Bites Nearby: Village Corner German Restaurant

You could stand on a corner and look around until a restaurant sign draws you in. But we've got a better idea. Each week, Patch picks a great restaurant either in town or nearby that is worth checking out.

Here is this week's choice:  The Village Corner German Restaurant and Bakery.

Unless you moved to the area yesterday, you probably know about The Village Corner German Restaurant and Bakery in historic Stone Mountain Village, and chances are, you've eaten there a number of times. After all, the eatery has been in the village since 1974. 

The coming weeks are a special time at The Village Corner, though, and worth highlighting: It's Spargelzeit -- asparagus season -- and the restaurant will be serving big, fat spears of tender, steamed white asparagus the traditional German way: with drawn butter, new potatoes and slices of ham.

The restaurant orders crates of fresh white asparagus from Germany during the season, said owner Hilde Friese, who owns and operates the restaurant with her husband, Claus. Their son, Karl, is the executive chef. The asparagus is the same type as the green kind, but less bitter.  To keep it from turning green, it's covered with mounds of soil, so the sunlight can't reach it.

The Village Corner will be celebrating the season on two Saturdays: May 21 and May 28. Aside from the traditional German dish, there will be asparagus soup, white and green asparagus salad, Schnitzel Oscar, and duck breast with asparagus and wild mushrooms.

Though it won't have asparagus this Sunday, Mother's Day, the restaurant will have live music by Daniel Oliver. And it has its famous tomato basil soup every day.

A bonus: The bakery makes my favorite cake, Sachertorte, a cake that originated at the Hotel Sacher in Vienna, plus a host of other delicious cakes, including German and Austrian specialities. Something to consider if you're looking for something sweet and special for your mom.

The Village Corner German Restaurant and Bakery is at 6655 James B. Rivers Drive, Stone Mountain. Open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. until 11 p.m. or later. Open Sunday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Closed Mondays. Pricing: Appetizers start at $7, entrees at $15, sandwiches at $9. The entrees and sandwiches come with generous sides.