Iconic Eats: Mutti's German Restaurant

Iconic Eats is Ben Luschen's series focusing on famed Oklahoma foods he's trying for the first time. If you have a suggestion for his next blog, email him at ben.luschen@TravelOK.com.

In Oklahoma, the line of classic hamburger joints and greasy spoon diners stretches out the door and around the block. Rest assured, no matter how many burgers I consume there will always be one more somewhere in this state to absolutely blow me away. All of this is to say, I don’t think anyone will mind if we detour on the Iconic Eats tour for something a little different, but as gut-bustingly glorious as always.

When you consider the bulk of German heritage in the state—one in eight Oklahomans claimed family roots in the country after the 2008 census—it is surprising that there is not a German restaurant on every corner here. Of course, quantity like that matters not when we play host to so much quality. Ingrid’s in Oklahoma City is known far and wide for its Bavarian bakery and dinner specialties. Royal Bavaria in Moore and Cafe Bahnhof in Waynoka offer some of the best beer, sausage, and revelry this side of Oktoberfest, but today’s star is none other than the Lawton staple Mutti’s.

Muttis Lawton 1 Photo by Ben Luschen

Open for about a dozen years now, Mutti’s wasted no time ascending the mountain of local food lore, thanks in large part to the strength of its schnitzel and the delectably daunting display of house-made desserts. I, being among the many Okies who claim German heritage (check the last name) decided that a recent trip to Lawton was the perfect excuse to finally sample a bit of das Vatterland.

I knew Mutti’s is known for its schnitzel (chicken-fried pork in Okie speak), so in order to optimize my experience there, my original plan was to order a side appetizer of the schnitzel strips to pair with a plate of bratwurst or whatever other kind of sausage dinner I was feeling in the moment. But that was all before I saw the Grill Teller Sampler Plate on the menu—a meaty mountain of just about every kind of succulent German treat you can imagine: schnitzel, bratwurst, knackwurst, leberkaese, and wienerle, with generous sides of potato salad, home fries, red cabbage, sauerkraut, and thick brown mushroom gravy. There is no limit to how much I am willing to eat for the sake of science* (*OKT editors blog).

As if I wasn’t about to get full enough, they brought out a small loaf of butter bread and a cool, crisp cucumber and green bean salad before my order arrived. The bread was warm and inviting with its plush white interior. I easily could have devoured the whole thing in no time flat but, for once in my life, I showed commendable restraint in taking only half and pacing myself for the main attraction.

Muttis Lawton 3 Photo by Ben Luschen

As the sample plate arrived, I could immediately tell it was everything I’d dreamed it would be—and that I’d definitely be needing a to-go box. This is definitely the kind of thing you order for you and your date when you want to try a little of everything. But this time it would have to be split three ways—between me, myself, and I. I try to treat myself often but even I have to admit he’s getting kind of greedy.

My first move was to cut into that trademark schnitzel. I heaped a couple of spoonfuls of the mushroom gravy over the tenderized cutlet covering nearly half of my dinner plate. The gravy was rich and creamy with meaty chunks of mushroom but still did little to hide the crisp outer bread coating of the schnitzel. It’s a wonder how they kept the inner pork so juicy after the frying and tenderizing. Of all the schnitzel I’ve had in my life, this might take the cake.

From there I moved on to the sausages. Both the bratwurst and the knackwurst (veal, pork, and garlic sausage) lived up to expectation: snappy outer skin bursting with juicy flavor on the inside. The wienerle—a Vienna sausage which, in this case, has been fanned open to resemble an octopus—was a fun addition to the plate. The real star of the show here was the side of curry-spiced ketchup. I am not the biggest ketchup eater myself, but the subtle curry flavoring added a new dimension to the sausages that you don’t often get on American plates.

Then at last it was time for the leberkaese. I’ll admit, this was the one thing I didn’t really know anything about before ordering. What I got was a type of meat loaf made with corned beef and pork. It had the smoky flavor of bologna but with the texture of thick-sliced SPAM. If that sound unappealing to you, well, sorry. Maybe don’t order this one, but I loved it. It paired equally well with both the mushroom gravy and the curry ketchup, and I alternated bites dunking it into one or the other.

The home fries, potato salad, cabbage and kraut were all stellar sides. I’ve noticed there are a lot of people my age who don’t care much for things like potato salad and sauerkraut. To said peers: Please grow up. Not everything has to be crinkle-cut french fries.

Muttis Lawton 4 Photo by Ben Luschen

A man of more discipline might have been ready to leave the table at this point, but after packing away my leftovers in the to-go box I took little more than minimal convincing to go ahead and order something from Mutti’s dessert case. On this particular day they had a homemade Black Forest cream cake that was calling my name. Despite its imposing three layers, it was a deceptively light and puffy cap to a tremendous meal. My biggest regret was refusing the cup of coffee they normally offer with dessert, because after my final course I was well set for a Brothers Grimm-type slumber.

I am very glad I took my Bavarian detour in Lawton, a decision that was doubly reinforced as I reheated my leftover schnitzel the next day. I know there is fierce competition in the state for the title of best German food, but Mutti’s has certainly earned a spot near the very top of the list.

Classic comparison: The Artist (2011). A relatively recent addition to a classic genre that proudly stands on its own merit.

Let Ben know which classic Oklahoma eats he needs to try next by emailing him at ben.luschen@TravelOK.com.

Written By

Ben Luschen

Luschen joined the *Oklahoma Today*’ staff as Research Editor in 2021 and currently works as the magazine's Web Editor, managing the website and social media fronts. His past *Oklahoma Today* stories have ranged in content from the state's bee and quail industries to its vibrant art and music scenes. Not adverse to a road trip, Luschen is always on the lookout for the next big adventure. He is never out of opinions about the current state of Oklahoma City Thunder basketball.