CW was invited to The Bavarian restaurant in Woden to try their new Over The Top (OTT) dishes – and found they certainly live up to their name!

On a cold winter evening in Canberra, we warmed up with great food and welcoming hospitality in the inviting surrounds of The Bavarian at Woden.

My plus-one tried the Big Boy Oi, Oi, Oi schnitzel stacked with BBQ wings, bacon and eggs and a stack of hot chips. There was so much food, he could only manage half and took the rest home in a doggie bag.

I chose the mushroom schnitzel with coleslaw and sweet potato fries (since replaced on the new winter menu by a plant-based schnitty). Again, it was such a generous serve I took half home for lunch the next day.

Despite our bellies being full, our gracious host Thiago talked us into sharing the classic house-made apple strudel for dessert with a side of Wild Brumby butter toffee schnapps. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream, the strudel tasted fresh and was delightfully spiced with cinnamon.

Until 31 July, The Bavarian restaurants in the ACT and across most of Australia and New Zealand, have turbocharged their menus with OTT, or Over The Top, dishes designed to replenish, indulge, and fulfil even the hungriest of diners.

The Bavarian’s schnitzels, sausages, burgers and chicken wings have all had an outrageous OTT makeover. The result? They’re all extraordinarily big … and good.

The iconic schnitzel has been taken to the extreme, with three versions to choose from ($55 per person):

• Godfather: giant schnitzels, ham, cheese, Kielbasa, Napoli sauce, cheese
• Matterhorn: schnitzel mountain, cheese spätzle, three layers of Alpen cheese, bacon
• Big Boy Oi, Oi, Oi: schnitzel stacked with BBQ wings, bacon, egg

Diners can choose to dial up the excessiveness even more with add-ons including spätzle, pork ribs and maple and bacon waffle ($10 each).

The OTT Burger includes an Angus beef patty, chicken schnitzel and pork belly layered with tomato, lettuce, Swiss cheese and drizzled with sauce in between a soft bun ($34). Diners can tailor their OTT burger to suit their taste and appetite, with double beef patties and schnitzels ($18), triple patties and schnitzels ($28) and OTT add-ons including mac and cheese balls, layers of bacon, and triple cheese – Swiss, Brie and Parmesan.

OTT Wings come in 8 flavours and four super-sizes: ½kg $20, 1kg $30, 2kg $50, 5kg $100.

The humble German sausage can be supercharged in size, heat, or an OTT combination of both.

• Long: longest Bratwurst Nurnberger, mash, sauerkraut, mustard $35  
• Hot: sign your waver for our hottest Currywurst, with fries $28  
• I Want It All: the biggest wurstplatter (designed for two) with pretzel, sauerkraut, mustard, gravy $65 

As well as several weeks of OTT food hedonism, all The Bavarian restaurants have relaunched the full menu on Monday 20 June, boasting even bigger, bolder Bavarian flavours.

New Bavarian dishes include:

• Brotzeit-Teller: Black Forest ham, cheese, leberwurst, loaf of rye bread and condiments ($18)
• Käsespätzle: traditional Bavarian pasta ($26)
• Bavarian Schmanckerl: crackling pork belly, German sausages, schnitzel, sauerkraut, red cabbage, creamy mash, apple compote and bier jus ($36)
• Wurstsalad: Pork Lyoner, pickled onions, gherkins, radishes, mustard dressing, roast potatoes $20  

Classic dishes remain on the menu, including The Bavarian’s famous crispy pork knuckle, crackling pork belly, Munich Platter and Wurst Platter.

Five schnitzels are available served with fries, mash, or potato salad:

• Jager Chicken Schnitzel with mushroom ragout ($26)
• Schwein Schnitzel with Bavarian slaw ($28)
• Parmi with Prager ham, mozzarella and Napolitana sauce ($27)
• Naked Schnitzel with garlic butter and wilted greens ($26)
• Wannabe a Schnitzel: plant-based schnitzel with forest greens and balsamic glaze ($28)

Burgers have also been turbocharged with German flavours, including the Oink Oink Burger with sliced pork belly, apple cabbage slaw, roast onions and BBQ sauce ($25), the Kanzler Burger with tomato, Swiss cheese, lettuce, horseradish mayo and bacon ($25), the Killer Schnitty with Swiss cheese, cranberry sauce, lettuce, and roasted walnuts in a pretzel bun ($23), and the Berlin Mitte – a plant-based schnitzel with caramelised onion, lettuce, roasted walnuts, tomato and vegan mayo in a pretzel bun ($23). 

To view the menu and find The Bavarian restaurant near you, visit www.thebavarians.com