Klein Kneipe

Every barrio deserves a good sandwich shop, right? Ñuñoa now has a couple of them. We recently reviewed Kunstmann Kneipe, combining a brewpub offering Chile’s most popular craft beer brand supplemented with some surprisingly good food. They have three formidable sandwiches that can be paired with some of the best beer in South America.

But just a few blocks away is a German sandwich shop, that although not as notorious as Fuente Aleman or Fuente Marroqueo, has some unique sandwiches warranting a visit for anyone that loves good food between two slices of bread.

Klein Kneipe is small and won’t win any design awards for sure. The interior dining room looks about like your typical Texas roadhouse. But, there's something about the humble surroundings makes the beer and sandwiches taste a bit better.

Klein Kneipe has sandwiches and burgers, a couple of salads, and several different versions of French fries, including the classic Chilean chorillana, French fries topped with everything but the kitchen sink.

The restaurant has some house sandwiches or you can build your own sandwich.

Choose either pan Frica (hamburger bun equivalent), a baguette or a pita bread.

Choose a meat, sauce and as many condiments as you want from a long list that has about anything that would be fitting to put in a sandwich.

I did the slices of grilled steak (churrasco) with thousand-island dressing, sweet pickles and sauerkraut. My companion did a barbeque chicken sandwich with lettuce and cheese.

I tried a few bites of his sandwich. It tasted great. The chicken was not overcooked. My steak strips were moist, the dressing and condiments very good. The bread was acceptable, but nothing more.

I made a mess eating that sandwich which is a pretty good indication of just how good it was.

If a sandwich is really done right, you typically have to ask the waiter for extra napkins. And I did.

They have a variety of both Austral and Kunstmann beer on tap, and a about dozen or so German imports in bottles.

Service was adequate but not much more than that.

Despite the overly unpretentious surroundings, which some people will consider a positive, and the ho-hum service, the sandwiches were tasty enough to warrant a return visit.

It’s on my calendar!