavor was delicate and subtle with hints of herbs; it wasn’t greasy at all and felt almost refreshing. The Swiss knacker was a sausage stuffed with cheese, and it was rich and comforting.
As for the sides, the red cabbage was very sweet, which excellently cut through the heavy sausages it was served with. The sauerkraut was, well, sour! As someone who isn’t a big fan of this normally, I thought it was great. For the chilly day we went, this platter hit the spot for sure. The balance of sweet and sour side dishes with the rich flavors on the plate was definitely a treat.
For dessert, we were presented with the option of apple strudel or Death by Chocolate, a housemade chocolate tart. We went with the chocolate dessert ($8) , and it was indulgent in the best way. The rich chocolate tart was topped by another drizzle of chocolate and powdered sugar. This was great for both of us to share. While I am a big chocolate fan, it tasted very rich, and by the time I finished my half, I was satisfied. I was kind of signing up for that with the whole title of death by chocolate, so I got exactly what was on the tin! It was a great end to our meal.
Overall, this restaurant was a hidden gem. The service was wonderful and the food moreso. For anyone looking for something new to try, head down to Gibson City to get some German flavors.
Horsch Radish
209 N Sangamon Ave
Gibson City
W-Su 4 to 8 p.m.
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